How Often Should Air Ducts Be Cleaned?
When To Clean Your Air Ducts Most people don’t think very much about the air ducts that help heat and cool their homes. Many assume they’re not something that needs to be looked at unless blocked off or not passing air for some reason. But knowing how often to clean air ducts should be like knowing when to check other major components of the home. So how often should air ducts be cleaned? According to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, the general time frame should be every three to five years. Respiratory Conditions If there are people living in the house who have respiratory conditions such as asthma or who have severe allergies related to dust and mold, it may be advisable to have a somewhat shorter window on the order of two to three years. Annual cleanings, if they’re logistically feasible, can certainly be arranged, but there’s a distinct chance of diminishing returns. Dust One of the big misconceptions about air duct cleaning, in Phoenix and elsewhere, is that the ducts shouldn’t be able to hold on to dust, that the force of the air pressure is enough to keep it from settling. In fact, dust sticks to all sides of an air duct, picking up a weak static charge as it travels, helping it stick to the metal inside of most ducts. And once it sticks, it’s going to stay stuck until something disturbs it like a duct-cleaning brush. The same properties apply to things like dust mites, mold spores, and pet dander. If you’re going to hire air duct cleaners in Phoenix, or anywhere for that matter, make sure that you’re hiring professionals. Check to make sure that they’re members in good standing with the National Air Duct Cleaners Association and that they adhere to NADCA standards when it comes to their work. Contact A-Z Air Duct in Phoenix, AZ for vent cleaning services A-Z Air Duct certainly meets these criteria for Phoenix air duct cleaning. Please feel free to contact us, either by calling us or visiting our web site. Our staff can discuss the particulars of your air ducts and quote you a reasonable price combined with a rational estimate of the work involved. After all, we want everybody to breathe a little easier. CONTACT US TODAY
Is Cleaning Air Ducts Worth It?
Imagine a whole room in your Phoenix-area home that you have never dusted and never vacuumed, but that gets constant use. If you have a furnace, central air conditioner, and ductwork, you actually have such a room: it’s your home’s air ducts. The Importance of Cleaning Your Air Ducts The total volume of most Valley homes’ ductwork is equal to that of a small room in a typical house. Now consider this: If you have never had your ducts cleaned, every bit of air moving through your house first has to pass through that dirty, dusty “room” before you breathe it. What is in Your Ducts? Anything caught up in the return registers of your home’s ductwork can lodge in the ducts. These contaminants include: Mold Mildew Pet Dander Insect droppings Fungi Bacteria Tobacco byproducts Dust Human skin cells and hair Debris in the Ducts of New Homes The ductwork in new homes is, you might think, completely clean. It is installed that way, yes, but construction debris can get swept up into the ductwork during routine furnace and AC testing during construction. Older Homes Your existing home comes to you with a murky history. Did the previous owners have the ducts cleaned? A buildup of mold, mildew, pet dander, dust, and other organic and inorganic matter can accumulate in just a few months. Children Children’s immature and developing lungs are far more sensitive to allergens and contaminants than adults’ lungs. Children breathe more rapidly, are closer to the ground where contaminants settle and tend to suffer from asthma at higher rates than adults, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. HVAC Performance Dust and dirt in your ductwork are usually caught by your air filter, but it can easily become clogged. Any particles that land on the heating element of your furnace, or your AC’s coil, rob the system of energy efficiency. Recommendations for Air Duct Cleaning The Environmental Protection Agency recommends duct cleaning for several very good reasons: Substantial, visible mold growth; Ducts are home to vermin (rodents, insects); Ducts are visibly clogged with dust and debris; You see or feel particles released into the home from your supply registers. Air Duct Cleaning in Phoenix, AZ So, is air duct cleaning worth it? Only you can weigh the factors affecting your Phoenix home, so consider your family’s health and make the decision to take advantage of the benefits of air duct cleaning. Contact us at A-Z Air Duct today to schedule a visit. CONTACT US TODAY
A-Z Air Duct Has the Right HVAC Cleaning Tools for the Job
A good air duct cleaning company is one that makes use of the right tools for the right job. As there are a number of tools that are used for HVAC cleaning, the challenge is being able to choose the right one for the job. This blog will highlight some of the most common tools that can be used for air duct cleaning, inspection, restoration, etc. The Tools We Use to Clean Your Air Ducts When you work with a company like A-Z Air Duct, you are guaranteed that you’ll get the finest in air duct cleaning services. We seamlessly perform every job with perfection thanks to having the right tools operated by experienced technicians. Continue reading to see what tools we use and how we use them. Tools for Inspection Before beginning cleaning of the air duct, technicians need to know what contaminants the air duct contains. This can be done simply by way of a visual inspection of the area, but the position of an air duct often makes it difficult for the human eye to reach it. Hence, this is done through a variety of tools instead, such as: Digital cameras Periscopes Adjustable mirrors Technicians will enter underground return areas Accessing Tools Air ducts can sometimes be hard to reach. Typically, air duct access points will be small, and not very welcoming for cleaning or inspection. For this, there are special tools available that make this task easier. This includes ladders, long hosed vacuums and other such items. Tools for Cleaning Once you have gotten access to the HVAC system, a cleaning regime rids the air duct of the contaminants. This can be done using a number of tools. Typically, they are referred to as hand based cleaning tools. Some of the devices that are often used in such cleaning include: Power brush with vacuum Manual brush Air skippers Blow guns Air whips The choice of the cleaning device is the most important one because there are different types of air ducts and each type will warrant a different cleaning tool to be used. If that is not the case, the air ducts may become damaged. For instance, the use of over aggressive or extremely powerful cleaning tools in fiber glass lined metal duct works can damage them. Devices for Dust and Debris Collection Once the air duct has been accessed and cleaned, there is a need for the dirt, debris and mold removed from the area, to be removed from the home. This allows for better containment of the spread of these contaminants in the future. Vacuums are used to suck all the trash and particles out of the duct. There are two primary types of vacuums: Portable units on wheels Portable units carried as a backpack While the first one is powerful, the latter is more easy to use and the decision is often made taking into account the need at the time. Get Your Air Ducts Professionally Cleaned Today What differentiates a good cleaning company from the others is the choice of tools as that determines the quality of the work that they can provide to their clients. If you are looking for a professional air duct or dryer vent cleaning company in Phoenix, contact the pros at A-Z Air Duct today to get a free estimate! CONTACT US TODAY
