The Importance of Air Duct Cleaning
Is it time to clean the air ducts in your home? If they have never been cleaned, the answer is almost assuredly, yes.
Dirty air ducts can cause allergies, stale odors in your home, extra dust, and sickness.
Pollutants, mold and bacteria from dirt, pollen, tobacco smoke, pet hair and dust mites collect in the duct work of your home’s heating and cooling system. Every time your furnace or air conditioner runs, these particles whisk through the vents and spew into the air that your family breathes. Children, the elderly and the millions of people afflicted with allergies, asthma, emphysema and other respiratory tract ailments can be especially affected.
Studies have also shown that even a small buildup of dirt on the heating and air conditioning components can reduce system efficiency by more than 20 percent. Dirty ducts can result in higher utility bills, reduced air supply, and premature failure of expensive heating and air conditioning system components. Maybe you’ve also noticed how quickly dust builds up on your furniture? This could be a symptom of a dirty duct system.
How Often Should Air Ducts be Cleaned?
It is generally recommended to get a thorough duct cleaning every 2 years.
You Should Consider More Frequent Duct Cleanings if:
- There is a burning/musty smell coming from your vents when you use your furnace or air conditioner
- You have recently renovated or remodeled (especially if dry-wall dust was created)
- Some residents in the home are prone to allergies or asthma
- Some residents in the home are smokers, or smoke indoors
- You have pets that shed excessively
- You have recently moved into a new home
The Air Duct Cleaning Process
- The supply and return ducts are “zoned”, so they can be cleaned separately. Removing the furnace filter, inserting it into a plastic bag, and reinserting it into the furnace typically does this.
- Seal all air vents so the home will stay neat and clean during the process and make the entire procedure much more effective.
- An access hole is cut into the supply duct and the flex duct from the dust collector inlet is connected to the duct. The powerful vacuum creates high velocity air movement within the supply ductwork to transport loosened dirt and contaminants out of the ductwork and into the vacuum’s filtration/collection system.
- Each branch is cleaned separately starting with the branch farthest from the vacuum. The register and boot areas are blasted with compressed air using an air booster gun to push any dirt or debris into the branch run.
- Feeding a sweep assembly down each branch run to agitate and dislodge caked on debris from inside duct surfaces, and then thoroughly clean each branch.
- The main run is then cleaned using agitation devices to dislodge debris accumulated on the duct surfaces. The loosened debris is pulled backward toward the dust collector and captured in its multi-stage filtration/collection system. The 1” access holes need to be cut only every 25 feet along the duct.
- Once the supply side of the system has been completely cleaned, the return duct system is cleaned using the same methods.
- At this stage the coil, motor, blower, and blower compartment are cleaned.
- Once the entire cleaning process is completed, all access holes are completely closed
- (Optional) The entire duct system is deodorized and sanitized.
Beware of Scams!
Have you ever been awoken on a tranquil Saturday morning to the sound of your telephone ringing? You reach your arm out from under the covers to answer the phone and hear oh-so-familiar phrase:
"Hello, we are calling to offer you duct cleaning services".
Fed up yet? You’re not alone! Tens of thousands of Canadians receive unwanted telemarketing calls just like this every single year, and there are no signs of this trend slowing down. Massive amounts of these calls originate from overseas call centres with ties to fly-by-night (also known as “blow-and-go” in the context of duct cleaning specifically) organizations in Canada.
Fly-By-Night
A person or business that appears and/or disappears rapidly, appearing untrustworthy, or giving an impression of transience.
Wiktionary
The Dangers of Fly-By-Night/Blow-and-Go Air Duct Cleaning Companies
These duct cleaning companies often attempt to lure people into paying for services by stating blatantly false information or by offering services for unreasonably low prices. As always, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is!
Some telltale signs that you may be dealing with a fly-by-night company:
- They are NOT licensed by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA)
- They are NOT properly insured to work in your home
- They advertise unusually low prices or use language such as “whole house cleaning special”
- They may use improper duct cleaning equipment
- They refuse to offer their company name when questioned, or they may even impersonate other well-known brands
- Their vehicles lack any company decals or identifying information
- They will not disclose their address, phone number, or other identifying information
- They refuse to provide customer references, or their company may not have a long operating history
- The employees seem inexperienced or unknowledgeable (due to inadequate, or most often, no training whatsoever)
These companies are known for their subpar workmanship and often aggressive sales tactics. While customers may file complaints and post negative reviews in response to this, these companies simply change their identity and begin operating under a new name. This is why it’s critical to find a duct cleaning company with a long history of happy customers!
