All Things HVAC

Heating and Cooling HVAC information for Everyone

Air Duct Cleaning

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Air Duct Cleaning    By Betty Stephens

duct

Top Benefits of HVAC Cleaning

The reason for consumers is that “if the ducts look dirty, they probably are,” and that dirty HVAC systems should be inspected by a reputable, certified HVAC professional. The most important reasons homeowners choose to have their air ducts cleaned are:

  1. Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality is one concern that homeowners have when they decide to invest in air duct cleaning. In a typical six-room home, up to 40 pounds of dust is created annually through everyday living. A heating and cooling system is the lungs of a home. The system taken air in and breathes air out.

Through normal occupation in a home, we generate a great deal of contaminants and air pollutants, such as dander, dust, and chemicals. These contaminants are pulled into the HVAC system and re-circulated five to seven times per day. Over time, this re-circulation causes a build-up of contaminants in the duct work.

  1. Energy Savings

When an HVAC system is clean, it doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain the temperature you desire. As a result, less energy is used, leading to improved cost-effectiveness.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 25 to 40 percent of the energy used for heating or cooling a home is wasted. Contaminants in the heating and cooling system cause it to work harder and shorten the life of your system. Although filters are used, the heating and cooling system still gets dirty through normal use.

Preventive Maintenance

Decide to have the air ducts in your home cleaned, committing to a good preventive maintenance program is essential to minimize duct contamination. To prevent dirt from entering the system:

  • Change filters regularly.
  • Change them more frequently if your filters become clogged,
  • Ask service providers to clean coils when having system maintained.
  • Remove dust and vacuum your home regularly.
  • Prevent ducts from becoming wet.

Cleaning with Chemical Biocides inside Air Ducts

No products are currently registered by EPA as biocides for use on fiberglass duct board or fiberglass lined ducts so it is important to determine if sections of your system contain these materials before permitting the application of any biocide.

Air duct cleaning service providers may tell you that they need to apply a chemical biocide to the inside of your ducts to kill germs, and fungi_mold and prevent future biological growth. Some duct cleaning service providers may propose to introduce ozone to kill biological contaminants.

Very little research has been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of most biocides and ozone when used inside ducts. Simply spraying or otherwise introducing these materials into the operating duct system may cause much of the material to be transported through the system and released into other areas of your home.

Chemical biocides are regulated by EPA under Federal pesticide law. A product must be registered by EPA for a specific use before it can be legally used for that purpose.

A small number of products are currently registered by EPA specifically for use on the inside of bare sheet metal air ducts. A number of products are also registered for use as sanitizers on hard surfaces, which could include the interior of bare sheet metal ducts. While many such products may be used legally inside of unlined ducts if all label directions are followed, some of the directions on the label may be inappropriate for use in ducts

Most organizations concerned with duct cleaning, including EPA, NADCA, NAIMA, and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) do not currently recommend the routine use of sealants in any type of duct.

See EPA Publication Reference: Residential Air Cleaners: A Summary of Available Information

To Learn More Contact:   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air
Indoor Environments Division (6609J)

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460

www.epa.gov/iaq

 

National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) Website: www.nadca.com

ducts

 

Air Duct Cleaning Time

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Air Duct Cleaning Time

duct cleaning

Indoor air quality is one concern that homeowners have when they decide to investigate air duct cleaning. In a typical six-room home, up to 40 pounds of dust is created annually through everyday living. Your heating and cooling system is the lungs of your home. The system taken air in and breathes air out.
You should consider having the air ducts in your home cleaned if:
• There is substantial visible mold growth inside hard surface (e.g., sheet metal) ducts or on other components of your heating and cooling system.
• Ducts are infested with vermin, e.g. (rodents or insects); or
• Ducts are clogged with excessive amounts of dust and debris and/or particles are actually released into the home from your supply registers.
EPA recommends if you have a fuel burning furnace, stove, or fireplace, they be inspected for proper functioning and serviced before each heating season to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning. Some research also suggests that cleaning dirty cooling coils, fans and heat exchangers can improve the efficiency of heating and cooling systems.
If you think duct cleaning might be a good idea for your home, but you are not sure, talk to a professional. The company that services your heating and cooling system may be a good source of advice. You may also want to contact professional duct cleaning service providers and ask them about the services they provide. Remember, they are trying to sell you a service, so ask questions and insist on complete and knowledgeable answers.
Find companies that provide duct cleaning services check your Yellow Pages under “duct cleaning” or contact the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA). When the service providers come to your home, ask them to show you the contamination that would justify having your ducts cleaned.
Prevent Duct Contamination

The EPA recommends the following:

• Use the highest efficiency air filter recommended by the manufacturer of your heating and cooling system
• Change filter regularly.
• Remove dust and vacuum regularly.
• Controlling moisture is the most effective way to prevent biological growth in air ducts.

NADCA provides the following four videos for consumers on air duct cleaning, check them out. The titles are:

1. HVAC Inspection, Maintenance and Restoration Can Have Energy Saving Benefits

2. How Your HVAC System Affects the Indoor Air Quality of Your Home

3. It’s Common for HVAC Systems to Get Dirty – Learn How

4. The NADCA Guide to Proper HVAC System Cleaning

The Link to NADCA Videos for consumers: http://www.nadca.com/en/videos

Duct cleaning

Air Duct Cleaning

by

Air Duct Cleaning
By Betty Stephens

duct cleaning
Top Benefits of HVAC Cleaning
The reason for consumers is that “if the ducts look dirty, they probably are,” and that dirty HVAC systems should be inspected by a reputable, certified HVAC professional. The most important reasons homeowners choose to have their air ducts cleaned are:
1. Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is one concern that homeowners have when they decide to invest in air duct cleaning. In a typical six-room home, up to 40 pounds of dust is created annually through everyday living. A heating and cooling system is the lungs of a home. The system taken air in and breathes air out.
Through normal occupation in a home, we generate a great deal of contaminants and air pollutants, such as dander, dust, and chemicals. These contaminants are pulled into the HVAC system and re-circulated five to seven times per day. Over time, this re-circulation causes a build-up of contaminants in the duct work.
2. Energy Savings
When an HVAC system is clean, it doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain the temperature you desire. As a result, less energy is used, leading to improved cost-effectiveness.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 25 to 40 percent of the energy used for heating or cooling a home is wasted. Contaminants in the heating and cooling system cause it to work harder and shorten the life of your system. Although filters are used, the heating and cooling system still gets dirty through normal use.
Preventive Maintenance
Decide to have the air ducts in your home cleaned, committing to a good preventive maintenance program is essential to minimize duct contamination. To prevent dirt from entering the system:
• Change filters regularly.
• Change them more frequently if your filters become clogged,
• Ask service providers to clean coils when having system maintained.
• Remove dust and vacuum your home regularly.
• Prevent ducts from becoming wet.
Cleaning with Chemical Biocides inside Air Ducts
No products are currently registered by EPA as biocides for use on fiberglass duct board or fiberglass lined ducts so it is important to determine if sections of your system contain these materials before permitting the application of any biocide.
Air duct cleaning service providers may tell you that they need to apply a chemical biocide to the inside of your ducts to kill germs, and fungi mold and prevent future biological growth. Some duct cleaning service providers may propose to introduce ozone to kill biological contaminants.
Very little research has been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of most biocides and ozone when used inside ducts. Simply spraying or otherwise introducing these materials into the operating duct system may cause much of the material to be transported through the system and released into other areas of your home.
Chemical biocides are regulated by EPA under Federal pesticide law. A product must be registered by EPA for a specific use before it can be legally used for that purpose.   A small number of products are currently registered by EPA specifically for use on the inside of bare sheet metal air ducts. A number of products are also registered for use as sanitizers on hard surfaces, which could include the interior of bare sheet metal ducts. While many such products may be used legally inside of unlined ducts if all label directions are followed, some of the directions on the label may be inappropriate for use in ducts
Most organizations concerned with duct cleaning, including EPA, NADCA, NAIMA, and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) do not currently recommend the routine use of sealants in any type of duct.
See EPA Publication Reference: Residential Air Cleaners: A Summary of Available Information
To Learn More Contact: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air
Indoor Environments Division (6609J)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460
www.epa.gov/iaq

National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) Website: http://www.nadca.com/

duct cleaning

Cleaning Procedures for Flood Damage on HVAC Equipment

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HVAC Flood Damage

 

Part of the country has dealt with record breaking high temperatures other parts have been plagued with flooding.  For those of you who have experienced high water here are some tips if your HVAC system was under water.  Mind you this is for minor and temporary water coverage of your equipment.  If you have experienced major flood damage and loss notify your insurance company and call in the professionals.  Do not attempt to work on or around damaged high voltage electrical or gas lines yourself.

Clean Up and Inspection Procedures for Minor Flood Coverage of HVAC Equipment:

  • · Make sure all power is off to the unit.  Turn off at the breaker box, disconnect box, and turn gas off at the gas stop.
  • · Do not attempt to turn on unit until system is completely dried out.
  • · Wear gloves when working and cleaning around unit.
  • · Remove old air filter and replace with new filter after unit has been cleaned.
  • · Remove any foreign debris that may have accumulated around or inside of unit.
  • · Removed all panels and clean with diluted bleach mixture (1 cup bleach to 1 gallon water).  Clean inside and outside of unit, every inch that you can get to with a small sponge.  Do not mix cleaning solutions.
  • · Inspect all wiring and components for damage.
  • · Oil motors that have oil ports.
  • · Turn power back on.  Check the air conditioning first, then the heat.  It might be a good idea to have two people available, one at the breakers and one at the unit with a fire extinguisher at the ready.
  • · A mild musty odor is normal.  You can buy scented air freshener packs at Lowes and Home Depot that attach to your air filter.
  • · Visually inspect visible parts of ductwork and insulation for mold.
  • · This might be a good time to consider air duct cleaning.

For more information go to www.cdc.gov and search “Flood Contaminated HVAC Systems”.

Picture from Google Images.

Air Duct Cleaning Equipment

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There are two types of air duct cleaning equipment, truck mounted and portable. Below are video demonstrations of both.  Portable equipment has come along way in recent years and Roto-Brush does make quality products in my opinion.  For very large homes and commercial jobs I recommend truck mounted equipment.

How Your heating & cooling system got dirty video:

Portable Duct Cleaning Machine Demo Video: