During a duct cleaning appointment, we can identify and fix any holes we notice. We can even pressurize your duct system to find exactly where air escapes if the holes aren't obvious. By repairing your ductwork, you're investing in your home's future indoor air quality. An official website of the United States government, Government A, provides information on the subject.
Knowledge about cleaning air ducts is in its early stages, so a general recommendation cannot be offered as to whether your home's air ducts should be cleaned. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urges you to read this document in its entirety, as it provides important information on the subject. Duct cleaning has never been proven to actually prevent health problems. Nor do studies conclusively show that the particle (p. e.g., dust, pollen, mold spores) levels in the air ducts are actually responsible for any symptoms experienced by the occupants of the home.
This is because much of the dirt in the air ducts adheres to duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter the living space. It's important to note that dirty air ducts are just one of many possible sources of particulate matter that are present in homes. Contaminants that enter the home from both outdoor and indoor activities, such as cooking, cleaning, smoking, or simply moving around, can cause greater exposure to contaminants than dirty air ducts. In addition, there is no evidence that a small amount of household dust or other particles in air ducts poses a health risk. If any of the conditions identified above exist, it usually suggests one or more underlying causes. Before ducting is cleaned, modernized, or replaced, the cause or causes must be corrected, or else the problem is likely to recur. Some research suggests that cleaning the components of the heating and cooling system (p.
e.g., cooling coils, fans and heat exchangers) may improve the efficiency of your system if they are contaminated. However, there is little evidence that cleaning only the ducts improves system efficiency. You may consider cleaning air ducts simply because it seems logical that air ducts get dirty over time and need to be cleaned from time to time. As long as cleaning is done properly, there is no evidence to suggest that such cleaning is harmful. The EPA does not recommend that air ducts be cleaned routinely, but only when necessary. However, the EPA recommends that if you have a furnace, stove, or fireplace that burns fuel, it be inspected for proper operation and serviced before each heating season to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning. If you decide to clean your air ducts, take the same consumer precautions you would normally take when evaluating the competence and reliability of the service provider.
Whether or not you decide to clean your home's air ducts, preventing water and dirt from entering the system is the most effective way to prevent pollution (see How to Prevent Duct Contamination).If you decide to clean your heating and cooling system, it's important to ensure that the service provider agrees to clean all components of the system and is qualified to do so. In addition, the service provider can propose the application of chemical biocides, designed to eliminate microbiological contaminants, inside the ducts and in other components of the system. Some service providers may also suggest applying chemical treatments (sealants or other encapsulants) to encapsulate or cover the interior surfaces of air ducts and equipment housings because they believe this will control mold growth or prevent the release of dirt particles or fibers from the ducts. These practices have not yet been thoroughly researched and you should be fully informed before deciding to allow the use of biocides or chemical treatments in your air ducts. They should only be applied, if at all, after the system has been properly cleaned of all visible dust or debris. Knowledge about the potential benefits and potential problems of air duct cleaning is limited.
Since the conditions in every home are different, it's impossible to generalize about whether cleaning the air ducts in your home would be beneficial or not. On the other hand, if family members have unusual or unexplained symptoms or illnesses that you think may be related to your home environment, you should discuss the situation with your doctor. The EPA has published several publications as guidance on identifying potential indoor air quality problems and ways to prevent or solve them. You may consider cleaning air ducts simply because it seems logical that air ducts get dirty over time and need to be cleaned from time to time. While there is still debate over whether regular duct cleaning is beneficial or not, there is no evidence to suggest that such cleaning is harmful as long as it is done properly. On the other hand, if a service provider doesn't follow proper duct cleaning procedures, it can cause indoor air problems. For example, an inadequate vacuum collection system can release more dust, dirt and other contaminants than if it had left the ducts alone.
A careless or inadequately trained service provider can damage your ductwork or your heating and cooling system which could increase your heating and air conditioning costs or force you to perform difficult and expensive repairs or replacements. This is because much of the dirt that can accumulate inside air ducts adheres to duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter living space. In addition, there is no evidence that a small amount of household dust or other particles in air ducts poses a health risk. The EPA does not recommend that air ducts be cleaned except when necessary due to continuing uncertainty about their benefits under most circumstances. However, they recommend that if you have a furnace stove or fireplace that burns fuel it be inspected for proper operation 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 efficiency of heating and cooling systems but there is little evidence indicating that simply cleaning out your system will increase its efficiency. Whether you decide to clean your home's air ducts or not preventing water and dirt from entering into them is always going to be an effective way of preventing pollution. If you decide on having them cleaned make sure you take all necessary precautions when evaluating competence and reliability of service providers.
