The air ducts for your heating and cooling system have a tough job, and they are going to eventually become contaminated with dirt, mold and/or debris over time. Experts in the field recommend air duct cleaning bi=yearly, or every two years. Dingy and dirty air ducts can cause health concerns in your home and also represent other underlying issues.
As people learn about how to clean air ducts and keep them in tip top shape, it's important they be informed about the benefits and the purpose. If you're considering cleaning the air ducts for your heating and air conditioning system, then it's important you take the right steps in the right order.
Check For Mold
Mold can be one of the biggest problems in a home, and your air ducts are one place where it can be present. Mold assessment is absolutely necessary, and it is typically found in areas without adequate ventilation and where there is moisture.
Whether or not you can visibly see mold is one thing, but to determine its presence in your air ducts, an air sample must be undergo a laboratory analysis. Furthermore, insulation that has accumulated any mold will likely need to be replaced.
Debris Clogs
Are you witnessing any particles flying out of your air ducts? Even if this isn't the case, there could still be debris buildup in your air ducts, possibly even from rodents. Naturally, the buildup increases without cleaning the air ducts, and mold can come into play here as well. Mold grows on the debris, and as the debris builds up, it does indeed make its way into a home.
Air Duct Cleaning Estimate
That's right, you're not going to clean the air ducts on your own. Instead, you have a professional air duct cleaning company to pay you a visit and assess the situation, providing you with a no obligation estimate. If there is a mention of mold, request the laboratory analysis discussed in the previous section. You want to be present during the process so you can ensure everything is thoroughly checked, even the areas that are difficult to access.
Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA cautions you to realize that if there indeed is a debris issue, or especially mold, then a remediation team must address what first caused the mold. Obviously, you're going to be dealing with more mold if you don't address the root cause.
Hiring The Right Company
Air duct cleaning is a very professional business niche utilizing top-notch equipment and requiring much experience and expertise. You're going to want to check testimonials of customers who also learned how to clean air ducts, and you're also going to want that solid estimate.
After an estimate is agreed upon, there needs to be a services contract in place. This contract is for your protection, detailing what services are going to be provided and the associated costs, and it will also highlight service guarantees the company offers you. Check over the contract, and then you're ready to let them render services.