You may have heard about air duct cleaning services – special cleaning projects designed to remove dust and grime from the hidden ducts in your house that link all your HVAC vents together. Over time, some ducts can start collecting dirt, pet dander, and even mold or mildew, making it more difficult to filter these particles out of the air in your home. This can also provide attractive nesting places for pests, or even pose health problems with the worst kind of mold growth.
When you have blocked air ducts, it can make it difficult for air to travel through your ducts and can lead to your systems working twice as hard. Debris can also cause damage to your systems, like clogged passages and early wear and tear that can cause unneeded, and sometimes costly, repairs.
When Should You Get Your Air Ducts and Vents Cleaned?
That depends on how often you run your air conditioner, how dusty your home and yard get, and a host of other conditions. We perform a video inspection of your ducts to find out how crucial a cleaning is. While it is recommended to get a thorough cleaning every 3-5 years, there are a few things you can look out for to determine whether it’s time:
- You or members of your family are having worse allergies than normal
- You recently replaced your air conditioner
- You’ve recently had your carpet, drapes or upholstery cleaned
- You’ve recently moved to a new home
- Your home was recently built and may have buildup of construction debris
- Your home or business has recently experienced water damage or mold contamination
- You own pets
- You live with someone who smokes
- You can’t remember the last time your ducts were cleaned
Air Duct & Vent Inspection
First, an expert, like American Comfort Experts, will send out a technician for a duct and vent inspection. This can help spot any dirt or dust that needs to be cleaned out of the ducts, and where it may be most concentrated depending on how the ducts are positioned. The inspection can also discover issues such as tears in ducts, moisture from leaks, and other problems that may need repairs in addition to cleaning services.
For this process, we use a specialized camera probe with a light so that ducts can be thoroughly inspected beyond the reach of what you can see with a flashlight.
Setting Up the Vacuum
Yes, duct cleaning does use a literal vacuum, but it’s probably not any kind you have seen before. This is a large commercial vacuum specifically designed to suck air out of a large system like your ductwork.
Now, some services use a “nozzle” for the vacuum will need to be attached to your ducts to work, usually in a spot close to the fan system. Sometimes a section of ductwork may have to be removed to make room for the vacuum attachment.
However, American Comfort Experts offers a more streamlined solution that avoids the need to cut holes in ductwork or similar measures. Instead, we use a vacuum attached to a brush that provides on-demand suction as we work. The vacuum includes a powerful HEPA filter that ensures particles do not escape again once they are collected by our equipment.
How Our Air Duct Cleaning Works
First, we use a camera probe to collect a video inspection of your ducts. This deep camera probe allows see the condition of your ductwork and determine if a cleaning is necessary.
If we perform the cleaning, we remove the registers of your system and clean them individually before replacing them. A wide-diameter rotary brush is then used to clean the inner sides of the ducts. This dislodges even the heaviest clumps of dust and debris. Our rotary brush makes sure the dust and debris are thoroughly removed during the cleaning process.
Post-Work Inspection
When the deep cleaning is completed, we will bring out the camera probe again and do another vent inspection. This helps ensure that all serious dust problems were addressed, and you can also take a look to see the difference and know that your ducts are now in much better shape than they were! From beginning to end, the duct cleaning process is typically completed in a day or less.
A Final Note About Air Duct Cleaning
Ductwork can vary significantly based on construction and the size of your system. If you have any specific questions about cleaning your ducts, contact American Comfort Experts today. We can start with a preliminary inspection to help gather information and find out just what you need, as well as answer any questions you may have.
