Duct Cleaning Service: A Worthwhile Experience

The ventilation system in a building is a collection of devices that dispense air, such as blowers and fans or air-conditioning and heating systems. These devices employ ducts—duct systems help transport conditioned air between the ventilation equipment and the designated occupied space.

A system of ducts helps to exhaust the contaminated air from indoors and distribute it outside the building, while it brings clean air in from the outside to distribute it indoors. Simply, ducts are those tubes, channels, or pipes that transport moving air.

Duct Cleaning Services

Duct cleaning services are services of professionals employed to specially clean the ducts system in a building. They use specialized machines and equipments to clean and sanitize the components and body of the duct system to effectively control the airflow in a healthy manner.

Is Duct Cleaning Worth It?

The idea of duct cleaning has become very popular in recent years, with so many commercial services springing up from every corner to discuss the benefits of duct cleaning services. These education campaigns help us understand and buy into this idea of committing resources to these services and how they help improve the air system in your building. It might seem like the proper maintenance process; however, cleaning the ducts in your HVAC system may not always be the good idea it seems to be.

As a result of the growing issue of indoor air quality, it is easy to convince any homeowner that the problem is from the HVAC duct system, and their duct system is due for a cleaning. However, studies and environmental protection bodies show that it is unnecessary to clean out the ducts as they do not contribute or remove anything from or to the overall air quality in the home.

Ducts do get dusty, and it is absolutely normal. What is not normal is making a duct clean-up appointment a regular maintenance activity. The Environmental Protection Agency also deems it an unnecessary activity because dust and particles that find their way up into the duct systems get stuck or settled on the duct surfaces and do not necessarily flow into the living space. 

The simple act of duct cleaning is not necessarily a bad idea. Still, the truth is that it is not necessary in most cases and only applies in limited situations like visible evidence of infestations and mold growths. However, cleaning regular dusty ducts provides no real value because dust will always settle into the system. 

It is also important to note that if the duct cleaning is not properly performed and by professionals with specialized equipment and chemicals, it might as well cause more harm than good. It corrupts the healthy airflow from the ducts system or by causing mechanical issues as a result of improperly sealed components.

When Can I Clean The Duct?

It doesn’t hurt you or the environment if duct cleaning is done properly, but it might most likely hurt your bank account. It is absolutely unnecessary for duct cleaning to be on the list of household maintenance, and you probably won’t need to clean out your ducts unless in the following circumstances:

Mold

Mold describes furry growths on damp surfaces, especially on the damp or decayed matter caused by fungi. If there is visible evidence of such growths in the HVAC duct system, it is important to get it cleaned out. Mold is a water issue. Hence, it is essential to check the water system of the ventilation device so mold growth will not reoccur after cleaning.

Contaminants

Suppose you notice debris, dirts or air is being released into the room after the registers have been cleaned, you might need to check the ducts for professional cleaning to avoid air contamination that can corrupt the environment.

Illness/Allergies 

If you notice you or anyone in the home suddenly suffers from an allergy-related illness, you might need to get your duct cleaned.

Renovation 

If your house was recently remodeled or restructured and has undergone rounds of painting and woodwork, it is important to clean your duct afterward. Specific dirt particles and remains can settle into the duct system.

Animals 

If you notice an infestation of rats, cockroaches, and other vermins in your duct system, it could pose a significant danger to the environment and the health of everyone in the home. Therefore, if you notice rats and other rodents roaming in your duct system, it is important to get it cleaned out immediately to avoid unhealthy airflow into your space.

Duct Cleaning And HVAC System Cleaning

If you must clean out your duct system because of a contaminant or for any other reason, you should also clean the entire HVAC system when it has come in contact with contaminated air that has moved through the ducts.

For an overall healthy cleaning experience, the duct system cleaning should also involve specialized cleaning of the air filters, grillers, blowers or diffusers, drain pans, and other tools in the HVAC system. Those tools can also be clogged and contaminated from the corrupt air flowing from the duct system.