“Not all Duct Cleaners are the same”

What is Duct Cleaning?
Most people are now aware that indoor air pollution is an issue of growing concern and increased visibility.  Many companies are marketing products and services intended to improve the quality of your indoor air. You have probably seen an advertisement, received a coupon in the mail, or been approached directly by a company offering to clean your air ducts as a means of improving your home's indoor air quality.  These services typically -- but not always -- range in cost from $450 to $1,000 per heating and cooling system, depending on the services offered, the size of the system to be cleaned, system accessibility, climatic region, and level of contamination.

Duct cleaning generally refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling system components of forced air systems, including the supply and return air ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers, heat exchangers heating and cooling coils, condensate drain pans (drip pans), fan motor and fan housing, and the air handling unit housing.

If not properly installed, maintained, and operated, these components may become contaminated with particles of dust, pollen or other debris.  If moisture is present, the potential for microbiological growth (e.g., mould) is increased and spores from such growth may be released into the home's living space.  Some of these contaminants may cause allergic reactions or other symptoms in people if they are exposed to them.  If you decide to have your heating and cooling system cleaned, it is important to make sure the service provider agrees to clean all components of the system and is qualified to do so.  Failure to clean a component of a contaminated system can result in re-contamination of the entire system, thus negating any potential benefits. Methods of duct cleaning vary, although standards have been established by industry associations concerned with air duct cleaning.  Typically, a service provider will use specialized tools to dislodge dirt and other debris in ducts; and then vacuum them out with a high-powered vacuum cleaner.

Picture of mouldy ductwork	Picture of a dust mite

                      
In addition, the service provider may propose applying chemical biocides designed to kill microbiological contaminants, to the inside of the duct work and to other system components. Some service providers may also suggest applying chemical treatments (sealants or other encapsulants) to encapsulate or cover the inside surfaces of the air ducts and equipment housings because they believe it will control mold growth or prevent the release of dirt particles or fibers from ducts.  These practices have yet to be fully researched and you should be fully informed before deciding to permit 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.

Should You Have Your Air Ducts Cleaned?
Since conditions in every home are different, it is impossible to generalize about whether or not air duct cleaning in your home would be beneficial.

If no one in your household suffers from allergies or unexplained symptoms or illnesses and if, after a visual inspection of the inside of the ducts, you see no indication that your air ducts are contaminated with large deposits of dust or mould (no musty odour or visible mould growth), having your air ducts cleaned is probably unnecessary.
However, you should consider having the air ducts in your home cleaned if:

	There is substantial visible mould growth inside hard surface (e.g., sheet metal) ducts or on other components of your heating and cooling system. There are several important points to understand concerning mold detection in heating and cooling systems: Many sections of your heating and cooling system may not be accessible for a visible inspection, so ask the service provider to show you any mould they say exists. You should be aware that although a substance may look like mould, a positive determination of whether it is mould or not can be made only by an expert and may require laboratory analysis for final confirmation. For about $50, some microbiology laboratories can tell you whether a sample sent to them on a clear strip of sticky household tape is mould or simply a substance that resembles it. If you have insulated air ducts and the insulation gets wet or mouldy it cannot be effectively cleaned and should be removed and replaced. If the conditions causing the mould growth in the first place are not corrected, mould growth will recur.
	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.  For this reason, ducts should always be cleaned in a new home before it is occupied.  As well, duct cleaning is appropriate after a house has undergone major renovations.

You may also consider having your air ducts cleaned simply because it seems logical that air ducts will get dirty over time and should occasionally be cleaned.  While the debate about the value of periodic duct cleaning continues, no evidence suggests that such cleaning would be detrimental, provided that it is done properly.

However, if a service provider fails to follow proper duct cleaning procedures, duct cleaning can cause indoor air problems.  For example, an inadequate vacuum collection system can release more dust, dirt, and other contaminants than if you had left the ducts alone.  A careless or inadequately trained service provider can damage your ducts or heating and cooling system, possibly increasing your heating and air conditioning costs or forcing you to undertake difficult and costly repairs or replacements.

Why Choose Power Vac?

As Canada’s largest independent duct cleaning organization, we have almost three decades of experience in improving indoor environments for Canadians from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.  We specialize in cleaning dust and moulds from heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.  Power Vac is a member of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association and we follow their strict protocols to ensure the work is done properly and safely.

Improve your indoor air quality with Power Vac professional duct cleaning