Frequently Asked Questions Answered
Home maintenance put off for far too long could have
Disastrous catastrophic consequences. Let's talk about the necessary and relatively inconvenience-free task of having your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system (or, more colloquially – your air ducts) cleaned. If you go about it the right way, you will have no regrets, only benefits.
Here are some answers to a few basic questions.
How Often Should I Clean My HVAC?
The simple answer to this is at least once every four or five years.
Dust, allergens, dirt, and debris accumulate in your ducts. In fact,
your ducts could easily build up several inches or more of these
elements. This buildup will trap even more allergens and bacteria –
and possibly foster the growth of mold.
Based on lifestyle and the health issues of family members, some
people may wish – or even need – to have their ducts cleaned more
than the standard once every four or five years. Some factors to
consider:
- Are there regular smokers in the household?
- Do you have pets who shed hair a lot?
- Are there family members who suffer from allergies or asthma
- that indoor pollutants exacerbate?
- Have you recently renovated or remodeled your home?
If you answered yes to any of these, consider having your air ducts cleaned more often.
What are the Health Benefits of Cleaning My Home’s Air Ducts?
As discussed above, your home’s air ducts collect a variety of
contaminants, such as mold, fungi, and bacteria. Getting rid of these
contaminants from your home’s heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning system is an essential element for improving your
indoor air quality – and your health.
Will Cleaning My HVAC System Reduce My Home
Energy Bills?
Though you may not see an immediate drop off in your home’s
monthly energy costs, the long-term financial benefits of regular
HVAC system cleaning is very real. Air duct cleaning helps your
home’s HVAC system run more efficiently. A cleaner, more efficient
HVAC system is less likely to break down and more likely to have a
longer life span. This allows you to get the most out of your system
with less headaches, inconvenience, and cost.
What are the Steps, and How Long Will it Take to
Clean My Home’s HVAC System?
The most popular methods for cleaning a home’s heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning system are vacuuming, rotary
brushing, and air sweeping. Doing this will most likely involve two
professional technicians working for a few hours in your home.
Using special tools and a negative airflow system (basically, a huge
vacuum), the technicians scrape the dust, dirt, and debris from your
ducts. The tools separate the particles from the sides of the ducts
where they’ve accumulated, and the vacuum prevents them from
escaping into your home.
The cleaning should also include your home’s furnace, air
conditioner components and, if the technician thinks it is necessary,
applying mold-inhibiting agents as well. Before any of this takes
place, a good HVAC system cleaner will walk you through all the
steps so you know and understand how the job will get done.
What Should I Consider When Selecting an HVAC
System Cleaning Contractor for My Home?
First off, always start with personal referrals from people you
trust. Who has friends and neighbors used to their satisfaction? It’s
also okay to have an HVAC contractor come to your home, perform
an inspection, and give you a quote. Here are a few additional
factors to consider:
- Is the company or contractor a member in good standing of the
- National Air Ducts Cleaners Association (NADCA)?
- Make sure you choose a company or contractor that has proper
- licensing and carries adequate insurance.
- Make sure the company or contractor knows and understands
- your home’s specific heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system.