Archive for 'ducts'

Tips And Tricks About Cleaning Air Ducts

Monday, June 21st, 2010 at 8:56 pm  
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Tips And Tricks About Cleaning Air Ducts

Is the air in your home clean? All of us breathe air when we are inside the home and most people are unsure about how clean the air inside their home is. Just like the air outside your home has several contaminants and pollutants, the air inside your home also have several contaminants. So if you breathe this air full of contaminants, the health risks increase multifold. You will be prone to various respiratory diseases, which can further get aggravated and take the form of allergy, asthma, persistent cough, nausea, headaches, and even fatigue. The root cause of these illnesses is the contaminants who have found their way into your home because your air duct or HVAC system is dirty.

Reduce health risks by cleaning Ducts

Contaminants in the air duct or your ventilation system are in different forms like fungi, Mold, allergens and bacteria. Allergens like pollen, dust, and pet dander are quite common and can get inside the HVAC system in your home, which will circulate it right into the air that you breathe. Such a scenario will pose higher health risks and create negative health consequences on a long-term basis. According to the American College of Allergy almost 50% of illnesses are caused by pollutants that exist in the air inside your home due to improper vent cleaning.

As a result, it is important to clean your HVAC system on a regular basis. It is not only the health perspective in question here but a clean air duct system will provide higher performance as compared to a dirty system. Efficient running of your air duct or HVAC system will help in reducing your energy bills. Cleaner air duct systems will have a longer lifespan and will have less technical problems. So there are many more advantages of having a clean HVAC system other than the fact that it will keep the air in your home cleaner.

Factors That Affect Cleaning

Vent cleaning is a must and needs to be done on a regular basis. The industry standards recommend that you should have an expert inspect your air ducts and vents once every two years, and also initiate vent cleaning once every 5-7 years. Of course there is no harm in initiating a vent cleaning process once every 3-4 years also but all this depends on the conditions within your home.

On the other hand the NADCA or National Air Duct Cleaners Association does not recommend any specific time frame for air duct cleaning. According to them air duct cleaning should be initiated by a homeowner when they feel it is necessary and have outlined certain factors that will lead to frequent vent cleaning. According to them, vent cleaning becomes necessary within a short period of time if:

1.Smoking is done in the house
2.There are pets in the house that shed hair and dander
3.There is damage or water contamination in the home or to the HVAC system
4.NADCA also recommends air duct cleaning prior to occupancy of a new home.

Cleaning Methods

The most effective way of air duct cleaning is by using source removal methods. A powerful vacuum cleaner is used as a part of this method and it can suck air with dirt from your air duct and ventilation system. There are certain devices, which are inserted into the air ducts like brushes, skipper balls and air whips to dislodge any dirt or debris that is stuck to the inner surface of the ventilation system.

You can choose a duct cleaning contractor who is an expert in vent cleaning and will be able to clean your piping, registers, ductwork, and blower motor. These professional vent cleaning experts also use vacuums mounted on trucks, which can clean according to NADCA standards. The vacuums mounted on trucks are very powerful cleaners.

You need to be careful while hiring air duct cleaning contractor. You can start with several contractors who will inspect your air duct and ventilation system and then offer you their best quote. You need to make sure that the air duct cleaning contractor visually inspects the air ducts and the various components of your HVAC system before offering you a cleaning solution.

If you hire NADCA contractors then you will be rest assured that your vent cleaning process will be based on NADCA guidelines. Check the license of the vent cleaning company and ask for at least 3 references. Last but not the least; don’t hire someone who offers you the lowest price because that will translate into inadequate cleaning.

David Marquardt owns an Austin Air Duct Cleaning company in Austin TX providing reliable Austin Vent Cleaning.

Reduce Indoor Air Pollution With Clean Ducts

Monday, June 21st, 2010 at 1:50 pm  
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Reduce Indoor Air Pollution With Clean Ducts

Most people have become concerned about the increase in air pollution. We often associate air pollution with the outdoors, but indoor air pollution has become a growing health concern. The air quality in our homes and offices can have an affect on our health. Polluted indoor air can cause a host of problems such as breathing difficulties, allergies, and sinus problems. One method of reducing air pollution is to clean the air ducts.

Health Risks and Dirty Air Ducts

Air ducts can be found in such places as homes, schools, office buildings, hotels, retail establishments, apartment buildings,etc. Contaminated air ducts are often a major a major source of indoor air pollution. Air ducts can provide the perfect environment for the accumulation of allergens, bacteria, fungi, dust, dust mites, mold, and other organisms. Every time a heating and cooling unit runs, pollutants can be pulled in and over time, they will accumulate and flourish. Eventually, these contaminants are blown into rooms where they are inhaled by the occupants. The result will be the development of illnesses and severe allergic reactions.

Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of chronic respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis, lung disease, headaches and migraines, dry eyes, nasal congestion, nausea, insomnia, and tiredness. Biological pollutants such as moulds, bacteria, viruses, pollen, and animal dander reduce air quality which can cause serious illness.

Duct Cleaning Benefits

Cleaning your air ducts is a great method of improving the quality of indoor air. It improves air circulation, eliminates the built-up of contaminates, and improves the quality and function of heating and cooling systems. Duct cleaning involves the cleaning and disinfection of the components of a heating and cooling system. This normally includes supply and return air ducts and registers, grills and diffusers, heat exchangers, heating and cooling coils, drip pans, fan motor, fan housing and air handling unit housing. If not properly maintained, the components will become contaminated with dirt and other microorganisms.

Moisture in ducts is a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi which can cause respiratory illnesses when inhaled. If there are mice or rats running through the ducts, they will often leave their droppings in the ducts. Air blowing the droppings can result air contamination and may lead to serious health problems.

Duct Cleaning technicians have the experience and tools to thoroughly clean and disinfect ducts. There are professional cleaners that can clean a variety of ducts such as commercial, residential, and industrial ducts. The outcome will be a cleaner and less dusty home or building because there will no longer be any dust blowing into rooms. The chance of an indoor allergic reaction will be greatly reduced. Dust mites feed on debris found in air ducts. When you eliminate the debris, you will eliminate the dust mites. Newly constructed homes may also need a duct cleaning.

Materials such as plaster and drywall particles, wood, dust, insects and insulation can accumulate in ducts during construction. Removing these contaminants will make breathing in your new home much easier. New homes are now being built to be more energy efficient. This means that they are more air tight. Dirty air ducts in an energy efficient home can seriously affect the health of the occupants.

If left unclean for a long period of time, your air duct system could be a major source of dust and contaminants. For businesses, hiring a professional duct cleaning service once or twice a year will greatly improve the health of employees, clients, and customers. Cleaning home ducts will benefit homeowners, their children, and their pets

Keeping your air ducts clean allows for a cleaner, healthier environment in residential and commercial structures. For quality air duct equipment and insulation blowing equipment, consider Heat Seal Equipment Ltd.

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How to Clean Your Air Conditioning Ducts and Vents

Monday, June 21st, 2010 at 6:49 am  
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How to Clean Your Air Conditioning Ducts and Vents

Sometimes we take the simple act of breathing for granted. We don’t have to worry about it or think about it, it happens automatically. What happens, though, when what you once thought was a natural function of air into and out of your lungs becomes difficult? Asthma, the common cold virus, dust, mites, pollen, pet dander and the like can all make it extremely hard to breathe, and rarely are we aware of how frequently we come into contact with some or all of those pollutants like those mentioned. Even the tidiest homemaker is likely to have at least microscopic organisms like mold and germs in her house. Why? No matter how clean your house is kept, unless you clean your air ducts and vents, contaminants get into your home through your HVAC – your heating and cooling system.

If your heating and cooling ducts and vents are dirty or contain bacteria, mold, fungus or dander, or any kind of other pollutants, these vents and ducts will carry those impurities right into the air you and your family breathe in every day. We have all heard of the dangers of mold and mildew, and we all know what it is like to experience the temporary breathing difficulties associated with something as simple as the common cold. Think about how debilitating it could be to have a more permanent respiratory condition such as asthma, bronchitis, or a persistent allergy-induced cough. If you don’t properly clean your air vents and air ducts, you are subjecting yourself and your children to an increased likelihood of suffering from one or more of these distresses.

To make sure everyone stays as healthy as possible, you should routinely have your AC ducts and air vents professionally cleaned. Some estimates put the percentage of illnesses caused by contaminants in the air as high as 50%; it is simply logical that cleaning your air ducts and vents may help everyone in your household feel better each and every day of their lives.

However, the health benefits to people are not the only advantage to keeping your HVAC ducts and vents spic and span. A clean heating and air system can also help keep our environment healthy. That’s right, the cleaner your ducts and vents, the better your system is likely to run. The better your system runs, the less energy is used, and that is a great way to support our world. When your energy usage decreases, the thickness of your wallet increases because your utility company will get less of your hard-earned money. Also, clean machines run better than dirty ones and therefore last longer. Making sure your air ducts and vents are regularly maintained is likely to add years to the life of this major appliance.

Who Should Have these Air Ducts and Vents Cleaned? The simple answer is everyone, but there are also some lifestyle choices that increase your need for air duct and vent cleaning. If you or someone in your household is a smoker, you should definitely tie to it that your ducts and vents get inspected and have a thorough cleaning done regularly. Similarly, if your family enjoys the friendship of a canine or feline friend who sheds hair – don’t they all? – You should definitely have your system cleaned. Hair and dander can accumulate in the air ducts and vents and adversely affect your system’s performance and your family’s health. In addition to smoke and pet hair, water can also wreak havoc on the air ducts and vents in your home. Where there is water that is allowed to sit and fester, mold and mildew cannot be far behind, so if your house has had some type of water damage, be sure to seek the advice of a professional duct and vent cleaning company.

How exactly do these professional cleaning companies clean your forced air ducts and air vents? The process of air duct cleaning can be similar to cleaning your carpet. A trained professional uses a device similar to a huge vacuum cleaner that can “inhale” the dirt and germs out of your air vents and ducts. Sometimes the duct or vent-cleaning contractor will have this vacuum machine hooked to the company’s truck, so you don’t even have to worry about using your electricity. In addition to cleaning ducts and vents, most professional cleaners will also clean the other components of your system.

Whenever you decide to hire anyone to perform work on something as costly as an air- conditioning system, you should use research and caution. Air duct cleaning specialists and vent cleaning specialists have a trade-related organization to which they may belong and that sets the standards for the work. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association, or NADCA, sets forth guidelines for both HVAC systems and personnel, it is wise to check out a cleaning professional through the NADCA to get the peace of mind that comes from knowing you are following the proper rules about protecting your cooling and heating unit and your family’s health. Asking a company to provide the names and contact information for people they have serviced before is also recommended. Another good idea is to make sure the cleaning professional you have chosen has an appropriate existing license

Once you have your air ducts and vents inspected and decided on when and where to have them cleaned, you can sit back, relax in your favorite armchair, and breathe easy.

Seomul Evans is a SEO Service expert for The Steam Team. The company specializes in Austin Carpet Cleaning.

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