Indoor Air Quality Specialists
Air Duct Cleaning
Call Us Now at (678) 274-6511
There are many hidden surfaces in your home that need to be cleaned and maintained. All too often, we forget about those areas that we don’t see. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
We know that the carpets and upholstery get filthy and need to be cleaned, but what about locations like your air ducts? Air duct cleaning should be an essential task for every home, although you don’t have to have this cleaning done as often as tasks like carpet cleaning.
Are you rolling your eyes at the thought of air duct cleaning? Maybe you’re even thinking, “Man, these people will make up anything for money.” If that sounds like you, take a moment to read these little-known facts about your air ducts:
- Home indoor air quality is said to be up to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air, including hazardous pollutants.
- Nearly 1 in 6 allergy conditions are directly related to the air duct systems, and have been traced to things like bacteria or fungi within a system.
- Children are typically more negatively affected by poor air quality than adults are.
- Polluted indoor air is responsible for approximately 50% of illnesses that occur.
- Your air filters matter! Fiberglass filters are not even 7% effective at their duties
of filtering your air. - Your air ducts are likely full of dust mites, which means the air floating around your home probably has their feces and other waste in it.
Are you shocked yet?
The air in your home is directly affected by these things. If someone in the home suffers from allergies or asthma, this could absolutely be related to the air ducts. The air you breathe within the home is directly affected by facts such as these.
What to Expect from Air Duct Cleaning
You will find that no two businesses do things exactly the same. At ONEighty Solutions, we have a very specific process for cleaning air ducts. The goal is always to give you the gift of clean air. We use high-quality equipment and specific processes to make sure we get your entire system clean and clear of contaminants.
In most cases, the cleaning process begins with an inspection. This is used to best determine the process we need to follow, where we can access everything, and how to best clean the system. We will also use this time to determine whether you really need your air ducts cleaned. In most cases, people do because it’s not a routine process. We also find out whether any special materials or safety protocols will be needed, like if there is asbestos in the system.
After the inspection, cleaning can begin. We have specialized equipment that works similarly to a vacuum with an extended hose. This will be inserted through the appropriate access openings. The vacuum will work to extract particles, dust, dust mites, and any other contaminants. The equipment removes these particles from the home completely.
In some cases, the system will then be brushed if anything was lodged or additional cleaning is needed to clear the system of all unwanted particles. When brushing is required, it is gentle and will not harm your ductwork.
Once we finish the cleaning, we provide a final inspection to ensure that everything is thoroughly cleaned and all systems are in proper working order, including that our access points are sealed and closed.
The Value of Clean Air
The EPA recommends that you clean your air ducts on an “as-needed” basis. The exact wording is to clean routinely but only as needed.
So, who decides when “as needed” is?
It’s really up to you to decide, but if you’re noticing allergy and asthma issues or perhaps a lot of sickness, you might want to consider it. In general, the professional recommendation is to have your air ducts cleaned once every 2 to 3 years.
Here are some obvious signs:
- Mold growth in the ducts
- High levels of dust noticed in the home
- Rodent or insect infestations
- Major renovations were recently completed
- Energy costs seem to be too high
Why not be proactive with your air rather than reactive when situations occur? Set a routine schedule for yourself and plan that every 2- to 3-year mark for the health and safety of your home.
Don’t let your air ducts be affected by out of sight, out of mind. After all, it’s not just the air ducts that suffer. Despite your best efforts, your home (or business) could be loaded with nasty things like dander, dust, dust mites, mold, bacteria, pollen, and more.
These things in the air ducts don’t mean you’re doing something wrong. It simply means life is happening around you. But your air systems will pick up anything like these particles from the air, and then circulate them right back into your fresh air.
Your air systems won’t stop circulating air just because it’s dirty. Your filters can catch
some, but they only do so much!
Managing Air Ducts Between Cleanings
There are several things that you can do to help maintain mostly clean air in between your air duct cleaning appointments. Try some of these tips:
- Regularly change air filters throughout the home
- Use high-quality air filters, such as HEPA options. Avoid using fiberglass filters.
- Ensure your filters fit properly to the system and are never left empty without a filter.
- Be proactive when dusty work happens and seal off returns and registers to prevent excessive dust in the system.
- Use a HEPA filter on your vacuum to help reduce dust.
- When seasonal maintenance is performed on your system, request that coils and drain pans be cleaned.
Your home’s air quality should be a priority. Just look at the data here and how dirty our air is. We may not even realize just how much it’s affecting our lives.
Get your systems cleaned regularly to protect your home and your health. It’s well worth the investment. Give us a call today to get your estimate and cleaning scheduled.
Call Us Now at (678) 274-6511