The Ductwork’s Actual Work

You could believe that cleaning your air ducts on a regular basis is an excellent method to ensure cost-effective heating and cooling and avoid costly repairs. In most cases, the opposite is true.

Here’s what duct cleaning entails, as well as some common misconceptions about what it doesn’t.

• Debris from insect damage, lack of periodic maintenance, or home remodeling can clog air ducts.
• Cleaning the ductwork may be necessary to eliminate dirt, but once that is done, preventative maintenance is all that is required. Cleaning on a regular basis isn’t necessary.
• Maintenancing ductwork does not enhance air flow (in fact, it might obstruct it), does not permanently remove mold or odors, and can even cause harm depending on the type of ductwork.
• Consult a professional HVAC specialist to figure out the best way to keep your ducting in good shape.

What is a duct, and why should I be concerned about it?

A duct is a pipe that permits air to be circulated through it. This airflow can come from your furnace or air conditioner, or it can come from outside or inside your home. Fiberglass, flexible plastics, and metal ducts are used. While most ducts are round, they can be formed in any way to properly distribute and return conditioned air throughout the house.

These can be discovered in open ceilings or walls, usually in the basement or attic. Out of sight, out of mind. However, dirty ducting can cause complications.

The $99 air duct cleaning of your HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system can acquire a variety of dirt, dust, debris, pet dandruff, and other airborne pollutants if it is not properly cleaned over time. Every year, up to 40 pounds of dust is produced in a typical six-room home as a result of normal life. Dirty air ducts make your heating and cooling system work harder, wasting more energy and causing your system to operate inefficiently. 

Any of the following factors can exacerbate the problem:

• Damage caused by rodent nests and other animal or insect pests

• Regular maintenance is not carried out.

• Existing ductwork becomes insufficient as a result of home restorations and remodels.

• Ductwork and floor supply registers that aren’t adequately sealed

• Sealants and tapes adhesive deterioration

A duct cleaning service is necessary if you see significant mold growth, rat or insect infestation inside your HVAC system, or dust entering through your vents.

Keeping Your Ducts Clean

Some homeowners think they can clean their own ducts using a vacuum and a long dust brush. It’s a bad concept. Cleaning air ducts is not a DIY project. Use only a trained professional with the proper tools.

Air ducts are vacuumed and cleaned with a high-end roto bristol brush system. Work your way backwards from the furnace’s furthest point.

A technician cleans the system’s ducts by repeatedly pushing the equipment through each run. Then, a complete furnace and indoor coil cleaning is advised to remove all pollutants.

So regular air duct cleaning to remove dust is a good idea if you want your HVAC system to perform properly.

Not necessarily.

The Reality of Duct Cleaning

When the circumstance calls for it, Ongaro and Sons does air duct cleaning for our customers. Before considering whether duct cleaning is the best option for maintaining your HVAC in good operating condition, there are a few common duct cleaning myths to dispel.

1. Cleaning the ducts improves air flow.

False. Duct cleaning is not a long-term solution if you have problems with air movement, hot or cold patches, or a lack of heating or cooling in your home. Duct cleaning removes just microscopic particles that have accumulated over time in your duct system. It will not alter the layout of your duct design, boost airflow, or rebalance your duct system. Cleaning will not be able to close any holes in your duct system.

A professional Flow Hood test, as well as a full duct analysis, are necessary to adequately resolve air flow difficulties. Listed below are some probable solutions:

• Adding a balancing damper to the air flow

• Increasing the size of some or all of the duct system’s runs

• Redesigning the entire duct system

2. Ducts should be cleaned every three to five years.

Not in the least. While air duct cleaning may be necessary to eliminate accumulated particles that are interfering with cost-effective HVAC operation, this should not be a problem that occurs every few years. Normal HVAC maintenance does not include duct cleaning. Sealing your ducts, changing filters as suggested, and vacuuming floor registers every six months should prevent duct cleaning.

If you just completed a big remodeling job or other new construction in your house that resulted in a lot of dust, you may be exempt. Then you should think about having your ducts cleaned. However, once you’ve cleaned the ducts and are back on schedule, you shouldn’t have to do it again.

Performing easy maintenance tasks on your own not only saves you money in terms of HVAC operational efficiency, but it also prevents future costly repairs and the need to clean ducts on a regular basis.

3. Cleaning the ducts removes odors and mold.

Certainly not. Duct cleaning alone will not be able to remove odors from your HVAC system. While some firms provide a microbial spray as part of their duct cleaning service, this is only a temporary fix. The scents will return!

Spraying scents doesn’t get rid of the source of the odors in the first place. Remove the cause of the odors to entirely eliminate them. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Rodents

• Debris from pets, such as feces or fur

• Unsealed ducting bringing in outside air from your crawlspace or attic

• Moisture build-up or mold growth

Cleaning air ducts removes particle buildup. It doesn’t get rid of the causes. After the odors have gone, try adding or improving your home’s air filtering system.

4. Cleaning your air ducts will not harm them.

It undoubtedly can! Certain types of ducting are more vulnerable to damage than others. Before you start cleaning your ducts, make sure you have the following:

• Flexible ductwork

  is made up of a spring that is encased in a thin layer of plastic. Insulation prevents heat from entering or leaving the duct. This is the duct’s outer cover. Due to the heat inside your attic or the walls of your home, the fragile layer of plastic around the spring can become even more weak over time. During a cleaning, this sort of ducting is the most subject to damage. The older the ductwork is, the more likely it is to be damaged.

• AlumaFlex Ductwork:

  This is a solid corrugated inner design with insulation beneath the duct’s exterior cover. As a result, because the ductwork is less flexible and more resilient, it causes less damage when cleaning and is actually easier to clean.

• Rigid (also known as Solid Sheet Metal or KD) Ducting

  : Rigid ducting is often built of 28-24 gauge solid sheet metal. If correctly placed with the proper sealant and insulation, this ducting has the highest integrity of any ductwork. As a result, there is the least chance of extra damage and the best duct cleaning results.

Sheet metal distribution wires to help properly direct airflow to different regions of the home, balancing dampers to appropriately distribute air flow, sealant, straps, and duct tape to securely attach the ducts are all included in these types of ductwork.

An HVAC professional can evaluate your ductwork completely to discover the type of ducts as well as the condition of the numerous hangers and sealing points. Failure to do so may cause damage to the ducting, resulting in reduced efficiency and the possibility of future repair costs. The roto brush, for example, might quickly become entangled in your balance dampers, ripping or disconnecting improperly sealed or secured ductwork.

Prior to duct cleaning, it’s also crucial to check for asbestos, which can be an issue in older systems. Asbestos must be removed before cleaning. Otherwise, you’ll be inhaling a cancer-causing substance that becomes airborne throughout the duct cleaning process.

Consult an HVAC Professional

Duct cleaning is an excellent remedy for a variety of issues in your house. The ideal strategy is to do routine maintenance, install the appropriate filter and purification system, and adequately seal the ducting. What’s the greatest method to keep your home clean while still ensuring that your HVAC system is working properly? 

Consult an affordable vent cleaning tech at (866) 373-3828 who can help with more info on Air Duct Cleaning Damage. American Air Ducts takes care of everything to ensure that all of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ducts are in order, benefiting both your health and your wallet.