When it comes to air duct cleaning, the big question is, “Should I, or shouldn’t I?” There are a number of reasons why you should, and how you can know if your ducts really need cleaning.
First, let’s state the obvious. If your ducts appear dirty, then they most likely are. Do you see dirt on the walls below your registers? That’s a tell-tale sign they are due for cleaning. Look carefully at the discolored areas. Is that dirt, or is it mold? Either way, it’s a warning sign. Don’t ignore it. It’s time to have your ducts cleaned by a competent professional using source-removal techniques. This involves cleaning the ducts with compressed air, while a high capacity vacuum extracts the material as it is dislodged.
Here are some additional signs that your ducts need cleaning:
- Your air filters get dirty and need changing too often. HVAC specialists recommend filter changes about every two months. If your filters aren’t lasting that long, you may be dealing with dirty ducts.
- Your electric bill begins climbing unexpectedly.
- Your house is always dusty, even a short time after dusting the surfaces.
- You find signs of rodent or insect infestations inside the duct registers.
- You begin developing unexplained respiratory problems.
- There is inconsistent airflow from room to room.
- You hear noises in the ducts. You should not be hearing anything but your blower motor or a gentle whooshing sound from your ducts. Other sounds may indicate blocks or debris in the system.
Our daily living routines generate a lot of home pollutants and contaminants, such as pet hair, dander, dust, and household chemicals. These can be sucked into your HVAC system and recirculated throughout your house up to seven times each day. With this occurring 24/7, contaminants build up in your ductwork. By the time you can see the tell-tale signs, your ducts are coated with dust, dirt, mold, and other nasties. If this sounds like a good reason to have your airducts cleaned, that’s because it is!
Aside from everyday dust and dirt, your air ducts may be affected by the following conditions:
- Pets in your home
- Residue from smoking
- Dust and fine residue from home renovation or remodeling
- Moisture from leaky ducts
Asthma and allergy sufferers, young children, and the elderly can be more susceptible to poor indoor air quality. Air duct cleaning may help to alleviate these problems.
Professional air duct cleaners use powerful, commercial-grade vacuum systems to do the job right. Don’t try it with your home vacuum cleaner. It’s not powerful enough to clean the system, and a mishap can cause serious harm to your ductwork.
Also, beware! There are plenty of fly-by-night companies offering very low rates and extremely quick service. Don’t be fooled; trust your instincts. In this trade, offers that sound too good to be true are generally are.
Expect a thorough duct cleaning to take to take three to five hours, depending on the size of your home. If a contractor tells you they can be in and out in an hour or less, they are not performing the job according to industry standards.
Professional duct cleaning from Lint Lizards Services
Duct cleaning is best left to qualified professionals. That’s where Lint Lizards Services comes in. Our technicians use source-removal techniques, which involve cleaning ducts by hand with compressed air tools, while a powerful vacuum captures dirt, dust, and debris.
First, we inspect the ducts attached to supply and return registers to assess the level of buildup in the system and know the difference after cleaning.
Next, we use a high-powered vacuum to capture debris and dust from your ducts, at or near the supply and return. Our vacuums deliver tremendous negative pressure, to ensure a thorough cleaning. This is done on both the supply side (where the system sends treated air into the home or business) and the return side (ducts that pull air from the home into the air handler). Before doing this, we remove the registers and take them down for cleaning, then we cover the vents.
Once the negative pressure from the vacuum is applied, the technician uncovers each vent and cleans ducts one by one. Compressed air tools are inserted into the ducts to dislodge dust and debris, in order for it to be captured by the powerful commercial vacuum.
Before we finish the job, we clean your blower and the evaporator coil of the air handler. Now your system is clean and ready to go.
Indoor air quality is an important consideration in maintaining a healthy home or office environment. Click here to read an EPA air quality report.
Regular maintenance and timely filter changes can improve your home’s air quality, extend the life of your system, and keep your power bills more manageable. Click here to learn more about HVAC maintenance tasks.
Save money and energy with air duct cleaning
The US Department of Energy shows that nearly 48% of home energy usage goes to heating and cooling your home. Of that, 25-40 percent is wasted. A contaminated HVAC system works harder, and this may shorten its expected life span. When your system is clean, it “breathes” easier, using less energy to reach your desired indoor temperature. This can mean more money in your pocket when the electric bill arrives.
Call Lint Lizards Services today!
If you’ve noticed any of the tell-tale signs of dirty duct work, call Lint Lizards Services at 251.202.2828 to schedule your cleaning. Or send an email to contactus@lintlizards.com.