Determine If Duct Cleaning Is Needed in Your Home
Over time, the ductwork in your home’s heating and cooling system can become dirty and contaminated with substances such as dust, dirt, fibers, hairs, animal nests, mold and other contaminants. A professional air duct cleaning can remove these contaminants from inside your home’s duct network. After a cleaning procedure, you may find your home’s indoor air is cleaner, and your allergies are less likely to bother you.
Duct cleaning also allows a full-length inspection of your duct system. If there are problems with your ducts, such as broken or leaky connections, loose or missing sections, or general damage, they can be identified and fixed before they lead to significant energy loss and unnecessarily high utility bills. Keep in mind that according to the Environmental Protection Agency, duct cleaning hasn’t been proven to prevent any specific types of health conditions. However, the EPA recommends hiring a professional to clean your home’s ductwork if:
- There’s visible mold inside the ductwork or on your HVAC equipment and components.
- Ducts are contaminated with vermin such as insects or small animals, or with the nests, fur, feces or body parts of these creatures.
- Ducts have full or complete blockages that restrict airflow and reduce HVAC system performance and efficiency. While some HVAC specialists recommend duct cleaning as a routine matter of system maintenance, others say it should be done only when necessary, such as when EPA-defined conditions are met.
In all cases, you should:
- Carefully evaluate the information provided by any duct cleaning contractor and be wary of any company that makes overly optimistic claims about the benefits of regular cleaning.
- Check for membership in professional organizations such as the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA).
- Check the contractor’s references and qualifications.
- Ensure a thorough understanding of the cleaning process, as well as who has responsibility for any damage or problems the cleaning might cause.
For more information on duct cleaning and how it can improve your home’s indoor air quality, contact the pros at Sobieski Services. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).
Image Credit: Nick Harris1