Annual Air Duct Cleaning - Importance of Ventilation & Duct Checks

In order to extend the lifespan, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of your home’s HVAC system, regular maintenance is required. Without a regular air duct cleanout and check, even the most expensive, extensive HVAC system will not operate as it was designed. 

Over the years, when you use your home’s HVAC system, there is a buildup of dust, debris, and pollutants in the unit itself, as well as in the air ducts. This buildup will cause the heating and cooling systems to work inefficiently, and may also allow harmful allergens to be added back into the air in your home. 

According to the NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association), in one year or operation, an average size home can collect around 40 points of dust, dirt, and allergens within the air ducts. This is a huge concern, as just one ounce of dust can contain 40,000 dust mites, which are a host to fungi, bacteria, and mold that can result in many different health problems. The best thing that you, as the homeowner, can do is to change your air filters on a regular basis. The NADCA recommends that the air ducts and handler of the heating and cooling systems be cleaned every 2-5 years in order to keep the system energy efficient, clean, and safe. 

The air ducts in your home require cleaning if the air filters or air returns are dirty or dusty, or if you see a lot of dust and dirt when you remove the vent cover. If you live in an area that has higher than normal levels of pollution, is near construction sites where dirt is continuously moved around, or is even in a high automobile traffic zone like a highway, HVAC cleanings should be done more frequently. 

Today, apart from growing outdoor pollution, people need to contend with indoor pollution inside their homes. According to the EPA, indoor air is around 2-5 times more polluted than the outdoor air in the majority of areas. This is cause for growing alarm. Every time that your heating and cooling system turns on, that contaminated air is circulated in your home. Water Mold Fire Restoration offers the services that you need to clean the HVAC systems in your home as a way to improve the air quality that your family breathes on a daily basis. 

What Is Air Duct Cleaning

Air duct cleaning is essentially the cleaning of the various components of the cooling and heating systems. The air duct cleaning process includes: 

• Registers and ducts of the supply and return air
• Coil
• Diffusers and grilles
• Heat exchanger cooling and heating coils
• Drip pans which collect your system’s condensation
• Fan motor
• Housing of the fan
• Housing of the air handling unit

These various HVAC components must be installed, operated, and maintained properly. When these components become soiled and dirty with dust, debris, and pollen, big problems can occur. If excess humidity is an issue, there could also be an increased risk for the growth of mold and the spreading of spores throughout your home. The contaminants may cause or aggravate allergies and other health issues when you or your family members are exposed to them. When you decide to get your HVAC system and its air ducts cleaned, you must be sure that the service provider you choose to do the job is qualified to handle the cleaning and also cleans all the parts of the HVAC system. 

If any part of a contaminated HVAC system is not cleaned properly, it may result in the entire system becoming re-contaminated. This can then negate all the positive benefits of the cleaning itself. 

How Are Air Ducts Cleaned? 

There are a number of ways to efficiently clean home air ducts. Some of the steps used by Water Mold Fire Restoration to clean the heating and cooling air ducts include: 

• The use of special tools such as rotary brush and whips to dislodge all the
  dust, dirt and debris in the air duct.
• Removing the coil from the air handler and cleaning it thoroughly.
• Vacuuming all the dirt and debris by using a powerful vacuum unit.
• Applying anti-microbial fog to kill the microbiological contaminants like
  molds, mildew, etc. in the air ducts.
• Applying chemical sealants and encapsulants to cover the inner surfaces of
  the air ducts and housings to control the growth of mold and also to prevent
  the dust fibers and particles from being released from the duct.

Cost of Air Duct Cleaning

Instead of charging a per hour rate, Water Mold Fire Restoration bases our charges on the specific of each individual system. This is a general guideline of our services, however, individual services and pricing may vary slightly by location. 

Single Family Home w/ 1 System (Up To 7 Vents) - $500

• $25 per vent, after 7 vents
• $250 per additional system/setup if there are multiple HVAC units
• $75 per additional system for anti-microbial sanitization

Optional Services

• $100 per Dryer Vent
• $150 per unit to steam clean the oil
• $100 per system - Smoke Odor Sealer (if the cleaning is caused as a result of fire damage)

Additional Costs

As mentioned previously, our prices vary depending on what services your system requires. This includes the size of the home, how many vents are included in your system, etc. We also reserve the right to charge additionally for each of the following: 

• Location of Property
• Accessibility of the System
• Size of the Heating and Cooling System
• Level of Contamination
• Climatic Region

Other Duct Cleaning Tips

Although it is recommended that you get the air ducts in your home cleaned once every 2-5 years, some homes may require more frequent cleaning. If you have pets at home that shed a lot, have people who smoke in your home, or live with people with prolonged illnesses, then it is a good idea to have the air ducts of the heating and cooling systems cleaned every year or two. 

An HVAC system cleaning is always recommended if you recently had a mold remediation performed. 

Do NOT attempt to clean air ducts yourself. This service requires specialized knowledge and equipment specific to the project. If the cleaning is done improperly, it will likely make your air quality conditions worse. 

Make sure that you hire an air duct cleaning service that is accredited by the NADCA - like Water Mold Fire Restoration!

Avoid hiring duct cleaners who make grand claims about the health benefits of air duct cleaning. Such claims are unsupported and also do not hire the cleaners who recommend air duct cleaning as a “must do” part of your HVAC system maintenance. 

Be wary of air duct cleaning service providers who claim to be EPA certified, as the EPA does not establish any air duct cleaning standards and does not endorse, certify, or approve air duct cleaning companies. 

Schedule an Air Duct Cleaning

When it comes to highly experienced air duct cleaning professionals, Water Mold Fire Restoration can guarantee you reliable air duct cleaning services, both for your home or your business. Call 800-905-0277 or email us at help@watermoldfire.net for a free estimate and consultation. Our goal is to provide you with the best services at extremely competitive prices.