Before you come up with an answer – how to clean ductwork in a house, you need to figure out what it is and whether you need it all. Getting ahead of the order, it’s safe to say that the procedure is never a waste since air ducts tend to get dirty over time. The higher is the level of pollution in the air ducts, the worse quality is the air that you breathe.
Despite the number of companies offering residential vent cleaning, the job they do can vary drastically based on their equipment. What differs is the technical approach to the vacuum system—the more professional the machinery is, the better and safer the final result. So, what is air duct cleaning exactly? The process refers to clearing different heating, ventilation, and cooling systems’ elements of dirt, mildew, and other hidden debris accumulated over the years.
Please call us today, or request an appointment to schedule service now.
Factors Speaking in Favor of Air Duct Cleaning
It’s challenging to predict when you need to clean the ducts or not. There are some key points to help you make up your mind. While an amateur can easily spot surface dust on the grills, evaluating the deep internal state of your HVAC network usually requires a trained eye and professional diagnostic tools.Check for HVAC Filters
Not all houses come equipped with HVAC filters. In case you inspect yours and don’t find any of those. The chances are that you need to hire a professional to carry out the operation for you.
Reconsider Personal Intrusion
It’s natural to wonder how to clean ductwork yourself. However, the operation is complex and requires thorough training and expertise to complete. Otherwise, you may do more harm than good to yourself and the household. Besides, a set of professional tools is required to access all the areas.
Watch Out For Pests and Mildew
According to EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), a little dust buildup is okay to deal with, and no duct cleaning is necessary. However, things change when there’s mildew or pest infestation in sight.Hiring the Professional Service
Air duct cleaning is not a cheap service, and you need to realize that. Unless you are willing to spend at least $500 on cleaning just to be on the safe side, you need to do a little investigation. Start with the duct registers and grills. Do you see the initial color of those, or are they dark with dust? If the latter is the case, a cleaning service should be called. If you think the outer register and grill inspection isn’t enough, you can go so far as to remove the covers and wipe the sides with a damp cloth. Should the fabric come out dirty, your ductwork needs cleaning.
How Do You Keep the Ductwork Clean?
After the professional has done the cleaning and paid for the services, it might seem like a good idea to keep things that way longer. So, there are some practical tips to implement into the routine to achieve that.
- Add some more filters to the hot supply registers.
- Seal the gaps between the duct and the wall. You can use the regular caulk for this purpose.