Forced-air systems serve as a home’s circulatory system, delivering heated, cooled or ventilated air to the living spaces. Airborne contaminants, such as pollen, mold, pet dander and hair, bacteria and insecticide dust (to name a few), stick to the surfaces of duct walls and components, degrading performance, comfort and indoor air quality (IAQ). To maintain the health of your home’s forced-air system and IAQ, a duct cleaning inspection should be underlined on your spring-cleaning checklist.
IAQ & HVAC efficiency
Just as airborne contaminants settle and collect on furnishings and other surfaces in your home, these contaminants stick to and settle on duct walls and heating and cooling components. Debris accumulation increases energy bills and decreases home comfort by obstructing free airflow through the ducts and hindering heat exchange of the furnace, heat pump and/or air-conditioning system.
Even as airflow streams through the ducts, debris and harmful contaminants adhere to surfaces with the aid of moisture, and the dust and debris settle once airflow has stopped. One look at dust buildup inside supply outlets and on return grilles demonstrates the tenacity of airborne contaminants.
Duct cleaning
Duct inspection and cleaning should be performed by a reputable company that employs technicians certified by NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association). NADCA-certified technicians have the experience and training to successfully conduct a thorough duct inspection – and duct cleaning, if needed, using specialized equipment and HVAC-industry best practices and guidelines.
The last thing you want to do is invite an unqualified individual or company into your home to clean the ductwork. If ducts are not cleaned correctly, IAQ and system components may well be worse off than before. Your HVAC professional should isolate the ductwork to prevent contamination into the living spaces, and only use equipment specifically designed for duct cleaning.
Also, heating and cooling components, such as the blower compartment, cooling coils and drainage components, should be thoroughly cleaned and treated to prevent mold and bacterial accumulation.
If you have questions about duct cleaning, or if you would like to schedule an inspection with a NADCA-certified professional for your Dayton area home, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc.today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about duct cleaning and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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