Three Rules To Find Out If You Need Your Duct Clean

Duct Cleaning in Charlotte, NCWe are often asked by customers “Should I get my ducts cleaned?” and unfortunately the answer is not so straight forward. Duct cleaning certainly can be a great benefit, But unlike air conditioning maintenance there is not a manufacturer suggested schedule for duct cleaning. Instead the need for duct cleaning should be left to the judgment of the home owner, and the integrity of the duct cleaning company. Though the EPA (Environmental protection agency) has published guidelines to assist in making a wise choice of when to clean your ducts, Along with NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association) Creating a duct cleaning checklist to assist in finding a reputable company to perform the work.
According to the EPA these three rules are a good gauge of when to have tour ducts cleaned.

  1. There is substantial visible mold growth inside hard surface (e.g., sheet metal) ducts or on other components of your heating and cooling system.
  2. Ducts are infested with vermin, e.g. (rodents or insects).
  3. Ducts are clogged with excessive amounts of dust and debris and/or particles are actually released into the home from your supply registers.

If you would like to read more of the EPA’s extensive research on duct cleaning you may do so here
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/airduct.html. It is important to remember that a duct cleaning job done by poorly or improperly is worse than not having a job done at all. Why is this the case? Simply cleaning ducts can create a lot of dust and debris which may become airborne and if not isolated and removed from the home properly will find its way out of the duct and into the home. Air duct cleaning should also involve cleaning components of the heating and air conditioning system, done improperly this could cause damage to the system or worse leave it non functional necessitating the expense of a service call. One of the best way to avoid a poor job is to realize if it sounds to good to be true it probably is, According to Angie’s List, most duct cleaning jobs cost between $300-$500 Dollars. Companies that offer exceptionally low prices must honor those by cutting corners on the quality of work and equipment, or training their technicians in aggressive selling techniques and scare tactics. To avoid the hassle have a realistic expectation for how much a good job costs. A final source for great duct cleaning information is this article by Angie’s list http://www.angieslist.com/articles/air-duct-cleaning-worth-it.htm.

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