Invest in some HEPA filters and a portable air filter unit. Many landlords use them in apartments where smokers and pets leave strange odors. In some cases, you may need to call a professional to help you clean the vents, but routine cleaning is fairly easy to do on your own. If no one in your household has allergies or unexplained symptoms or illnesses and if, after a visual inspection of the interior of the ducts, you see no sign that the air ducts are contaminated with large deposits of dust or mold (with no musty smell or visible mold growth), cleaning the air ducts may not be necessary. Air duct cleaning service providers can tell you that they must apply a chemical biocide inside the ducts to kill bacteria (germs) and fungi (mold) and prevent future biological growth.
As you'll see in the instructions below, you must locate the supply duct to start cleaning them yourself. This is because much of the dirt that can accumulate inside the air ducts adheres to the duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter the living space. Some service providers may also suggest applying chemical treatments (sealants or other encapsulants) to encapsulate or cover the interior surfaces of air ducts and equipment housings, because they believe that this will control mold growth or prevent the release of dirt particles or fibers from the ducts. To find companies that provide duct cleaning services, check the yellow pages on duct cleaning or contact the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) at the address and phone number listed in the information section at the end of this guide.
In older homes, metal ducts may be wrapped in asbestos; these ducts should not be cleaned because that could cause asbestos to move through the air and enter the house. For cleaning residential ducts, it is best to thoroughly clean the oven and interior coils to ensure that all particles are removed from the air duct system. However, many modern residential air duct systems are built with fiberglass or sheet metal ducts lined inside with a fiberglass coating. You may consider cleaning the air ducts simply because it seems logical that the air ducts will get dirty over time and, from time to time, need to be cleaned.
You've probably seen an advertisement, received a coupon in the mail, or a company contacted you directly offering to clean your air ducts to improve your home's indoor air quality. Most organizations that deal with duct cleaning, such as the EPA, NADCA, NAIMA, and the National Association of Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors (SMACNA), do not currently recommend the routine use of sealants to encapsulate contaminants in any type of duct. Regardless of whether you decide to clean your home's air ducts, it's essential to commit to a good preventive maintenance program to minimize pollution of the ducts. On the other hand, if a service provider doesn't follow proper duct cleaning procedures, duct cleaning can cause indoor air problems.
