Duct Cleaning near Hardeeville SC should only be necessary if the ducts were affected by pests or mold and only after the underlying problem has been addressed. Air ducts are ducts that carry hot and cold air throughout the house. Like any other HVAC system, duct cleaning near Hardeeville SC requires regular maintenance to ensure maximum efficiency. As a general rule, the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) recommends duct cleaning near Hardeeville SC every 3 to 5 years. With certain methods, that cleaning recommendation can be extended from 6 to 8 years.
The accumulation of mold and other contaminants that cause allergic reactions may be a good idea to clean air ducts more immediately, for the sake of the health of your home and family. You may consider cleaning the air ducts simply because it seems logical that the air ducts will get dirty over time and need to be cleaned from time to time. As long as the cleaning is done properly, there is no evidence to suggest that such cleaning is harmful. The EPA does not recommend that air ducts be cleaned routinely, but only when necessary. However, the EPA recommends that if you have an oven, stove or fireplace that burns fuel, you inspect them for proper operation and check them before each heating season to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning.
The EPA does not recommend that air ducts be cleaned except when necessary, due to constant uncertainty about the benefits of duct cleaning in most cases. However, the EPA recommends that if you have an oven, stove, or fireplace that burns fuel, you inspect them for proper operation and that you check them before each heating season to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning. Some research also suggests that cleaning dirty cooling coils, fans, and heat exchangers can improve the efficiency of heating and cooling systems. However, there is little evidence to indicate that simply cleaning the duct system will increase system efficiency.
Because air ducts are a favorite place to hide dust, dirt, and allergens, these dirty ducts can contribute to aggravating health problems, especially in people with respiratory diseases, autoimmune disorders, or asthma and allergies. Indoor air pollutants can also cause eye, nose and throat irritation, as well as headaches, dizziness and fatigue. Just by removing those everyday pollutants, cleaning air ducts can greatly improve indoor air quality. If that's not convincing enough, cleaning the air ducts will save you money in the long run.
Why? Contaminants in the heating and cooling system make it work harder and ultimately shorten the life of the system. Even with proper use of filters, the heating and cooling system gets dirty with normal daily use. When an HVAC system is clean, you don't have to work as hard to maintain the temperature you want. As a result, less energy is used, reducing electricity bills. To maintain an efficient HVAC system, NADCA recommends inspecting air ducts at least once a year and cleaning them as needed.
Your professional air duct cleaner will be able to assess the condition of your air ducts and identify any problem areas (including leaks) during the inspection process. An annual evaluation can help avoid costly repairs in the future. When you're ready to fix those air ducts, it's a good idea to contact several local contractors and ask them to come to your home, inspect the system, and give you a quote. When choosing an air duct cleaning service provider, our most important advice for homeowners is to make sure they choose a qualified contractor to ensure that the job is done properly, one that is trained and certified for the task.
NADCA members have technicians with advanced training and certification in air conditioning system cleaning, and membership requires that they meet high standards when it comes to customer service. NADCA makes it simple for homeowners to find an air duct cleaning professional. All you need is a zip code to search our online directory for a NADCA member in your area. 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.
You've probably seen an advertisement, received a coupon in the mail, or were contacted directly by a company offering to clean the air ducts to improve the indoor air quality of your home. In addition, if there is water contamination or other damage to the house or to the HVAC system, or if the house has been recently renovated, air ducts may need to be cleaned more often. In addition to regular duct cleaning by an authorized HVAC and indoor air quality control contractor, a faster appointment may be needed to get the ducts in order under the circumstances listed below. Therefore, experts recommend cleaning the air ducts every two or three years in these cases to prevent allergies optimally.
Air duct cleaning service providers may tell you that they must apply a chemical biocide inside the ducts to kill bacteria (germs) and fungi (mold) and prevent future biological growth. A careless or inadequately trained service provider can damage ducts or the heating and cooling system, which could increase heating and air conditioning costs or force you to perform difficult and costly repairs or replacements. 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 the formation of mold or prevent the release of dirt particles or fibers from the ducts. Sealants should never be used on wet duct linings, to cover actively growing mold, or to cover duct debris, and should only be applied after cleaning in accordance with NADCA or other appropriate guidelines or standards.
When children, the elderly or newborns live in the house, it is important to take care of indoor air quality and to choose to clean the air ducts. Since the conditions in each home are different, it's impossible to generalize about whether cleaning the air ducts in your home would be beneficial or not. Keeping a clean home, changing HVAC filters regularly, scheduling annual HVAC maintenance, and addressing moisture problems promptly can help keep air ducts clean and reduce the need for frequent professional cleaning. Air duct cleaning service providers may tell you that they need to apply a chemical biocide inside the ducts to kill bacteria (germs) and fungi (mold) and prevent future biological growth.
Most organizations that deal with duct cleaning, including 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.
