It is very important to occasionally clean up your air duct in order to stop the buildup and spread of harmful bacteria. During the duct cleaning process, it is vital to consider cleaning the entire HVAC system, failure to which the entire system can be decontaminated, reducing the benefits of cleaning. The best air duct cleaning model is one that can fit into the condition of one’s specific ductwork. It should be a method that takes into account all the interior air quality issues. Air duct cleaning is not recommendable for every home, however, it is essential in safeguarding the air that your family breathes.
Experts have suggested that air circulates in an entire house more than five times in a single day. During the circulation process, contaminants that include airborne particulates are deposited in the HAVC system. These contaminants are then recirculated into all the other living spaces in the house. Within a span of a year and so, the accumulation of microorganism, dirt, and dust can reach a level where it can cause allergic reactions and irritation to susceptible people. It is also bizarre to the daily housekeeping operations owing to the never-ending dusting obligations.
The recommendable air duct cleaning method commences with a comprehensive inspection of the HVAC system by an experienced person. Obviously, the best person for the job is the person who was contracted to build the air duct system. However, since this person might not be an expert in cleaning, conducting an extensive inspection on the whole air duct system including the parts of the air duct that are not accessible to the homeowners such as the crawl space under the house is necessary. During an ordinary inspection, an expert in air duct cleaning is likely to note some red flags that includes: dust and dirt layers inside the duct surfaces; mold that has grown inside the duct surfaces; evidence of moisture damage and water contamination; infestation from insects; signs of water infiltration; maintenance related issues such as the presence of leaks and dirt filters. After conducting a comprehensive inspection, the professional should provide the homeowner with the best duct cleaning procedure or prescribe the best necessary remedy.
The best and the most recommendable air duct cleaning method takes into account three different procedures, rotary brushing and vacuuming, air whipping and vacuuming, and manual cleaning that encompasses dismantling and cleaning the individual parts of the air duct system. Rotary brushing and vacuuming is the preliminary duct cleaning procedure that is vital in removing the dry dust particles found in a building. In this procedure, the duct system is broken into different subsections each with a door that has been fitted on either end. A powerful air vacuum system is then fitted in at either door openings and a rotary brush is then inserted inside the vacuum via one of the doors. It is then switched on in order to produce some pressure in the air duct. The dust is then collected via the vacuum unit then released outside via the HEPA filtration system.
The next step in this air duct cleaning procedure is air whipping and vacuuming, where instead of using a rotary brush to dust off dust particles inside the air duct system, a large hose that has an air diffuser is used. The air is supposed to be compressed inside the diffuser. The dust is forced in the vacuum system as the air is being discharged inside the diffuser. This step of air duct cleaning is mostly ignored owing to the difficulty that it poses in controlling the larger sections of the diffuser. Nevertheless, the procedure might lead to reduced uniformity and increased work times during the duct cleaning process.
Manual cleaning is the last procedure of the recommended air duct cleaning procedure. It might be ignored by some professionals due to some genuine reasons and the fact that the second procedure might not be enough to wipe out all the dust precipitates in the air duct system, the procedure is very crucial in removing the stubborn and sticky residues in the air duct system. It also an important step since it takes into account the other parts of the air duct system that have not been comprehensively cleaned. The procedure also necessitates the cleaning of each vent in the air duct system. However, it is difficult to clean a large air duct exceeding 800 mm in diameter effectively using the procedure. As long as the duct system has been installed correctly and with the correct specifications, with the necessary tools, it is very possible to orchestrate this procedure. It is very crucial for operatives to have at least some experience in confined training for them to clearly know the segments of the ductwork that are confined with sticky dirt. Failure to have specialized training on how to do the work, molds, and bacteria might be left in the duct parts during cleaning.
Since vacuuming is not done in the manual cleaning procedure, a clean piece of the bracket is used in wiping off the sticky parts of the duct individually. There are also other alternative procedures that can be applied during this stage of air duct cleaning including dry ice freezing to kill bacteria and molds since they cannot survive at lower temperatures. Hand scraping using degreasing agents is also a trusted procedure having been tried severally. It is a procedure often used in removing the sticky grease deposits that result in severe health risks. Despite the importance of the procedure, it is limited to large air ducts since an access door where someone can fit is necessary.
While summing up, there are several procedures that can be used in cleaning air duct systems. Several factors govern the effectiveness of these procedures; however, the most recommendable and effective one is that which takes into account eliminating all the dust in an air duct, removing insects and other organisms that might have accumulated in the system, and removing the sticky and greasy surfaces in the air duct. Finally, it is the most recommended in the US, hence it can be utilized by southerners especially in Texas