Pollution is one of the major concerns of the modern civilization. Pollution is present in all aspects of present life- air pollution, noise pollution, water pollution, visual pollution, and many more. And the one that poses threat to your well being most of the time is indoor pollution. Yes, molds, allergens, dust mites, feces, dander are the contaminative constituents of indoor air. According to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association it is essential to remove contaminants from a home's ventilation system to improving indoor air quality. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states there is no evidence that contaminants in the air ducts pose health threats. It may be warranted in some situation but not in all cases. But just like you clean your house and all its components, you should also clean your ducts professionally for a better health of your HVAC.
How much would duct cleaning cost?
On average the cost of duct cleaning should not be more than $500. The cost of cleaning your ducts depends on various factors such as size of the system to be cleaned, the design and size of the house. The cost will also vary from service provide to service provider according to the list of services included in the duct cleaning package. It is also based on the climate of your region, the level of using your system, the type of material used in the duct work etc. A 1,500-square-foot home with a single duct system will need to shell out a lower cleaning bill than a 3,000-square-foot home with multiple heating/cooling systems.
What should a duct cleaning package include?
It should include cleaning the registers, the inside surface of the duct work, the components of HVAC. The inside components of HVAC will include the furnace fan, the coil. Once the duct system and the components are thoroughly cleaned some houses may need to spray biocides in the ducts to terminate microbial growth of molds, mildews etc. However, you should know that using biocides in your ducts can make the indoor air infested with these chemicals. But if use you must, know the possible side-effects. Ensure that it is being used according to the direction given on the MDS sheet. A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is a document that gives you information about possible hazards caused by products, substances or chemicals that are classified as dangerous. Products without a MDS sheet should not be used.
The EPA recommends cleaning the duct once in every three to five years. If you find too much dust and debris has accumulated in ducts so that puffs of these are seen in the indoor air when you power on the AC go for duct cleaning. Sometimes ducts are used by rodents and vermin as in routes to your house. They mess up your ducts with their dropping and urine. In such cases duct must be cleaned to prevent contamination. Ducts must be cleaned to remove traces of bacteria growing inside.
Both NADCA an EPA recommends keeping duct cleaning companies at bay that make sweeping claims about the health benefits cleaning. There are some ‘blow and go’cleaners who will charge nominal fee for duct cleaning. But they will do a very cursory job within one or two hours. Remember, it is sheer wastage of money to pay for cleaning where even small specs of dirt are left on your duct or HVAC components. This will lead your ducts to get covered with debris before long. Another type of scamming cleaner will have low rates of duct cleaning, but will pile it up with extra charges when the job is done. Mark, you should not be charged extra costs for cleaning blowers and other HVAC components. They are part of the job.
Modern ducts do not have asbestos as its use has been banned. But older ducts can contain asbestos in the insulation, register boots or other areas. Removing asbestos requires special training as it has separate set of procedures. In case your ducts have asbestos then removing them will increase the cleaning cost on account of the complexity.
Before you hire a duct cleaner ask for quotes. Select at least three companies and compare their quotes. Ask about the service providers' training and experience. If they recommend spraying disinfectant ask them the reason for it. Also ask them to show proofs of active mold growth for using biocides. They should explain the pros and cons of this treatment in your particular circumstances. Ask for contacts of their previous clients and call them to know their experience with the service provider. Also check if the service provider holds any relevant state licenses. Also browse the site of Better Business Bureau to look for any grave complaints registered against them.