How Vent and Duct Cleaning Is Done
How ducts and vents work is barely notable because they require minimum maintenance. However, when you start experiencing a dusty home environment and shooting electric bills in several months, that’s when it hits you to check your ducts and vents and do duct cleaning. Mostly, ductworks at old homes are susceptible to water damage and require a qualified professional to clean them.
To know whether a cleaning contractor is professional, check whether they are certified by NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association). The body has a standard procedure that professionals should use while doing duct cleaning. Often, a negative air pressure technology is used. Here is the process involved according to Comfort Clean.
- Inspect the Ducts
You can have a simple check of your ducts when you suspect anything unusual in how they function. This step is simple, and you can do it without the help of a professional. If you spot a problem, note it and compare your ducts after a professional cleaner cleans them.
After the duct cleaning team arrives at your home, they can use microscopic cameras to inspect your ducts. This step helps them to understand the amount of dirt in your vents and how to do the cleaning.
Other than identifying dirt, professional cleaners can help you spot leaks in your ductwork during the inspection and cleaning process. They can help you repair or replace the ducts if the company offers extensive air duct cleaning services.
- Create Negative Pressure
Duct cleaning professionals come with the right tools to clean your ducts. The HAVC system has a supply side and a return side. These sides operate separately and can be washed separately. Large vacuum collection devices are used for cleaning and can be portable or mounted on a truck. Here are the preliminary steps before cleaning:
- The large hose of a vacuum collection device is hooked to a duct near the air handler. To do this, the technician creates a hole in the duct and seals it tightly after connecting the hose.
- An adhesive cover is used to seal each register. During this step, the technician is cautious when sealing because poor sealing can affect the vacuum’s efficiency.
- The vacuum unit is turned on. The vacuum unit creates negative pressure, and dirt particles are sucked into the collection device.
- Agitate the Dust
At this point, you can differentiate between a NADCA certified professional from a quack. Mostly, professionals spend a lot of time in this step since they work on registers individually. Unprofessional cleaners always do their work quickly and less effectively so they can jump into the next job.
Because the uncertified technicians use the wrong cleaning technique, dust starts getting into your house in huge quantities once they are done cleaning.
Dust should be properly dislodged and sucked using the right tools, so it does not get back into the house.
- Clean the Rest of the System
NADCA certified professionals understand the importance of having quality air in a home. So, instead of working on the ducts alone and leaving other parts for another day, they are pro-active. The evaporator coil, drain pan, and blower motor are essential components in the functioning of the HAVC system.
Therefore, after cleaning the duct, these professionals clean the other components to enhance efficiency. If the air filters are damaged, these professionals change them so your HAVC system can serve you long and uninterrupted.
Duct Cleaning Equipment
- Vacuums. NADCA recommends use of powerful vacuum cleaners that can either be portable or mounted on the truck for cleaning. Hand-help HEPA units can also be used for the cleaning process.
- Access devices. Access devices include saws and drills for helping in creating access points for imaging tools.
- Imaging devices. They are used in assessing the ductwork’s internal condition. These devices include mirrors, CCTV, and still cameras.
- Hand tools. These are devices used in cleaning and assessing the ductwork. They include mirrors, direct-view periscopes, and brushes.
- Chemicals and Sanitizers. They are used in cleaning and disinfecting areas that are affected by mold growth.
When you plan to have your ductwork cleaned, consider using the right contractor. Although they can be slightly expensive, they provide thorough work worth your money. Be ready to spend about five hours of cleaning your ducts when you hire NADCA certified professionals.