Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems

Air ducts, often referred to as ducts, direct the air flow throughout your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.  Without ductwork, your air conditioner and heater would be merely fans, blowing air into a small corner of one room.  Perhaps the most important issue that arises with air conditioning ducts is whether or not they should be cleaned.  Based on regular, average use of your air conditioning system, common sense would suggest that you clean ductwork periodically, especially if mold, dust, or debris is present.  Also, if anyone in your family or workplace experiences persistent, unexplained illness, it might be worth the time and money to have your air ducts examined. Take note, however, that having your ducts cleaned improperly is much worse than not having them cleaned at all.  A professional air duct cleaning will use take care to not release more contaminants into the air, in addition to not damaging your HVAC ductwork.  If you wonder whether you should have your heating and air conditioning ducts cleaned, contact your local air conditioning contractor; he or she will be able to examine your system and suggest an appropriate course of action.

According to the EPA, your duct cleaning technician should:

• Open access ports or doors to allow the entire air conditioning system to be cleaned and inspected;
• Inspect the system before cleaning to be sure that there are no asbestos-containing materials (e.g., insulation, register boots, etc.) in the heating and air conditioning unit.  Asbestos-containing materials require specialized procedures and should not be disturbed or removed except by specially trained and equipped contractors;
• Use proper air duct cleaning equipment, such as vacuum cleaners that exhaust particles outside of the home, or use only high-efficiency particle air (HEPA) vacuuming equipment if the vacuum exhausts inside the home;
• Protect carpet and household furnishings during cleaning;
• Use well-controlled brushing of HVAC duct surfaces in conjunction with contact vacuum cleaning to dislodge dust and other particles;
• Use only soft-bristled brushes for fiberglass duct board and sheet metal ducts internally lined with fiberglass;
• Take care to protect the ductwork, including sealing and re-insulating any access holes the service provider may have made or used so they are airtight.

Thorough air duct service should be supplemented with a regular maintenance plan.  In fact, frequent air conditioning filter changes and air conditioning coil cleanings will save you valuable time and money in repair costs.  Properly maintaining all of your air conditioning parts ensures that air passes freely through your ductwork, and that your home or business remains well-ventilated.   A common problem seen in home air conditioning ducts is leaky ductwork.  In a leaky system, not only does air seep out, reducing the air circulating in your home, but air from the surrounding environment is also sucked in, including all of the contaminants that air contains.  In order to keep cool air from leaking out and bad air from being sucked in, your air conditioning system might need to be resealed with tape or aerosol sealant.