Cleaning air ducts can be a great way to improve indoor air quality, but it can also cause significant damage that can be costly to repair. The ducts are made of various materials, and you or an unqualified duct cleaner may not know how best to clean them. In addition, you could damage them if you use the wrong cleaning materials and procedures. Most Houston residents choose to clean their air ducts because they have old ducts that have been in the attic or inside walls and that have collected dust for more than ten years.
Most air conditioning companies will promote duct cleaning as a solution to improve indoor air quality, but they don't mention that this service can cause significant damage to duct systems that will need to be repaired in the future. Experience the difference with Smart Air: Our Houston HVAC team puts the best interests of our customers first. We offer alternative solutions for indoor air quality without jeopardizing the integrity of your air duct systems. Cleaning air ducts may seem logical, but it is important to understand the risks associated with it. 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 chimney that burns fuel, they be inspected to make sure they are working properly and serviced before each heating season to protect them against carbon monoxide poisoning.
A heating and air conditioning professional can thoroughly check the ducts to determine the type of ducts and the condition of the different hooks and safety points. Failure to do so could damage the ducts, reducing efficiency and, in addition, could cause premature system failure. For example, the rotbrush can quickly become trapped in flow dampers and break or disconnect poorly secured or protected ducts. Damaged ducts are often the result of air duct cleaning, especially when done by an inexperienced contractor. Whether or not you decide to clean your home's air ducts, it's essential to commit to a good preventive maintenance program to minimize duct pollution. If there is mold on walls or in the attic, cleaning the ducts can pose a health risk, as it could cause very small particles of mold to disperse in the air around the house.
There is a great risk that the fragile plastic layer will break when moving these air ducts to clean them years after installation. Since every home's conditions are different, it's impossible to generalize about whether cleaning your home's air ducts would be beneficial or not. You can also contact professional duct cleaning service providers and ask them about the services they offer. One of the few independent studies was conducted in the 1990s by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), when it examined 33 homes in Montreal before and after cleaning the pipelines. It found no significant improvement in air quality, and duct cleaning alone did not improve airflow or energy efficiency. In most cases, dust is harmless and cleaning air ducts could cause major problems, such as duct damage.
Manufacturers of products marketed to coat and encapsulate duct surfaces claim that these sealants prevent dust and dirt particles inside air ducts from being released into the air. Local air conditioning companies or service providers often promote the idea of cleaning air conditioning ducts as another way to prevent indoor air pollution and improve air quality. Whether or not you decide to clean your home's air ducts, preventing water and dirt from entering the system is the most effective way to prevent pollution (see How to Prevent Duct Contamination). It is important to understand all of these risks before deciding whether or not you should clean your home's air ducts. In conclusion, while air duct cleaning can be beneficial for improving indoor air quality, it is important to understand all of its associated risks before making a decision. It is best to consult with a professional HVAC technician who can assess your home's specific needs and provide advice on how best to proceed.
