If you have noticed a lot of dust, higher energy bills, or unpleasant odors, you may need to have your home’s air ducts cleaned. This service helps improve indoor air quality, reduce allergies and asthma symptoms, and extend the life of your HVAC system.

During the cleaning process, your technician will vacuum all return vents and supply vents in each room. Contact Air Duct Cleaning Utah now

Over time, dust gathers on surfaces throughout your home. It can come from outside or get pushed into your house by people and pets moving around. Then, as the indoor air circulates, it picks up and carries that dust along with pet dander, mildew, bacteria, chemicals, tobacco smoke, and other pollutants to clog your heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system’s ductwork. This clogged system forces dirty air to recirculate through your home five to seven times a day. It’s a fact: dirty ducts are one of the leading causes of allergies and other respiratory problems.

The good news is that routine cleaning removes dust and dander from your ductwork, helping you breathe easier and reducing the frequency of allergy attacks. It also keeps your furnace cleaner and extends its life by reducing wear on the equipment.

During the air duct cleaning process, a compressed air system blows loose dust and debris from all the accessible parts of your home’s ductwork. Then, the debris is collected in a vacuum bag or sucked through a special nozzle at the end of a hose attached to the compressed air system. If you plan to do your own duct cleaning, make sure you have the following supplies:

Protective Gear – Eye protection and a dust mask are essentials, especially if your ducts contain asbestos. Vacuum – Make sure the one you use has a hose with a nozzle attachment to reach into your ducts. Brush – A toilet brush or a large paintbrush works well. Screwdriver – You will need this to remove the vent covers, clean them, and open and close your supply registers. Paper Towels – Keep them nearby to wipe down escaping dust and cover other supply register openings while working.

Duct cleaning may also include a disinfecting treatment, which will remove mold and mildew growth that’scausing a musty smell. However, it’s important to note that no studies have shown that duct cleaning alone can prevent health problems like respiratory illnesses. Other conditions often cause dirty ducts and must be corrected before cleaning, or the problem will likely recur.

Dirt

Dust, dirt, pet dander, mildew, mold spores, and other particulates collect inside air ducts over time. If left unchecked, this material can clog filters or escape the ducts and circulate throughout homes’ living spaces. This contaminates indoor air and can cause respiratory complications like sneezing, coughing, or a runny nose. Regular cleaning eliminates these contaminants from circulating in the home’s living space.

Dirty ducts often lead to a musty odor that emanates from air vents when the furnace or AC runs. It’s also important to have a professional clean the ductwork if you’ve recently had construction or remodeling work done on your house. Even when contractors follow best practices and close off work areas, dust can still infiltrate the ductwork and circulate throughout the house.

The standard methods used for duct cleaning are usually a combination of sweeping, brushing and vacuuming. If you’re hiring a professional to perform the service be sure to check their credentials and references. They should be licensed and insured for your protection. They should also be able to answer any questions you may have about the cleaning process.

Avoid companies that advertise “$99 whole house specials” or other misleading marketing gimmicks. These contractors are usually inexperienced and unlicensed, and their work is likely to be substandard.

Before a technician begins working in your home, be sure to show them where the air vents are and let them know about any objects that might be in their way. It’s also helpful to give the technician a tour of the house and point out any areas that might be difficult to reach or clean, such as attics or crawl spaces.

Be sure to ask about the method of cleaning and whether or not they use a power-washing machine. A high-pressure power-washing machine can damage the lining of your ventilation system and actually create more dust than it removes. Most reputable cleaning companies use a more gentle approach that involves a hand-held hose that is attached to an air compressor. This hose sucks up dust and debris from the interior walls of your ductwork, and then is vacuumed away by a powerful industrial-grade vacuum cleaner.

Allergens

Allergies are your immune system’s reaction to substances that it deems a threat. This can result in a laundry list of symptoms that include itchy eyes, a runny nose, sneezing and congestion. Allergens can be found in a number of places in the home, including dust mites, mold and pet dander. Dirty air ducts can become breeding grounds for these allergens, with the blowing of heated or cooled air spreading them throughout your home. In homes with pets, this can be especially problematic.

Allergens can be difficult to avoid, even with diligent housekeeping. However, cleaning your ducts will greatly improve your indoor air quality and reduce allergy warning signs.

The problem is that many people don’t realize that their ductwork is often the source of a host of unpleasant allergies, rashes and other health problems. Regardless of how well you clean your living spaces, the dust that accumulates in your ductwork can trigger allergic reactions when it is circulated by your heating and cooling systems.

In addition to dust mites, unclean ductwork can harbor mold and mildew spores. When the humidity is high, these fungi can grow and release airborne spores that can cause respiratory irritation and other allergies. Homes with pets may face additional issues as a result of pet dander that can gather in ducts, contributing to itchy eyes and other allergic symptoms.

The best way to combat the buildup of allergens in your ductwork is to have them cleaned regularly by professional technicians. In addition, it’s a good idea to vacuum frequently using a pet friendly filter. This will prevent the spread of dander from one part of the house to another.

Smoke

Smoking is an unfortunate part of life that affects the health and cleanliness of homes. Whether it’s from a neighbor or your own family, smokers tend to pollute their houses with secondhand smoke. The continuous re-circulation of ETS (electrolytes and tars) leaves a sticky residue in air ducts, making them harder to clean. In addition, it exposes your family to a host of contaminants like mold spores, bacteria and pet dander. It also leads to the development of dark brown or yellow stains on a variety of home surfaces.

Smoke particles latch onto all surfaces, including drywall and carpets. Even if your air ducts are cleaned, these odors can linger on furniture, carpets, walls and ceilings. These lingering odors can make your home smell musty and unpleasant, despite the use of air fresheners or opening windows.

Air duct cleaning professionals often apply an odor-eating chemical called an oxidizer after the cleaning process. This helps to remove odors that are caused by the breakdown of chemicals in smoke. It is important to note that this step is an additional service and is not included in the basic price of the cleaning.

If you live in a multi-unit home with interconnected air vents, your neighbors’ smoking may have an impact on the quality of your indoor air as well. Residual fumes from a previous resident can make its way into your ventilation system, creating a dangerous situation for all homeowners.

For homeowners who are dealing with a severe odor problem, it’s important to talk with the cleaning contractor about their experience in handling these cases. A reputable cleaning company will have years of experience in handling difficult problems and will be able to provide you with the best solution for your unique situation.

Aside from foreign particulates, air duct cleaning will not clean away smoke damage or smoke odors from other surfaces in your home. If you have a child’s bed, bookshelf or other furniture that is directly under an air vent, it’s best to move these items before your technician arrives. It is also a good idea to tell your technician about sensitive areas in your home that you would like them to avoid or pay special attention to.