Air Duct Cleaning

You’ve likely seen what collects in your air filters and air registers… this gray, furry, sticky, clumpy matter has a distinct appearance and texture that just “looks” unhealthy. Your senses are steering you away for good reason. This mass of matter is a collection of dust mites, dead skin cells, bug and vermin droppings, pet dander, pollen, bacteria, mold and mildew spores and other contaminants and allergens. 

And that’s just what you see on the filters and registers. What can be lurking inside of the air ducts is perhaps even more alarming. Air ducts are large, empty temperature-contained spaces that have ample opportunities for critters and contaminants to collect. While air duct cleaning isn’t something you have to worry yourself over on a daily basis, the NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaning Association) does recommend a cleaning every 3 to 5 years.

How do I know if I need an air duct cleaning?

If it’s been 3 to 5 years since your last cleaning or if you’re unsure of when your air ducts were cleaned last, you’re likely due for a cleaning. In Massachusetts where winters are cold, summers are muggy, and seasons are damp, air ducts can be a welcome shelter for bugs and vermin and an attractive breeding ground for mold and mildew. 

Did you know that 50% of all illness is caused by or triggered by polluted indoor air?

This statistic comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This is huge! Sickness and illness resulting from indoor air pollutants is up to 100 times more likely than from outdoor pollutants. 

The thing with air ducts is that you don’t know what you can’t see. There are however, signs that point to air ducts as potential sources of problems and a sign that a cleaning may be in order: 

• You have an infestation or the presence of bugs or vermin inside your home
• You are experiencing allergy and asthma related illness
• You detect a musty smell in your home or coming from the air ducts
• You can see mold or mildew on or around the register vents
• Your house has undergone renovations where sanding of walls, floors, or ceilings kicked up dust, debris, and possibly asbestos and lead paint
• You see an unusual amount of dust and debris collecting on the filter and the register
• Your utility bills are unusually high or higher than you believe they should be

What is included with an air duct cleaning service?

What’s going on up there! First of all, we’ll assess the situation to see what exactly needs to be addressed in order to fully clean and or repair the ductwork. We’ll climb up into the ductwork and give you a full assessment before we begin and take photos so that you can see with your own eyes what it is that we’re referencing and what work is to be completed. After that, we get to work doing the cleaning and any repairs necessary. 

Next, we vacuum out the ducting system using heavy duty hepa filtered vacuums. These aren’t your ordinary vacuums. If you’ve ever tried to use your own vacuum to remove dust from the register, you know this type of dust requires a more powerful approach. After sealing the registers with adhesive, we create negative air pressure, producing a powerful vacuum, and use electric brushes to dislodge gunk and grime. Then we conduct a compressed air flush of each area of the ducting system. 

Finally, after addressing the ductwork, we clean the components within the HVAC system. Parts and pieces of the air system such as the air handler, blower motor, air filters, the vents, the registers, the evaporator coil, and the drain pan all get a thorough cleaning during this process, leaving your air duct system free of particles, and debris and your air clean and safe.