What Is Done During Duct and Vent Cleaning?
Have you observed that your house is getting dustier than normal lately? Are your monthly electric bills steadily increasing? Know more about what is done during and vent cleaning. Dirty ductwork and HVAC system components may be the source of the problem. Consider hiring a credible, skilled duct cleaning company like Calvey Heating And Air Conditioning to clean your home’s ductwork.
What is the procedure for cleaning air ducts? The proper method incorporates negative pressure technology. Negative pressure air duct cleaning is a methodical, straightforward procedure that yields consistent results, but shady, fly-by-night companies have given the industry a bad reputation in recent years.
If you’ve ever had your ducts checked by a contractor that was in and out in an hour and managed to leave more dust and debris than they took, you’ve likely been left wondering what, if anything, was done.
To counteract these bad experiences, reputable duct cleaning companies are willing to teach homeowners about the National Air Duct Cleaning Association’s (NADCA) standard cleaning methods.
These procedures outline how to clean ducts, registers, filters, plenums, evaporator coils, and air handlers—almost any part of a forced-air HVAC system—and the results will be noticeable.
NADCA refers to the procedures used by licensed contractors as source-removal techniques, and they include sweeping the ducts by hand and with compressed air equipment while a vacuum collection system removes dislodged dust and debris.
Continue reading to learn more about the best practices in the duct cleaning industry.
How Does Duct Cleaning Work?
Step 1: Check the ducts
For two reasons, a basic visual inspection of the ducts leading to the return and supply registers is necessary. For starters, you can determine the amount of accumulation in the ducts first and then check the difference after they’ve been cleaned.
(A duct cleaning company would almost certainly have cameras that can probe much deeper into the ducts and reveal the full scope of the buildup prior to cleaning.)
Second, a competent duct cleaning allows the technician the opportunity to inspect the ductwork for leaks or, in the case of flexible ducts, kinks. Many duct cleaning companies often fix and restore damaged ductwork.
Step 2 : Create A Negative Pressure
Duct cleaning contractors suck dust and debris out of your ductwork with big, portable or truck-mounted vacuum collection units. However, before turning on the suction and cleaning the ducts, the technicians should take a few precautionary measures.
First, they must attach the long hose of the vacuum collection unit to a duct near the air handler—the core of your HVAC system. The technician will basically cut an access hole in the duct, insert the vacuum hose, and seal as securely as possible where they intersect.
(Keep in mind that your HVAC system has a supply-side and a return side—ducts that deliver treated air into your home’s rooms and ducts that return air to the air handler.) The supply and return sides are different, and the duct cleaning process must be carried out on each separately.)
The technician can then use an adhesive cover to secure each register. This is a critical move because even the most efficient vacuum collection system would be rendered useless if the registers in each room of the house are left uncovered.
If the technician has completed these preliminary measures, he or she will switch on the vacuum unit. This phase generates negative pressure, and particles within the ductwork are sucked into the collection system as they are brushed or blown loose.
Step 3: Agitate The Dust
When the machine is under negative pressure, the technician can expose each register and clean the ducts individually. The amount of time each contractor spends per register is one thing that separates a NADCA-certified duct cleaning contractor from a fly-by-night operation.
Improperly skilled technicians have been known to leave after a short blast from an air compressor and a spritz of disinfectant; this method is largely unsuccessful and typically results in dust being blown back into the room.
To ensure dust is dislodged and sucked into the vacuum collection system, authorized technicians use spinning brushes, compressed air equipment, and simple vacuum cleaners.
Step 4 : Clean The Rest Of The System
The NADCA suggests cleaning the HVAC system’s other parts as well, such as the air handler’s blower motor, evaporator coil, and drain pan. Cleaning these parts, as well as cleaning or replacing the filter, will enhance the quality of the air while also extending the life and performance of your HVAC system.
Our Key Takeaway
Is negative pressure air duct cleaning effective? Yes, indeed! However, it must be performed properly and by trained professionals.
At Calvey Heating And Air Conditioning, we can complete the job thoroughly and carefully, leaving your ductwork clean and undamaged. Hire us today to ensure that your ducts are clean and your HVAC system is working to its full potential.