Is Duct Cleaning Beneficial After Heavy Smokers

Who wouldn't want a dainty, clean duct like the lower 1 illustrated here?

Is duct cleaning worth it?

Information technology'south jump and time to do a little household make clean up. If you lot're thinking that should also include your heating and cooling ducts here are some of the pros and cons.

Jessica McDiarmid Staff Reporter

Dominicus., March 31, 2013 five min. read

Commodity was updated April. 01, 2013

Paul Hannah'due south family unit business concern has been cleaning ducts in GTA homes for more than than a decade. Dead squirrels, adult movies and children's toys: Hannah has dug them all out of the vents.

His Woodbridge-based company, the Duct Cleaning Specialists, has a steady flow of customers, just the question for many homeowners is whether duct cleaning is really necessary and whether it'southward worth the cost.

The telemarketing pitches are fast and furious in the fall and jump, promising health benefits and offer a dandy price. But should you take the allurement and purchase? Simply experts say the jury is out on whether duct cleaning makes your home healthier. And since the field is unregulated, it is oft hard to tell what y'all're buying, compare services or ensure a quality job, and then Hannah suggests you do your research and choose advisedly.

Hannah'southward company is one of 41Ontario companies that are members of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), a merchandise clan that requires members to have a licensed technician, liability insurance and attach to a code of ethics.

But there are many companies exterior the association that probably don't run across those standards, Hannah claims.

"In that location are a lot of wing-past-night duct-cleaning companies," Hannah warns.

The cleaning services tin exist every bit little as $99 for one-hour "deals" to hundreds of dollars for a thorough inspection. Some volition do little more than vacuum the heat registers, perchance using improper tools that cause permanent impairment to duct systems. Others offer a cheap rate and then tack on additional charges later.

Consumers should look behind these great deals and sales gimmicks, get several quotes, inquire for references and ensure the company is going to clean and inspect all of the air ducts and organization components in the domicile, Hannah suggests.

Bruce Cran, president of the Consumers Association of Canada, says complaints about duct cleaning companies take declined in the by several years. Still, he warns consumers to read contracts advisedly, ask all the questions they can and watch out for "deals" that might end up with extra charges added on.

"You want to make sure it's a reputable company y'all're dealing with and do a reputation check," says Cran. "You also have to be very sure to have an understanding of what'south going to be done."

Cran adds that consumers shouldn't buckle to telephone solicitations — information technology should be your idea to seek the service — and don't pay in accelerate for work that's to be done.

"If y'all exercise it right, y'all're not going to run into issues."

A reputable company, Hannah says, should perform an inspection to meet whether cleaning is warranted. He estimates that a tertiary of people who telephone call him for duct cleaning don't, upon inspection, actually need information technology.

In an average-size home, the service should take two to three hours and cost $275 to $350, he said. The U.S. Ecology Protection Bureau (EPA) estimates an average American home can price $400 to $one,000, depending on the size and number of vents.

One of the instances when duct cleaning may be valuable is following renovations, says Hannah. This is a time when dust, clay and construction gathers stop up in the duct work. Another is when water has entered the air organisation through a leak or flood and mould is growing in the ducts. New homeowners often want ducts cleaned particularly if there were pets or smokers in the house.

Otherwise, Hannah recommends an inspection every 7 to 10 years to run across if cleaning is warranted.

According to the EPA, cleaning system components may improve efficiency but has never been shown to prevent health problems.

"Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.k. dust) levels in homes increase because of muddied air ducts," the bureau's website reads.

Hannah says for those with asthma or allergies, "Information technology may aid, but going out and getting a adept HEPA filter (for your furnace) would probably help more."

The EPA recommends duct cleaning if there is mould, ducts are infested with vermin, clogged with excessive amounts of grit and debris, or if particles are blowing out air ducts. The bureau said while debate continues about the value of duct cleaning, no evidence suggests it'south detrimental if done properly.

"On the other manus, if a service provider fails to follow proper duct cleaning procedures, duct cleaning can crusade indoor air problems," the agency suggests. "For instance, an inadequate vacuum collections organisation tin release more dust, dirt and other contaminants than if you had left the ducts alone."

A proper job is arduous.

When Hannah'southward technicians arrived at Marking Stewart's Brampton domicile on a dank February forenoon, they precleaned every vent, removing the grate and sucking out droppings with a high-efficiency particle air (HEPA) filter vacuum. Stewart is finishing upward a massive renovation, including an addition.

They ran a hose from a large $25,000 vacuum mounted in a cube van to the basement, which they attached to an access port in the master duct work.

They used devices to work loose debris and dirt, pushing it into the primary ducts where it volition be picked upward past the vacuum. That procedure was repeated for every vent in the business firm, return air vents and all access ports in the main duct work. All organisation components were cleaned and the whole system was checked with cameras to make certain nothing was missed.

This detail cleaning, like much of the renovation, was free, office of a customs endeavour to help Stewart, who has multiple sclerosis.

"Nosotros've congenital an extension on our home to suit my inability needs so I'm sure the vents are the dirtiest (they've) e'er seen," says Stewart with a laugh.

Tips for duct cleaning:

Don't hire cleaners who make sweeping claims well-nigh the health benefits of duct cleaning or advocate regular cleaning.

Don't allow employ of chemic biocides, sealants or products on your ducts unless you empathize the pros and cons.

Check a company's references to see if other customers were satisfied.

Enquire service providers for their certification and insurance.

Become an estimate for the work they're to do.

What the duct cleaner should do:

Open the access ports to allow the whole duct system to be cleaned and inspected.

Bank check for asbestos containing materials earlier cleaning the system.

Use vacuum equipment that exhausts particles exterior of the abode or use only high-efficiency particle air (HEPA) vacuuming equipment.

Protect carpet and household furnishings and items.

Use well-controlled brushing of duct surfaces in conjunction with contact vacuum cleaning to dislodge dirt or other particles.

Employ soft-bristled brushes for fibreglass duct board and canvas metal ducts lined with fibreglass.

Take intendance to protect the duct piece of work, including sealing and re-insulating any access holes the service provider may have fabricated or used to ensure they're closed.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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