What is Air Duct Cleaning?

Air Conditioning Units and Duct Cleaning

Air duct cleaning is becoming more and more popular however, it is not a recommended service for air quality improvement and it is not considered necessary as routine maintenance every year. You can hire a home air duct cleaning contractor to clean and maintain your air ducts as often as you want, as long as the service is completed properly, it will not harm your home, ducts or HVAC system .

If you have received a coupon in the mail or a telemarketing call from an air duct cleaning company, you may be wondering what air duct cleaning is all about. These companies claim that air duct cleaning will improve the quality of your indoor air, but is it worth the costs? This article will attempt to explain air duct cleaning and the pros and cons associated with having this service done.

The quality of air we breath is such a big concern these days. There are services all out there that are touting the benefits of clean air. By now you have likely seen or heard the ads promoting air duct cleaning and the benefits of removing mold, dirt, pollen and more from your air duct work.

Service can range anywhere from $100, all the way up to $100. This of course is all depending on the level of services offered, the type and size of the system to be cleaned, climatic region, and the level of contamination. Regional differences in prices can be dramatic.

Air duct cleaning in Atlanta generally refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling system components of forced air systems, including the hot and cold air supply and return air ducts and registers, heat exchangers, heating and cooling coils, condensation drain pans (drip pans), fan motor and fan housing, and the air handling unit housing.

Over time, because of the air flow, and the possible moisture conditions from the heat and the cold air, you may experience growth. According to the EPA; "…if moisture is present, the potential for microbiological growth (e.g., mold) is increased and spores from such growth may be released into the home’s living space. Some of these contaminants may cause allergic reactions or other symptoms in people if they are exposed to them."

When choosing a company to clean your air ducts, make sure you know up front what the costs are and what that includes. For example, a house without air conditioning does not have a cooling coil (a-coil), while another house might not have an air exchanger. Don’t let them charge you for something you don’t have.

Some companies claim to clean all the air duct work, but fail to mention that they do not clean the hot and cold air returns. Make sure any company you hire includes this in their service. Typically, the cold air return is the dirtiest part of your air ducts. If you do not take care of this you run the risk of re contaminating the system.

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