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Why Clean & Sanitize Air Ducts?
Dirty air ducts and dirty ductwork can impact more than comfort; they impact the air you breathe and how your HVAC system operates. First Southern Restoration provides air duct cleaning and sanitizing only in Nashville, which eliminates hazardous accumulation and improves airflow from inside your building or home.
Indoor Air Quality
Every time your HVAC system starts up, you are recirculating whatever is trapped inside the ducts. Dust, pollen, pet hair, mold spores, and allergens. Cleaning regularly removes the accumulation, giving you better air quality to breathe every day.
Health Benefits
Ductwork is another repository for airborne allergens and contaminants. Accumulated allergens and contaminants contribute to coughing, sneezing, and eye irritation, and can even lead to respiratory infections.
Energy Efficiency
Dirty ductwork equates to the system working harder. Blockages, debris, and accumulation restrict airflow, forcing HVAC to run longer, which means more energy. Clean systems run smoother, and that directly translates to your utility bill.
Odor Removal
If your home or business has a lingering smell of smoke, cooking grease, mildew, or chemicals, your ductwork may be exacerbating the problem. We remove the lingering odors at the source with our state-of-the-art air duct sanitizing solutions.
What is Air Duct Cleaning?
Depending on your experience with air ducts, you may or may not be aware of what air duct cleaning consist of and why it is important. The purpose of air duct cleaning allows for the improved circulation and quality of air indoors. Air duct cleaning is necessary for heating or cooling systems. Air duct cleaning and sanitizing should take place every one-two months. The cost for these services can range depending on the degree of contamination, the size of the duct, and the convenience of the duct.
When deciding on whether or not you would like to bring in a professional, you must make sure that the company is skilled and experienced in cleaning every part of the air duct. That ensures that you are not just wasting money on services that are not beneficial to making sure your air ducts are cleaned and sanitized.
It is important to know what to expect during an air duct cleaning:
Supply and return
air ducts
Diffusersand
grilles
Heating and cooling coils from heatexchangers
Drain drip pans
for the unit
The motor and
housing of fans
Air handling
unit
If you find that the professional team that you have hired did not properly clean, install or operate the various components of your air duct, the components of the air duct may develop contaminationfrom multiple different particles which include debris, pollen or dust. If for whatever reason moisture is trapped in any compartment, there is the increased potential growth of bacteria and mold. There may even be the chance of spores that may derive from that type of growth and can contaminate the living spaces in correlation with the air duct. The contaminants that will arise from this could lead to an allergic reaction or another type of health condition if there is exposure to them.
If a company fails to clean any part of a contaminated system, there can be re-contamination of the system putting one’s health and safety at risk. Although everyone has a different approach too how they clean the air ducts, the standard for cleaning is still the same and has been deemed the standard by various associations within the industry. That company is required to bring in their commercial equipment and allows for the specialization of cleaning and vacuuming dirt and debris from the air ducts in order to prevent mold development.
Moreover, the professional team hired to provide the service will in some cases use different solutions to assist with the cleaning process. These solutions are applied to destroy the contaminants inside the ducts and other areas of the system. You may ask for recommendations from the company you are working with or they may offer suggestions on solutions that can be used that will not interfere with any health conditions of members living in the home. Sealants may be recommended in order to prevent the growth of mold. Using a sealant would help with covering the air duct and will stop dirt particles from being filtered indoors.
Determining If You Should Clean Your Air Ducts
Aside from the quality of air that you would benefit from after having your air ducts clean, there are reasons for why you may want to have your air ducts cleaned. You may want to consider all the members of your household that will be affected by the dirt being filtered through the home or the potential introduction of mold around the house. Since the growth is not visible from the outside of your heating or cooling system, it is not easy for someone to detect the changes from the filter. You can always start with an evaluation from your local service providers in your area so that you can see if it is a service that you would like.
These are a few things that you should ask your provider to do for you:
- Ask that they show you the bacteria, mold or debris in your heating or cooling system, this will ensure that you are not spending unnecessary money. It also ensures that if a service is rendered, then you can sleep well knowing that the issue is being resolved.
- Ask that the contaminant found in your system is tested by a laboratory so that you know what you are dealing with. This will help with looking at the health consequences associated with it. If a bacterium is found, you can treat any associated health conditions accordingly. If there is a mold, you will be able to treat accordingly as well. It is usually cost efficient and does not take long to get results.
- Ask if the air duct is able to be cleaned successfully. If the air duct is damaged, meaning that there is too much mold or poor insulation, then it should be replaced by a new one. That is the best approach for improving air circulation.
- Ask for pricing and compare pricing with other local servicers to confirm that you are getting the best deal.
Once you will that you may want to get the service rendered to you, below are other reasons that should be taken into consideration:
- Consider air duct cleaning if your ducts are infected with rodents or insects.
- Consider air duct cleaning if your ducts have excessive amounts of dust, debris or other substances being released into the air.
- Consider air duct cleaning if member of your household is suffering from chronic respiratory tract conditions such as asthma, fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This may be a helpful solution.
- Consider air duct cleaning or in order to improve the overall efficiency of the system in your household.
- Consider air duct system replacement if you have not had cleaning in a while but you’ve had reoccurring mold substances there.
- Consider cleaning if pollutants are introduced into your household.
The cleaning is solely a personal decision, it is recommended that you get your air ducts cleaned as needed. If you find that you are still unsure about getting cleaning done, then call us and we can assist you will all of your cleaning needs. Don’t worry about not being knowledgeable in the field We can answer all of your questions and put your mind at ease so that you are not worried about the quality of your air ducts and the procedures needed to ensure that things are being done right.
Expectations from your Air Duct Cleaning
You can expect all of the following from a successful air duct cleaning provided by professionals:
Blower
You should notice that the blower blades are clean and free of all oil and debris. You would also notice that there is not any duct visible.
Metal Ducts
The return and supply of the components of the duct should be clean and the interior services should be spotless.
Air Vents
You should make sure that all components are back in their respective spaces. That means that the diffusers, grilles and registers are attached correctly. They should also be cleaned properly as well.
Plenums
The plenum should be free of dust, dirt or mold. The filters should fit properly as recommended the manufacturer of your heating and cooling system. You should also notice that the plenum does not have any stains from the moisture or substances found during cleaning.
Operation System
The operation system should be functioning properly and all of the heating and cleaning features should be working appropriately.
Fiber Glass
The glass should be in good condition meaning there are no abrasions or tears of any sort to all the materials.
Access Doors
The proper tools should be used to make sure that the doors to the duct are attached appropriately. The proper screws, rivets, etc. should be used. There shouldn’t be any air leaking through the doors and there should be full coverage by the doors.
If after receiving your services, you find that any of the above is not to your liking, it is important that you call your service provider immediately so that they can correct the situation. They should be willing to go through each of the above items and discuss all of your concerns. This should be a smooth process.
Water restoration · Air Duct Cleaning and Sanitizing · Mold cleaning · Fire restoration
Ultimately, there are a number of risk and challenges that come along with lacking knowledge when it comes to your air duct cleaning and sanitation. You may also find that you are not so trusting of professional companies because you are not sure if they will provide a great service to you, answer all of your questions or if they actually understand the mechanics behind the system. You can write down your questions and you can be prepared to check off the list of things that you need in order to assure that you are receiving the proper service.
In addition, you want to make sure that you are preventing mold from building up in the air ducts and the filters. You have already been informed about the common types of mold associated with the different areas of the home and you have learned about the different characteristics associated with the various molds in the household. The molds that you have to look out for are the ones that thrive solely on moisture in the ventilation system. This will help narrow down which bacteria you are dealing with and whether it can become airborne, releasing its spores which can be very allergenic and toxic.
Future Prevention of Air Duct Build-Up
After receiving a proper cleaning of your heating and cooling system, you want to make sure that you are able to upkeep and maintain the quality of your air indoors. It is not a difficult task but you want to make sure that every concern that could arise is addressed.
Below you will find a list of recommendations to ensure you are maintaining the upkeep of your system:
- Make sure you are using a properly working heating and cooling system with a well-functioning air filter.
- Make sure you change your filters consistently to avoid build-up
- If you find that you have excessive clogging of dirt, mold or debris, you should consider seeking regularly scheduled services.
- Consider a using sealants or encapsulates more frequently to keep your system from getting dirty.
- Make sure all filters are accounted for so that there are not any large openings allowing dirt, debris, or mold to filter through without permission.
- Make sure that the cooling coils and draining pans are cleaned when you are getting your system checked or cleaned.
- Make sure there is consistency with eliminating dust and dirt from your home.
- Make sure you repair leaks of any kind that are associated with your system.
- Make sure the insulation and sealants of the ducts are properly in place. This will eliminate any possibility of moisture to arise. This happens due to water condensation that can arise but if this is stopped early, it is the least of your worries and you will not have to worry about the moisture that can potentially lead to mold.
- For replacements of heating or air conditioning systems, make sure that the size of the system is appropriate and accommodating to your needs. If you’re system does not fit properly, you must look out for small errors that can arise such as poor moisture retention and condensation retention issues.
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Need air duct cleaning now? Call (615) 474‑3479
Looking for air duct cleaning near me or air duct sanitizing near me? Call First Southern Restoration now at (615) 474‑3479 for fast, expert service. We deliver trusted air duct cleaning services near me across Nashville, helping homes and businesses breathe cleaner, healthier air with every visit. Call today.
