4 Things You Should Know About Air Duct Cleaning in Vancouver
Have you ever thought about the quality of the air inside of your home? It’s not often top-of-mind, until one day you’re vacuuming and you see all the dust particles flying around or your seasonal allergies start to emerge once again or your pet shakes about, and you wonder, is the air I’m breathing healthy?
In most cases, it’s not likely unhealthy, but can very often be improved through a number of steps. These can include things like adding in a purifier, leaving your shoes at the door, investing in a whole-house vacuum, regularly bathing your pets, and cleaning your air ducts.
If you are interested in air duct cleaning, this is what you should know:
1. What is air duct cleaning?
Professional air duct cleaners often use a combination of blowers, vacuums, and brushes to remove any dust, pollen, debris, and even mold from your air ducts. This includes everything: the supply and return air ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers, heat exchangers, heating and cooling coils, condensation drip pans, fans—really, every component of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit.
Since your HVAC unit is comprised of so many delicate components, it’s within your best interest to hire an established HVAC company to accomplish this task. Also, look to see if it offers duct sealing as well, as this is an additional service you may wish to add to improve the efficiency of your system.
2. When should you have your ducts cleaned?
There is no definite answer to this question. While it is recommended you have your HVAC system serviced at least twice per year (spring and fall), your ducts do not necessarily need to be serviced as often. However, there are specific situations when you should look into air duct cleaning in Vancouver. This is what the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends:
- When the ducts are visibly dirty. If you see that your air ducts are covered in dust and debris, and it’s moving into your living space, this is definitely an instance when you’ll want to clean your air ducts. While it isn’t known with certainty that dirty air ducts worsen your health, if dust and pollen are traveling into your rooms from your ducts, this will certainly affect your allergies and asthma and should be addressed.
- When rodents or insects are living in your ducts. On occasion, it is determined that vermin are living within the air ducts of a home. If that’s something you experience, your ducts should be cleaned. Rodents will leave behind droppings that can spread disease, and insects need to be eradicated as well, for the safety of your home and overall wellbeing.
- When mold is found in your ducts. Mold can develop when stagnant moisture is present in warm environments. However, this situation often requires more than just a good cleaning. For that reason, it’s often recommended that if a mold-like substance is found, a sample is sent to a lab for testing.
If your ducts are positive for mold, they will likely need to be removed and replaced. Additionally, if mold is identified, find out the source. If you do not rectify the reason for the mold, it will likely return.
3. What can you expect and how long will it take?
If you’re looking for air duct cleaning in Vancouver, then one of the professional companies in the region to turn to is Entek. We are specialists and use three-stage HEPA filters in industry-regulated vacuum trucking systems to ensure that all indoor air contaminants are safely removed, providing you with ducts that are 99.97 percent dust-free. This equipment meets or exceeds OSHA standards.
The duct cleaning process is invasive. Workers will be in your home to clean every inch of your ducts, improving your air quality, but thankfully, it will take less than one business day. Everything will be wrapped up in about four to seven hours.
Entek also provides free estimates and upfront pricing. You will know exactly what you’ll be paying for the service before signing a contract and any work begins.
Maybe even more importantly, we are certified experts. Duct cleaning scams are ever present, which is why we pride ourselves on the many organizations we’re involved with and certifications we hold, such as the Building Energy Assessment Professional certification from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Our workers go the extra mile to meet and exceed industry standards.
4. Will air duct cleaning really save you money?
When you choose to go with air duct cleaning in Vancouver, you will be spending money to save even more. In fact, there are numerous ways duct cleaning saves.
Heating and cooling usage accounts for 25 to 40 percent of the energy used in a home, according to the US Department of Energy. In fact, you probably have your HVAC system running right now.
If it’s a few years old and collecting dust and debris, the ducts are more clogged than ever, which is forcing the system to work harder to maintain the temperature you want in your rooms.
If your HVAC system is working harder, that’s going to increase your energy bill. And this amount is going to continue to rise on a yearly basis. However, duct cleaning and duct sealing can reduce this figure. At Entek, customers regularly see a 20 to 40 percent energy bill reduction after these services.
Additionally, since the system isn’t working as hard to function once your ducts are cleaned, the overall life span of the system will increase. This saves you from having to replace your HVAC unit before it’s necessary.
Air duct cleaning is not a required HVAC service, but it is one worth considering, as there are significant health and monetary benefits that can follow. Consult with your local HVAC professional to decide if it’s the right step for you.
