subject: HVAC Air Quality 2 [print this page] The average person understands more now today than ever before that smoke, pollution, and dust can have a serious impact on the quality of air inside your home.
Your HVAC system, which pumps hot and cold air through your home, can carry these pollutants along with dust, dead insects and mites, as well as mould and fungus.
But as public's knowledge grows, so too does the industry that has been created to clean your HVAC system.
While many businesses are legitimate and perform a necessary service, some are not. They will take your money and purport to clean your ducts, but can actually end up making your indoor air quality even worse.
Duct cleaning in particular has attracted many disreputable fly-by-night operations and their improper cleaning methods we result in harming your indoor air quality.
Be sure any company you hire has a long track record in the duct-cleaning business and is willing and qualified to clean every component of your heating and air conditioning system.
Improper vacuuming methods can release more dirt and debris into your home than before you had your ducts cleaned. An inappropriate cleaning actually contaminate your entire HVAC system and even damage it.
While there are a variety of methods that service providers can use to clean your ducts, the industry has established some standards. Most legitimate companies use some special tools to dislodge the dust in your air ducts and then will use a high-powered vacuum to suck it away.
A study by Florida International University examined the various methods of duct cleaning and found some are better than others.
Some companies simply use a conventional household vacuum to flush out your ducts, while others use compressed air to shake loose dirt and debris and then carrying them away, a method known as an "air sweep."
Still others use a mechanical rubbery brush that is inserted into the duct work to dislodge contaminants and then suck them out using a vacuum.
The Florida study found that using a conventional household vacuum was the least-effective way to clean your ducts. In some cases actually degraded the air quality of the home.
The study also found that the "air sweep" - or compressed air method as well as the mechanical brush method improved air quality equally as well. Both air sweep and mechanical brush technologies reduced harmful contaminants by 85%
Cleaning your ducts can be an effective way to improve your air quality in the short-term. But if you want to achieve long-term improvements in your indoor air quality, you should have a qualified HVAC service company examine your system to find out why your ducts got so dirty in the first place.
A proper service provider can fix leaking ducts and make sure the cooling coil condensate pans -- a potential source of moisture and mould -- are clean and properly draining. Keep in mind that fibreglass insulation that becomes wet and mouldy will need to be replaced, not simply cleaned.
Ultimately, the study by Florida International University said, the best way to keep your heating and air conditioning system clean it to have a qualified HVAC provider service your system once a year.
