Duct cleaning can improve indoor air quality (IAQ). It enables an HVAC professional to remove contaminants that circulate throughout your home. According to the EPA, air pollution can be up to five times more concentrated indoors than outside, so it’s one of many indoor air quality solutions you should consider.
Dust, pet dander, mold, combustion byproducts, and volatile organic compounds are just a few pollutants of concern. Continue reading for more details about pollution sources, how duct cleaning works, and how it compares to other methods of improving IAQ.
Duct Cleaning and IAQ
A forced air heating and cooling system distributes conditioned air via ductwork. Each duct leads to a vent, which supplies cooled or heated air to a specific room. Supply ducts bring air to rooms and return ducts draw air back into your HVAC system. If particulates and other pollutants are in the airflow, they can repeatedly flow in and out of the ductwork.
Contaminants can get into ducts from inside your home. These originate from cooking, cleaning, smoking, and simply moving around and kicking up dust without knowing it. Pollutants can also enter ducts from outside via holes, cracks, tears, and loose connections. Loose fibers from insulating materials can also make it into the airflow.
Therefore, duct cleaning can significantly impact indoor air quality, although it only addresses pollutants that are present in or circulating through your duct system. These include:
- Dust: If excessive amounts of dust are coating or clogging your ducts, particles can break loose and be released into your home. Most dust isn’t a serious health hazard, but it can worsen allergy and asthma symptoms.
- Mold: When you see mold growth on a vent, it may be lurking deep inside ductwork, where higher-than-normal humidity levels and darkness allow it to spread. Mold spores can settle in other parts of your home, while some molds release powerful toxins that can cause illness.
- Infestations: Mice, rats, and insects can get into air ducts. Once inside, they can find shelter and multiply. Your ductwork provides paths for them to get to any part of your home. Insects and vermin can also spread disease, so finding a professional solution is important.
If an air duct is leaking, this not only lets conditioned air escape, (reducing HVAC efficiency), it also lets pollution, such as car exhaust, ozone, and wildfire smoke, into your home.
How Is Duct Cleaning Performed?
Several methods of duct cleaning are available. Your local HVAC professional should explain the techniques they plan to use. The EPA hasn’t registered any products for ductwork sanitizing or disinfection, but industry associations have established various standards for cleaning air ducts.
Chemical biocides and other treatments haven’t been fully evaluated, so you should get as much information as possible if a contractor recommends them. Others have used sealants to encapsulate contaminated areas; if the interior of any air duct is contaminated, the material of concern should be removed rather than covered up.
That being said, some duct cleaning best practices include:
- Inspection: Air ducts should be inspected from the outside to find evidence of leaks, corrosion, or damage. Specialized cameras can be used to view them from the inside to evaluate the nature and level of any contamination.
- Negative Pressure: During the cleaning process, the contractor will keep your HVAC system under negative pressure. This prevents debris they’re trying to remove from blowing back into your home.
- Remove Damaged Materials: If insulation or other porous materials inside ducts are found to be wet, water-damaged, or otherwise contaminated, they should be immediately removed.
- Vacuum: High-power, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuum systems are often used to pull dust and other contaminants from ductwork. The vacuum hose is inserted into a vent or hole in a duct near the air handler, while air registers are shut or sealed. Turning on the vacuum creates negative pressure.
- Brushing: Mechanical brushes can be used to loosen dust before vacuuming and physically remove accumulated materials. If you have flexible or fiberglass-lined ducts, softer bristled brushes prevent damage or the loosening and spreading of fibers throughout the system.
- Mold Remediation: If a substance resembles mold, a sample may be taken and sent to a laboratory for analysis. Depending on the findings, the proper cleaning method will be applied and a fungicide or mold inhibitor may be used.
Other Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Aside from ductwork, contamination elsewhere in your HVAC system can negatively affect indoor air quality. This means duct cleaning alone doesn’t guarantee clean air. Other effective ways to improve IAQ include:
- Source Control: If you find individual sources of pollution, take steps to mitigate them. For example, a gas stove should be properly maintained and adjusted to reduce emissions. Asbestos can be professionally removed, sealed, or enclosed. If necessary, hire a professional to identify specific sources of pollution and ways to address them. Duct sealing is one way to make ducts airtight and prevent contaminants from getting inside.
- Improve Ventilation: With so many sources of pollution, it’s difficult to achieve perfectly clean air. However, you can reduce the concentration of indoor air pollutants by improving ventilation. Allowing more outdoor air into your home can diminish the levels of pollutants from heating, painting, cooking, welding, etc. This can be achieved with outdoor air intakes for your HVAC system. You can also open windows and doors and run attic, kitchen, or bathroom fans that effectively remove contaminants.
- Air Cleaners: Available in many forms, air cleaners physically remove particles. How effective one is at this depends on the model. Whole-house air cleaning systems are more effective than tabletop units. Systems with high air circulation rates that collect smaller particles are most efficient. To ensure an air cleaner’s long-term performance, it must be installed, used, and maintained per the manufacturer’s directions. However, the source of a particular pollutant may need to be addressed for an air cleaner to have any impact.
- Ultraviolet (UV) Light: Rather than mechanical air filtration, a UV filter relies on ultraviolet radiation to neutralize mold and bacteria. Studies have proven that UV radiation is effective at eliminating drug-resistant strains in hospitals. Additionally, UV filters don’t only clean the air. They can also help keep AC coils cleaner and prevent algae growth that can clog the condensate drain line.
- Air Scrubbers: An air scrubber uses electromagnetic energy to release plasma into your HVAC system. Consisting of oxygen and vapor, this plasma is safe and requires no moving parts to be distributed. The technology has been found to effectively neutralize influenza viruses, MRSA bacteria, and other unwanted pathogens. Installed directly in your ductwork, an air scrubber can also remove a wide range of other pollutants.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Prevent Indoor Air Quality Issues?
It’s hard to completely avoid indoor air pollution, especially with duct cleaning alone. However, you can reduce the amount of contamination and prevent serious IAQ and HVAC issues in the following ways:
- Change air filters as recommended.
- Check filters often for clogs and change them as needed.
- Dust and vacuum your home frequently.
- Seal off vents and registers during construction or renovation work.
- Install a dehumidifier if duct moisture is a concern.
- Promptly call for help if you find a leak or water damage.
- Make sure your HVAC system is properly sized.
- Schedule regular maintenance that includes cleaning coils and ensuring the condensate drain line works.
What Are the Effects of Poor Indoor Air Quality?
Indoor air pollution can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation as well as headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Some pollutants are connected with respiratory and heart disease and even cancer. Some of the most common pollutants known to affect human health include particulate matter, tobacco smoke, mold, pet dander, dust mites, radon, and carbon monoxide.
Contamination can also affect your HVAC system. Clogged filters can reduce airflow, which diminishes the performance and efficiency of heating and cooling equipment. They can also let particulates inside, which can damage components. Therefore, poor indoor air quality can lead to costly repairs or breakdowns that require early AC or heater replacement.
How Do I Know Duct Cleaning Is the Right Solution?
Air ducts aren’t the only sources of pollution. A professional can help determine the best IAQ solution, but some of the reasons you may need duct cleaning include:
- Allergy and asthma symptoms are more pronounced while at home.
- Mold growth is visible on vent covers and inside ducts.
- Excessive dust and debris are present in your home.
- The dust returns no matter how much cleaning you do.
- Insects and rodents have infested your ductwork.
How Do I Know an Air Duct Cleaning Company Is Reputable?
An unsatisfactory duct cleaning can do more harm than good, whether it releases more dirt into your home or your ductwork is damaged. When looking for a professional, check they have the experience and knowledge to apply proper duct cleaning methods. Also, look at whether the tools they use are safe and effective. Check reviews as well; these can provide accurate insights into the company’s past work. Contact the company and have a representative explain the process and provide a quote before agreeing to any service.
Schedule Indoor Air Quality Services with Trilogy AC
Customers in the Houston area rely on us for professional ductwork and HVAC services. Our NATE-certified technicians can properly install and clean air ducts. They also install HEPA filtration systems, UV lights, and other solutions to improve IAQ. Aside from making it easier to breathe, improving indoor air quality can also increase energy efficiency and the lifespan of your heating and cooling system. To schedule duct cleaning and other services, call (832) 730-5047 today.
