What To Expect If You Have Furnace Vents Cleaned
EPA 402-Thousand-97-002, October 1997
On this page:
- Summary
- What Is Air Duct Cleaning?
- Deciding Whether or Not to Have Your Air Ducts Cleaned
- Suggestions for Choosing a Duct Cleaning Service Provider
- What to Wait of an Air Duct Cleaning Service Provider
- How to Determine if the Duct Cleaner Did a Thorough Chore
- How to Forestall Duct Contamination
- To Forbid Dirt from Entering the Organization
- To Prevent Ducts from Becoming Moisture
- Unresolved Issues of Duct Cleaning
- Does duct cleaning prevent health problems?
- Are duct materials other than bare sheet metallic ducts more likely to exist contaminated with mold and other biological contaminants?
- Should chemical biocides be applied to the inside of air ducts?
- Do sealants prevent the release of dust and dirt particles into the air?
- To Learn More Well-nigh Indoor Air Quality
- To Acquire More than About Air Duct Cleaning
- Other Useful Resources
- Consumer Checklist
Summary
Knowledge about air duct cleaning is in its early stages, and then a coating recommendation cannot be offered as to whether y'all should have your air ducts in your home cleaned. The U.South. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urges y'all to read this document in information technology entirety as it provides important data on the subject.
Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems. Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (due east.one thousand., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts. This is because much of the clay in air ducts adheres to duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter the living space. It is of import to go along in mind that dingy air ducts are only one of many possible sources of particles that are present in homes. Pollutants that enter the home both from outdoors and indoor activities such as cooking, cleaning, smoking, or merely moving effectually tin cause greater exposure to contaminants than dirty air ducts. Moreover, there is no evidence that a light amount of household dust or other particulate affair in air ducts poses any take a chance to your health.
You should consider having the air ducts in your dwelling cleaned if:
There is substantial visible mold growth inside difficult surface (e.one thousand., canvass metal) ducts or on other components of your heating and cooling system. There are several important points to understand concerning mold detection in heating and cooling systems:
- Many sections of your heating and cooling system may not be accessible for a visible inspection, so inquire the service provider to show yous any mold they say exists.
- Y'all should be aware that although a substance may wait like mold, a positive determination of whether it is mold or not tin can be made only by an expert and may crave laboratory assay for final confirmation. For about $50, some microbiology laboratories tin tell you lot whether a sample sent to them on a clear strip of sticky household tape is mold or just a substance that resembles it.
- If yous have insulated air ducts and the insulation gets wet or moldy it cannot be effectively cleaned and should be removed and replaced.
- If the conditions causing the mold growth in the kickoff place are non corrected, mold growth volition recur.
Ducts are infested with vermin, e.g. (rodents or insects).
Ducts are clogged with excessive amounts of dust and debris and/or particles are really released into the abode from your supply registers.
If any of the weather condition identified above exists, it usually suggests 1 or more underlying causes. Prior to whatever cleaning, retrofitting, or replacing of your ducts, the cause or causes must exist corrected or else the problem will likely recur.
Some enquiry suggests that cleaning heating and cooling system components (east.g., cooling coils, fans and oestrus exchangers) may improve the efficiency of your organization, resulting in a longer operating life, as well as some energy and maintenance cost savings. However, fiddling evidence exists that cleaning only the ducts will improve the efficiency of the system.
Y'all may consider having your air ducts cleaned simply because it seems logical that air ducts will become dirty over time and should exist occasionally cleaned. Provided that the cleaning is done properly, no evidence suggests that such cleaning would be detrimental. EPA does not recommend that the air ducts exist cleaned routinely, just but every bit needed. EPA does, still, recommend that if you accept a fuel burning furnace, stove or fireplace, they be inspected for proper performance and serviced before each heating flavor to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning.
If you lot do decide to take your air ducts cleaned, take the same consumer precautions you normally would in assessing the service provider'due south competence and reliability.
Air duct cleaning service providers may tell you that they demand to apply chemic biocide to the inside of your ducts as a ways to kill leaner (germs) and fungi (mold) and prevent future biological growth. They may too propose the application of a "sealant" to foreclose dust and dirt particles from beingness released into the air or to seal air leaks. You should fully empathise the pros and cons of permitting application of chemical biocides or sealants. While the targeted employ of chemical biocides and sealants may be appropriate under specific circumstances, research has not demonstrated their effectiveness in duct cleaning or their potential agin wellness effects. No chemical biocides are currently registered by EPA for use in internally-insulated air duct systems (run into Should chemic biocides exist practical to the inside of air ducts?).
Whether or not you determine to accept the air ducts in your dwelling house cleaned, preventing h2o and dirt from inbound the system is the almost effective style to foreclose contamination (encounter How to Prevent Duct Contagion).
What is Air Duct Cleaning?
Virtually people are now aware that indoor air pollution is an issue of growing business and increased visibility. Many companies are marketing products and services intended to meliorate the quality of your indoor air. You take probably seen an advertising, received a coupon in the postal service, or been approached directly by a company offer to clean your air ducts as a means of improving your home's indoor air quality. These services typically — just not always — range in toll from $450 to $1,000 per heating and cooling system, depending on:
the services offered
- the size of the system to be cleaned
- system accessibility
- climatic region
- level of contagion
If you decide to have your heating and cooling system cleaned, information technology important to brand sure the service provider agrees to clean all components of the system and is qualified to do so.
Duct cleaning more often than not refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling arrangement components of forced air systems, including the supply and return air ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers, estrus exchangers heating and cooling coils, condensate drain pans (baste pans), fan motor and fan housing, and the air handling unit housing (See diagram).
If not properly installed, maintained and operated, these components may go contaminated with particles of dust, pollen or other droppings. If moisture is present, the potential for microbiological growth (e.g., mold) is increased and spores from such growth may be released into the dwelling house's living space. Some of these contaminants may cause allergic reactions or other symptoms in people if they are exposed to them. If yous decide to have your heating and cooling organization cleaned, information technology is important to brand sure the service provider agrees to make clean all components of the organization and is qualified to do and so. Failure to make clean a component of a contaminated system can result in re-contamination of the entire organization, thus negating any potential benefits. Methods of duct cleaning vary, although standards have been established by manufacture associations concerned with air duct cleaning. Typically, a service provider volition utilise specialized tools to dislodge dirt and other debris in ducts, and then vacuum them out with a high-powered vacuum cleaner.
In improver, the service provider may propose applying chemical biocides, designed to kill microbiological contaminants, to the inside of the duct work and to other system components. Some service providers may also propose applying chemic treatments (sealants or other encapsulants) to encapsulate or cover the within surfaces of the air ducts and equipment housings because they believe it volition control mold growth or prevent the release of dirt particles or fibers from ducts. These practices have yet to be fully researched and you should be fully informed before deciding to permit the use of biocides or chemic treatments in your air ducts. They should but exist practical, if at all, after the system has been properly cleaned of all visible dust or droppings.
Note: Use of sealants to encapsulate the inside surfaces of ducts is a different practice than sealing duct air leaks. Sealing duct air leaks can help save energy on heating and cooling bills. For more data, see EPA'southward Free energy Star website.
Deciding Whether or Not to Have Your Air Ducts Cleaned
Noesis about the potential benefits and possible problems of air duct cleaning is limited. Since conditions in every abode are different, it is impossible to generalize well-nigh whether or non air duct cleaning in your home would be beneficial.
If no one in your household suffers from allergies or unexplained symptoms or illnesses and if, after a visual inspection of the within of the ducts, you run across no indication that your air ducts are contaminated with big deposits of dust or mold (no musty odor or visible mold growth), having your air ducts cleaned is probably unnecessary. It is normal for the render registers to get dusty every bit dust-laden air is pulled through the grate. This does not bespeak that your air ducts are contaminated with heavy deposits of dust or debris; the registers can be easily vacuumed or removed and cleaned.
On the other mitt, if family unit members are experiencing unusual or unexplained symptoms or illnesses that you think might be related to your home environment, y'all should discuss the situation with your physician. EPA has published the following publications for guidance on identifying possible indoor air quality problems and ways to prevent or set them.
- Indoor Air Quality: An Introduction for Health Professionals
- The Within Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality
Yous may consider having your air ducts cleaned simply considering it seems logical that air ducts will get dirty over time and should occasionally be cleaned. While the debate about the value of periodic duct cleaning continues, no evidence suggests that such cleaning would be detrimental, provided that information technology is done properly.
On the other hand, if a service provider fails to follow proper duct cleaning procedures, duct cleaning can crusade indoor air problems. For example, an inadequate vacuum collection organization can release more than dust, clay and other contaminants than if you had left the ducts alone. A careless or inadequately trained service provider tin can harm your ducts or heating and cooling system, maybe increasing your heating and air-conditioning costs or forcing yous to undertake difficult and costly repairs or replacements.
You should consider having the air ducts in your dwelling cleaned if:
There is substantial visible mold growth inside hard surface (due east.g., sheet metal) ducts or on other components of your heating and cooling system. At that place are several of import points to understand apropos mold detection in heating and cooling systems:
- Many sections of your heating and cooling system may not be accessible for a visible inspection, and so ask the service provider to bear witness you lot whatever mold they say exists.
- Yous should be aware that although a substance may wait like mold, a positive determination of whether it is mold or not tin exist made only by an expert and may require laboratory analysis for terminal confirmation. For about $50, some microbiology laboratories can tell you whether a sample sent to them on a clear strip of viscous household tape is mold or just a substance that resembles it.
- If you accept insulated air ducts and the insulation gets wet or moldy it cannot exist finer cleaned and should exist removed and replaced.
- If the atmospheric condition causing the mold growth in the commencement place are not corrected, mold growth will recur.
Ducts are infested with vermin, e.g. (rodents or insects)
Ducts are clogged with excessive amounts of dust and debris and/or particles are actually released into the domicile from your supply registers.
Other Important Considerations
Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually forestall wellness problems. Neither practise studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (due east.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts or get down after cleaning. This is because much of the clay that may accumulate inside air ducts adheres to duct surfaces and does non necessarily enter the living space. It is important to keep in listen that dirty air ducts are only 1 of many possible sources of particles that are present in homes. Pollutants that enter the home both from outdoors and indoor activities such equally cooking, cleaning, smoking, or just moving around can crusade greater exposure to contaminants than dirty air ducts. Moreover, there is no prove that a calorie-free corporeality of household dust or other particulate thing in air ducts poses any chance to health.
EPA does non recommend that air ducts be cleaned except on an as-needed footing considering of the continuing uncertainty about the benefits of duct cleaning nether about circumstances. EPA does, however, recommend that if you have a fuel burning furnace, stove, or fireplace, they be inspected for proper functioning and serviced before each heating season to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning. Some enquiry as well suggests that cleaning dirty cooling coils, fans and oestrus exchangers can improve the efficiency of heating and cooling systems. All the same, picayune evidence exists to betoken that just cleaning the duct system will increase your system's efficiency.
If you lot think duct cleaning might be a good thought for your home, but yous are not sure, talk to a professional person. The company that services your heating and cooling system may exist a good source of advice. Y'all may too want to contact professional duct cleaning service providers and ask them almost the services they provide. Remember, they are trying to sell you a service, so inquire questions and insist on complete and knowledgeable answers.
Suggestions for Choosing a Duct Cleaning Service Provider
To find companies that provide duct cleaning services, check your Yellow Pages under "duct cleaning" or contact the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) at the address and phone number in the data section located at the end of this guidance. Practise not presume that all duct cleaning service providers are equally knowledgeable and responsible. Talk to at least iii dissimilar service providers and become written estimates before deciding whether to have your ducts cleaned. When the service providers come to your abode, ask them to show yous the contamination that would justify having your ducts cleaned.
Practise non hire duct cleaners who brand sweeping claims nearly the health benefits of duct cleaning — such claims are unsubstantiated. Do non rent duct cleaners who recommend duct cleaning equally a routine function of your heating and cooling system maintenance. You should also be wary of duct cleaners who claim to be certified past EPA. Note: EPA neither establishes duct cleaning standards nor certifies, endorses, or approves duct cleaning companies.
Exercise not allow the use of chemical biocides or chemical treatments unless you fully sympathise the pros and the cons (See "Unresolved Issues of Duct Cleaning).
Bank check references to be sure other customers were satisfied and did not feel whatever problems with their heating and cooling system later cleaning.
Contact your county or metropolis role of consumer diplomacy or local Improve Business Bureau to determine if complaints accept been lodged against any of the companies yous are because.
Interview potential service providers to ensure:
- they are experienced in duct cleaning and accept worked on systems like yours;
- they will use procedures to protect y'all, your pets and your abode from contamination; and
- they comply with NADCA's air duct cleaning standards and, if your ducts are constructed of fiber glass duct board or insulated internally with fiber glass duct liner, with the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association's (NAIMA) recommendations.
Enquire the service provider whether they concord any relevant state licenses. Equally of 1996, the following states require air duct cleaners to hold special licenses: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Texas. Other states may crave them every bit well.
If the service provider charges by the hour, asking an approximate of the number of hours or days the job volition take, and find out whether there volition be interruptions in the work. Make sure the duct cleaner you choose volition provide a written understanding outlining the full cost and telescopic of the job before work begins.
What to Expect From an Air Duct Cleaning Service Provider
If you choose to have your ducts cleaned, the service provider should:
Open access ports or doors to allow the entire system to be cleaned and inspected.
Inspect the system before cleaning to be sure that there are no asbestos-containing materials (e.g., insulation, annals boots, etc.) in the heating and cooling system. Asbestos-containing materials require specialized procedures and should not be disturbed or removed except past specially trained and equipped contractors.
Utilise vacuum equipment that exhausts particles outside of the home or use merely high-efficiency particle air (HEPA) vacuuming equipment if the vacuum exhausts inside the home.
Protect rug and household furnishings during cleaning.
Use well-controlled brushing of duct surfaces in conjunction with contact vacuum cleaning to dislodge dust and other particles.
Employ simply soft-bristled brushes for fiberglass duct board and canvas metal ducts internally lined with fiberglass. (Although flex duct can as well be cleaned using soft-bristled brushes, information technology tin can exist more economical to only supercede accessible flex duct.)
Have care to protect the duct piece of work, including sealing and re-insulating any access holes the service provider may take fabricated or used so they are airtight.
Follow NADCA'southward standards for air duct cleaning and NAIMA'southward recommended practice for ducts containing cobweb drinking glass lining or constructed of fiber glass duct board.
How to Determine if the Duct Cleaner Did A Thorough Job
A thorough visual inspection is the all-time manner to verify the cleanliness of your heating and cooling system. Some service providers use remote photography to certificate weather condition within ducts. All portions of the arrangement should exist visibly clean; you should non be able to detect any debris with the naked eye. Show the Post-Cleaning Consumer Checklist to the service provider earlier the work begins. After completing the job, ask the service provider to show yous each component of your system to verify that the job was performed satisfactorily.
If you answer "No" to any of the questions on the checklist, this may indicate a problem with the job. Ask your service provider to correct any deficiencies until you can answer "aye" to all the questions on the checklist.
| Postal service Cleaning Consumer Checklist | Yeah | No | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | Did the service provider obtain admission to and clean the entire heating and cooling arrangement, including ductwork and all components (drain pans, humidifiers, coils and fans)? | ||
| Has the service provider adequately demonstrated that duct work and plenums are clean? (Plenum is a space in which supply or return air is mixed or moves; tin be duct, joist space, attic and crawl spaces, or wall cavity.) | |||
| Heating | Is the heat exchanger surface visibly clean? | ||
| Cooling Components | Are both sides of the cooling coil visibly clean? | ||
| If y'all point a flashlight into the cooling scroll, does low-cal smooth through the other side? It should if the scroll is make clean. | |||
| Are the coil fins straight and evenly spaced (equally opposed to beingness bent over and smashed together)? | |||
| Is the gyre bleed pan completely clean and draining properly? | |||
| Blower | Are the blower blades clean and free of oil and debris? | ||
| Is the blower compartment free of visible grit or debris? | |||
| Plenums | Is the return air plenum free of visible dust or debris? | ||
| Do filters fit properly and are they the proper efficiency as recommended by HVAC organisation manufacturer? | |||
| Is the supply air plenum (direct downstream of the air treatment unit) costless of moisture stains and contaminants? | |||
| Metal Ducts | Are interior ductwork surfaces gratuitous of visible debris? (Select several sites at random in both the render and supply sides of the system.) | ||
| Cobweb Glass | Is all fiber glass cloth in good status (i.e., free of tears and abrasions; well adhered to underlying materials)? | ||
| Admission Doors | Are newly installed access doors in sheet metal ducts fastened with more than than just duct tape (eastward.g., screws, rivets, mastic, etc.)? | ||
| With the system running, is air leakage through admission doors or covers very slight or non-real? | |||
| Air Vents | Have all registers, grilles and diffusers been firmly reattached to the walls, floors and/or ceilings? | ||
| Are the registers, grilles and diffusers visibly clean? | |||
| Organisation Operation | Does the system office properly in both the heating and cooling modes subsequently cleaning? | ||
How to Foreclose Duct Contamination
Whether or not you decide to have the air ducts in your habitation cleaned, committing to a good preventive maintenance programme is essential to minimize duct contamination.
To prevent dirt from inbound the system:
Employ the highest efficiency air filter recommended by the manufacturer of your heating and cooling arrangement.
Modify filters regularly.
If your filters get clogged, alter them more frequently.
Be sure you do not have whatever missing filters and that air cannot bypass filters through gaps effectually the filter holder.
When having your heating and cooling system maintained or checked for other reasons, exist sure to ask the service provider to clean cooling coils and bleed pans.
During construction or renovation piece of work that produces dust in your abode, seal off supply and return registers and do not operate the heating and cooling organization until after cleaning upwardly the dust.
Remove dust and vacuum your home regularly. (Employ a loftier efficiency vacuum (HEPA) cleaner or the highest efficiency filter bags your vacuum cleaner can have. Vacuuming tin can increase the amount of dust in the air during and afterward vacuuming as well as in your ducts).
If your heating arrangement includes in-duct humidification equipment, exist certain to operate and maintain the humidifier strictly equally recommended by the manufacturer.
Whether of not you decide to accept the air ducts in your home cleaned, committing to a good preventive maintenance program is essential to minimize duct contamination.
To foreclose ducts from becoming wet:
Moisture should not exist present in ducts. Controlling moisture is the well-nigh effective way to prevent biological growth in air ducts.
Moisture can enter the duct system through leaks or if the system has been improperly installed or serviced. Research suggests that condensation (which occurs when a surface temperature is lower than the dew point temperature of the surrounding air) on or nearly cooling coils of air conditioning units is a major factor in moisture contagion of the organization. The presence of condensation or loftier relative humidity is an important indicator of the potential for mold growth on whatsoever type of duct. Controlling moisture tin often be hard, but here are some steps you can take:
Promptly and properly repair any leaks or h2o damage.
Pay particular attending to cooling coils, which are designed to remove water from the air and tin be a major source of moisture contamination of the system that tin lead to mold growth. Make sure the condensate pan drains properly. The presence of substantial standing h2o and/or droppings indicates a problem requiring immediate attending. Cheque whatever insulation near cooling coils for wet spots.
Make sure ducts are properly sealed and insulated in all non-air-conditioned spaces (east.chiliad., attics and clamber spaces). This will help to prevent moisture due to condensation from entering the system and is important to brand the system work as intended. To prevent water condensation, the heating and cooling system must be properly insulated.
If you are replacing your air-conditioning system, make certain that the unit is the proper size for your needs and that all ducts are sealed at the joints. A unit that is too big will cycle on and off frequently, resulting in poor wet removal, particularly in areas with loftier humidity. Also make sure that your new system is designed to manage condensation finer.
Unresolved Issues of Duct Cleaning
Does duct cleaning preclude health bug?
The bottom line is: no one knows. At that place are examples of ducts that have get badly contaminated with a multifariousness of materials that may pose risks to your health. The duct organisation tin serve as a ways to distribute these contaminants throughout a home. In these cases, duct cleaning may make sense. Nevertheless, a light corporeality of household grit in your air ducts is normal. Duct cleaning is not considered to be a necessary part of yearly maintenance of your heating and cooling system, which consists of regular cleaning of drain pans and heating and cooling coils, regular filter changes and yearly inspections of heating equipment. Research continues in an endeavour to evaluate the potential benefits of air duct cleaning.
In the meantime
Brainwash yourself most duct cleaning by contacting some or all of the sources of data listed at the end of this publication and asking questions of potential service providers.
Are duct materials other than bare canvass metal ducts more likely to be contaminated with mold and other biological contaminants?
Yous may be familiar with air ducts that are synthetic of sheet metallic. However, many mod residential air duct systems are synthetic of fiber drinking glass duct board or sheet metallic ducts that are lined on the within with fiber drinking glass duct liner. Since the early 1970's, a significant increase in the use of flexible duct, which generally is internally lined with plastic or some other type of material, has occurred.
The use of insulated duct material has increased due:
- to improved temperature control
- energy conservation
- reduced condensation
Internal insulation provides meliorate acoustical (noise) control. Flexible duct is very low toll. These products are engineered specifically for utilize in ducts or every bit ducts themselves, and are tested in accordance with standards established by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), and the National Burn Protection Association (NFPA). Many insulated duct systems have operated for years without supporting meaning mold growth. Keeping them reasonably clean and dry is generally adequate. However, there is substantial fence nigh whether porous insulation materials (e.g., cobweb glass) are more prone to microbial contagion than bare sheet metal ducts. If enough dirt and moisture are permitted to enter the duct system, there may be no meaning difference in the rate or extent of microbial growth in internally lined or bare sheet metal ducts. Notwithstanding, treatment of mold contagion on bare sheet metallic is much easier. Cleaning and treatment with an EPA-registered biocide are possible. One time fiberglass duct liner is contaminated with mold, cleaning is non sufficient to prevent re-growth and at that place are no EPA-registered biocides for the treatment of porous duct materials. EPA, NADCA and NAIMA all recommend the replacement of wet or moldy fiber glass duct material.
In the meantime
Experts do agree that moisture should not be present in ducts and if moisture and dirt are present, the potential exists for biological contaminants to grow and be distributed throughout the home. Controlling moisture is the most effective style to prevent biological growth in all types of air ducts.
Correct any h2o leaks or standing water.
Remove continuing water under cooling coils of air handling units by making certain that drain pans slope toward the drain.
If humidifiers are used, they must be properly maintained.
Air treatment units should be constructed so that maintenance personnel have easy, direct access to heat commutation components and drain pans for proper cleaning and maintenance.
Fiber glass, or any other insulation cloth that is wet or visibly moldy (or if an unacceptable aroma is present) should be removed and replaced past a qualified heating and cooling system contractor.
Steam cleaning and other methods involving moisture should non be used on any kind of duct work.
Should chemic biocides exist applied to the inside of air ducts?
Air duct cleaning service providers may tell you that they need to utilize a chemical biocide to the inside of your ducts to impale bacteria (germs) and fungi (mold), and prevent future biological growth. Some duct cleaning service providers may propose to introduce ozone to kill biological contaminants. Ozone is a highly reactive gas that is regulated in the exterior air as a lung irritant. Nonetheless, at that place remains considerable controversy over the necessity and wisdom of introducing chemic biocides or ozone into the duct piece of work.
Among the possible problems with biocide and ozone application in air ducts:
- Piddling enquiry has been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of most biocides and ozone when used inside ducts. But spraying or otherwise introducing these materials into the operating duct arrangement may cause much of the cloth to be transported through the organization and released into other areas of your habitation.
- Some people may react negatively to the biocide or ozone, causing agin health reactions.
Chemical biocides are regulated past EPA under Federal pesticide law. A production must be registered by EPA for a specific apply before it can exist legally used for that purpose. The specific use(due south) must appear on the pesticide (e.thousand., biocide) characterization, forth with other important information. It is a violation of federal police to use a pesticide production in any manner inconsistent with the label directions.
A small number of products are currently registered by EPA specifically for utilize on the within of blank canvas metal air ducts. A number of products are also registered for use as sanitizers on difficult surfaces, which could include the interior of bare sheet metal ducts. While many such products may be used legally inside of unlined ducts if all label directions are followed, some of the directions on the label may exist inappropriate for use in ducts. For example, if the directions signal "rinse with water", the added moisture could stimulate mold growth.
All of the products discussed higher up are registered solely for the purpose of sanitizing the smooth surfaces of unlined (bare) sheet metal ducts. No products are currently registered every bit biocides for employ on fiber glass duct board or fiber drinking glass lined ducts, so it is of import to determine if sections of your system contain these materials before permitting the application of whatsoever biocide.
In the meantime
Before allowing a service provider to use a chemical biocide in your duct work, the service provider should:
Demonstrate visible evidence of microbial growth in your duct work. Some service providers may attempt to convince yous that your air ducts are contaminated by demonstrating that the microorganisms found in your dwelling house grow on a settling plate (i.e., petri dish). This is inappropriate. Some microorganisms are e'er present in the air, and some growth on a settling plate is normal. As noted earlier, only an practiced can positively identify a substance as biological growth and lab assay may be required for final confirmation. Other testing methods are not reliable.
Explain why biological growth cannot be removed by physical means, such as brushing, and further growth prevented by controlling moisture.
If you decide to permit the apply of a biocide, the service provider should:
Prove you the biocide label, which will draw its range of approved uses.
Apply the biocide but to un-insulated areas of the duct system after proper cleaning, if necessary to reduce the chances for re-growth of mold.
Always use the product strictly according to its label instructions.
While some low toxicity products may be legally practical while occupants of the home are present, y'all may wish to consider leaving the premises while the biocide is being applied as an added precaution.
Do sealants prevent the release of dust and dirt particles into the air?
Manufacturers of products marketed to coat and encapsulate duct surfaces claim that these sealants prevent dust and clay particles inside air ducts from being released into the air. As with biocides, a sealant is ofttimes applied by spraying information technology into the operating duct organisation. Laboratory tests indicate that materials introduced in this fashion tend not to completely coat the duct surface. Awarding of sealants may also affect the acoustical (racket) and fire retarding characteristics of cobweb drinking glass lined or synthetic ducts and may invalidate the manufacturer's warranty.
Questions nearly the prophylactic, effectiveness and overall desirability of sealants remain. For case, piffling is known about the potential toxicity of these products under typical use conditions or in the issue they catch fire.
In add-on, sealants have yet to be evaluated for their resistance to deterioration over time which could add particles to the duct air.
In the meantime
Most organizations concerned with duct cleaning, including EPA, NADCA, NAIMA and the Sheet Metal and Ac Contractors' National Clan (SMACNA) exercise not currently recommend the routine use of sealants to encapsulate contaminants in any type of duct. Instances when the use of sealants to encapsulate the duct surfaces may be appropriate include the repair of damaged cobweb glass insulation or when combating burn down damage within ducts. Sealants should never be used on wet duct liner, to encompass actively growing mold, or to cover droppings in the ducts, and should simply exist practical after cleaning according to NADCA or other appropriate guidelines or standards.
To Learn More Nigh Indoor Air Quality
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Function of Radiation and Indoor Air
Indoor Environments Segmentation (6609J)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.Due west.
Washington, DC 20460
The post-obit EPA publications are available on this web site, some can be ordered from NSCEP. (see too: Publications and Resources)
- The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality
- Indoor Air Pollution: An Introduction for Health Professionals
- Air Cleaners and Air Filters in the Home
- Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners
To Larn More Near Air Duct Cleaning
National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA)
1120 Route 73, Suite 200
Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054
Phone: (855) Get-NADCA • (856) 380-6810
Email: info@nadca.com
Website: NADCA
Find a NADCA professional duct cleaner near you.
North American Insulation Manufacturers Clan (NAIMA)
44 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 310, Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 684-0084
Website: NAIMA
Website: NAIMA Member Company Listing
"Cleaning Fibrous Glass Insulated Air Duct Systems; Recommended Practice", NAIMA Pub. No. AH122, 40 pages (Cost is $7.50 for a printed version, no free copies bachelor.)
Other Useful Resource
For a complimentary list of state consumer protection offices:
Land Consumer Protection Offices
For more information on biocides:
Antimicrobial Data Hotline
Phone: (703) 308-0127 / Fax: (703) 308-6467
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST
Email: Info_Antimicrobial@epa.gov
Website: Regulating Antimicrobial Pesticides
The Antimicrobials Information Hotline provides answers to questions concerning electric current antimicrobial issues (disinfectants, fungicides, others) regulated by the pesticide law, rules and regulations. These cover estimation laws, rules and regulations, and registration and re-registration of antimicrobial chemicals and products. The Hotline also provide information health & safety problems on registered antimicrobial products, product characterization and the proper and prophylactic use of these antimicrobial products.
Consumer Checklist
Learn as much as possible about air duct cleaning before you decide to have your ducts cleaned by reading this guidance and contacting the sources of data provided.
Consider other possible sources of indoor air pollution first if you doubtable an indoor air quality trouble exists in your home.
Take your air ducts cleaned if they are visibly contaminated with substantial mold growth, pests or vermin, or are chock-full with substantial deposits of grit or droppings.
Enquire the service provider to show you whatever mold or other biological contamination they say exists. Get laboratory confirmation of mold growth or decide to rely on your ain judgment and common sense in evaluating apparent mold growth.
Become estimates from at least three service providers.
Check references.
Inquire the service provider whether he/she holds any relevant land licenses. Equally of 1996, the post-obit states require air duct cleaners to hold special licenses: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Texas. Other states may too crave licenses.
Insist that the service provider requite you lot knowledgeable and consummate answers to your questions.
Find out whether your ducts are made of sheet metal, flex duct, or synthetic of fiber drinking glass duct board or lined with fiber glass since the methods of cleaning vary depending on duct type. Remember, a combination of these elements may exist present.
Allow the application of biocides in your ducts only if necessary to control mold growth and only afterwards assuring yourself that the product will be applied strictly according to label directions. As a precaution, you and your pets should exit the premises during application.
Exercise not let the apply of sealants except nether unusual circumstances where other alternatives are not feasible.
Commit to a preventive maintenance programme of yearly inspections of your heating and cooling system, regular filter changes, and steps to prevent wet contamination.
Source: https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/should-you-have-air-ducts-your-home-cleaned
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