You have seen the advertisements offering to clean your ducts at discounted prices, sometimes as low as $120! These advertisements may also claim that clean ducts means relief from allergies. But can you get allergy relief from discount duct cleaning? Do your ducts need to be cleaned? Can air ducts be cleaned properly for under $200.00? How do you know if the duct-cleaning job is being done properly and you are getting your money's worth? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that you have your air ducts and your heating and cooling system inspected first by a Professional Heating and Cooling Contractor, as in many cases, this cleaning is unnecessary. If after this inspection however, you discover that your air ducts have substantial visible mold, dust, dirt and other contaminants or a musty odor, a professional will recommend duct cleaning. This is especially important if someone in your household suffers from asthma, allergies or other symptoms that may be related to indoor air pollution. Although duct cleaning alone has never been shown to actually prevent health problems, it is an important step in a whole-house air cleaning strategy. Much of the dirt and dust that accumulates in the ducts adheres to the duct surfaces and to the furnace and air conditioning components. This does not mean that it necessarily becomes airborne and enters our breathing space. However, this accumulation is a perfect breeding ground for mold, bacteria, dust mites and other fungi that are definite sources of indoor air pollution. There are many other sources of indoor air pollution that can be controlled with the whole-house, duct-mounted air cleaning systems available through One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning. The low priced "blow-and-go" guys will scam the customer into believing that a proper job has been done when their inadequate system and procedures can actually make the problem worse. For example, many duct cleaners are not licensed HVAC contractors and are not qualified to service any of your HVAC equipment. So, they may vacuum out the ducts and vents, but they should not touch any of the component parts of the heating and cooling system. However, these parts are also dirty, which means the job is only half done. This would be like changing the oil in your car without replacing the oil filter. Also, inadequate vacuum systems and the lack of proper duct-cleaning brushes and tools can release more dust, dirt and other contaminants than if you had left the ducts alone. The job may be cheap and fast, but it's just a waste of time and money and can cause additional problems rather than prevent them.
