HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM CLEANING
Heating, Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) system hygiene is an important component of maintaining indoor air quality, but one that is often neglected. Over time, bacteria, mold, pollen, pet hair, dander, dust, tobacco smoke and other contaminants can accumulate inside the duct work and furnace housing and on the blower motor and fins. A dirty HVAC system can also be an ideal breeding ground for bacteria or mold if excessive humidity or moisture is present. If the AC coils are dirty, condensation that forms during the operation of the air conditioner provides the needed moisture for growth of the mold or bacteria. With vents in every room of the home, the HVAC system is an efficient distribution system of allergenic compounds. Think of the HVAC system and duct work in a home as the "lungs" of a building and you'll understand the importance of a well maintained system.
We perform source removal for cleaning your air ducts using a five-step process. That is, we remove the dust, debris, and other contaminant that are present, eliminating any chance of their future distribution throughout the home. This is the only proven way to clean air ducts and is the only method approved by the National Air Ducts Cleaners Association, a national nonprofit organization. Applying sealants or coatings is not an acceptable means for avoiding contact with the contaminants.
Cleaning the air ducts, furnace blower, and air conditioning coils can also result in some noticeable increases in your HVACs system's efficiency. Dust accumulation in the air ducts of older homes can decrease the air flow from the registers, especially those registers that are furthest from the blower motor. Dust on the blower can decrease its efficiency as well, resulting in less air being moved through the system. Removing the dust from the blower and the air ducts can increase air flow from the registers by up to 20%. Studies by the Environmental Protection Agency have demonstrated that dust accumulation of as little as 0.042 inches on the air conditioning or heating coils can decrease operating efficiency by 21%. This dirt reduces air flow and insulates the coil which reduces its ability to absorb heat. Keeping your system clean and operating at peak efficiency can help offset rising energy costs! A clean air duct is a healthy air duct!
A conventional HVAC duct system consists of a supply system of ducts to carry heated or cooled air from the furnace or air conditioner (air handler unit) to various parts of your home. The air leaves the air handling unit through a main supply line. Branch lines, connected to the main supply line, distribute the air to various parts of the home through the registers visible in the flooring or walls. The return air duct(s), or return line, brings the air back to the air handling unit to be heated or cooled again. It passes through a furnace filter before entering the furnace and being distributed throughout your home again.
Step 1. Clean and Decontaminate the Return Air Ducts
The return air ducts are "zoned", or separated, from the supply air ducts so they can be cleaned separately. This is usually done by blocking the air flow at or near the furnace between the return and supply network of air ducts. An access door is placed in or near the return air plenum and the vacuum hose is connected using a special adapter. The vacuum is turned on and a negative pressure is created within the return air ducts. The powerful vacuum creates a high velocity air movement within the ductwork to transport loosened dirt and contaminants out of the ductwork and into the collection bag. Each return line is cleaned using an air whip or in certain situations a rotary power brush. These agitation devices loosen the dirt and debris on the inner walls of the air ducts. The compressed air simultaneously blasts the dirt and debris forward into the return plenum where contaminants are swept outside into the large capacity air filter bag.
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Learn more about our air duct cleaning method - click on the image to view the full large diagram of the Viper vacuum. |
Step 2. Clean and Decontaminate the Supply Air Ducts
An access door is cut into the supply air plenum and the hose is connected as before using the special adapter. The vacuum is turned on and a negative pressure is again created within the ductwork. The air whip is used to clean the supply ductwork in a manner similar to that for the return air ducts. The vents, or register grilles (covers), in the home are removed and air washed before cleaning the air ducts.
Step 3. Clean & Decontaminate the AC Coil, Motor, Blower, & Blower Compartment
The interior surfaces of the furnace are cleaned using a HEPA filtered vacuum. This includes the outside and inside of the furnace, the blower and blower motor, the AC evaporative cooling coils, and the condensate drain pans (drip pans).
Step 4. Protect Against Recontamination of the HVAC System and Air Ducts
After the air ducts and the air handling unit are cleaned, we take steps to ensure that they stay clean longer! We replace your old fiberglass filter with a high quality pleated filter manufactured by the 3M Corporation. Pleated filters not only protect the mechanical components of the furnace, but provide more surface area for removing dust, pollen and other particles from the air, increasing the filter's efficiency. They are typically more than 28 times more effective than ordinary fiberglass filters for removing dust from the air stream. We choose one for your system, depending on your needs and your HVAC system. The Filter Effectiveness Rating or Performance Rating for the lineup of 3M's filters range from 600 to 1250. The Performance Rating is a relative measure of a filter's efficiency at capturing airborne particles, with the higher ratings being better able to remove particles between 0.3 and 1 micron in size. Even the lowest performing filter from 3M has a Performance Rating of 600 compared to a rating of 38 for fiberglass filters! Installing a 3M pleated filter will help ensure your duct work, furnace, blower, and AC coils remain clean longer and work at their peak efficiency!
Step 5. (Optional). Sanitize and Deodorize the HVAC System
Under normal circumstances, a sanitizer is not needed. Source removal is sufficient to remove the contaminants. If the duct work or AC coils were contaminated with bacteria or mold, a sanitizer or disinfectant is used. These compounds are EPA registered products and are approved for use in residential air ducts. These compounds reduce the number of bacteria and mold in the ductwork, resulting in a clean and healthy air duct system.