The majority of all commercial and residential structures today are constructed with HVAC or heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ducts. Since most of these ducts are constructed and assembled tightly, fresh air and stale air rarely circulates together. When this happens, pollutants tend to accumulate within the ducts and creates unhealthy air that everyone in the home will be breathing. These pollutants will act as irritants can aggravate health conditions such as respiratory afflictions and possibly damage your home in the process.

Cleaning those HVAC ducts will help to eliminate (or drastically reduce) the amount of those pollutants so that you are breathing the healthiest air possible and living in a healthy indoor environment. There are a number of recommendations for cleaning out the ductwork yourself but if you are not somewhat knowledgeable of these practices, you should hire the services of a professional HVAC contractor to ensure the job is done properly. Duct cleaning not only improves the quality of the air you breathe, it might chase away pesky rodents.

The downside to cleaning air ducts too often is that you could damage them, so a professional duct cleaning service will be able to determine when to schedule your next cleaning. However, knowing about the different methods for cleaning out your air ducts will help you determine which one will be best for you. Again, it is best to rely on the expertise and knowledge of a professional. However, it never hurts to gain a little personal knowledge so you will know what the contractor is talking about.

More Common Air Duct Cleaning Methods

Over the years, there have been numerous changes to industry standards and the methodology involved in HVAC duct cleaning. The advancements that the industry has witnessed over the past decades have not only improved the cleaning quality but the safety of the different duct cleaning methods as well. The following are some of the more common duct cleaning methods that professional services usually employ.

• • Air Sweep or Power Vacuum method – This is the most thorough duct cleaning method that is currently used today. Unfortunately, it is also the most expensive, but it does the best job of rooming the dirt. The vacuum is so powerful, that it can damage the ductwork but that is a rare occurrence as most professional duct cleaning services are extremely careful when using this particular method.
  • Contact or Point of Contact cleaning method – Although this is not as thorough a method as others, it is considerably safer for your air ducts and vents. This method also carries a smaller price tag as well. The primary cleaning tool of choice is what appears to be a large, powerful vacuum with an extensive number of attachments and tools. The ducts are cleaned by using a spinning brush and several extension hoses.
  • Source Removal method – Considered the most commonly recommended method for cleaning air ducts, the Source Removal method requires two key elements. Mechanical agitation helps to loosen the debris and dirt from the ductwork walls and other HVAC components while Extraction removes it all quickly and safely.

Professional air duct cleaning techniques have been in use since the early 1900’s, but they have evolved over the years into very advanced cleaning methods compared the original, more primitive methods that companies once used. By hiring the services of a professional duct cleaning company, you can be assured that the right method will be recommended while the work will be done carefully and thoroughly. You and your family will appreciate and enjoy being able to breathe healthier indoor air and a better living environment as a result.