Why Should You Clean Your Air Ducts?

Air quality in both residential and public buildings should be as high as possible, as it affects the health of people staying in these buildings. Clean air ducts are necessary to the health of both your home and body. A properly functioning HVAC system with all of its air ducts should keep the concentration of pollutants (such as carbon dioxide, water vapour or odors) at an acceptable level (as it isn’t possible to completely remove them from the air).

However, in proportion to the lifetime of the air duct system, contaminants such as dust, dirt, bacteria or fungi accumulate in it. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically clean your home’s or business’s air ducts. It has been proven that long-term inhalation of polluted air can cause headaches and chronic fatigue. In addition, allergic symptoms may resurface or worsen. In turn, microbiological contamination can cause serious respiratory diseases: rhinitis, hypergenic pneumonia or legionellosis. In spaces such as offices or classrooms, poor air quality or its insufficient amount also reduces concentration and the overall performance of the persons who spend the most time in them.

Air Ducts and Air Quality

Indoor air is a very broad topic that gains momentum when something unsettling begins to happen. Foggy windows, musty smells, and finally mold blooms on walls… but we should all take care of the air quality that we breathe in every day. We often do not even realize that headache, fatigue or drowsiness are also the result of poor indoor air quality.

A well-designed and constructed air duct system is half the battle. The second half is its proper use. The proper functioning of the system also results from its regular maintenance and cleaning. It is the responsibility of every building manager (or homeowner) to aim to ensure optimal conditions for all people staying in the building.

Internal pollutants are generally divided into two groups – airborne solid particles such as germs, bacteria and viruses, tobacco smoke, dust particles, and vapors and gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, nitrogen oxides, which all can travel through the air and are often invisible. These pollutants can spread to your interiors and can adversely affect the health of your employees or family members. Which is why air duct cleaning is SO important.

Who Should Hire Duct Cleaners?

In order to avoid negative health symptoms and the long-term effects of exposure to polluted air, it is necessary to ensure regular and thorough cleaning of the air ducts in your building. It is recommended that the air ducts should be cleaned on a regular basis in these buildings at least once every two years (or even more frequently):

• hospitals,
• clinics / doctors’ offices,
• office buildings,,
• schools / universities,
• commercial facilities,
• service facilities,
• public buildings,
• residential houses

In addition, the ventilation ducts on ships and on trains should be cleaned regularly. It is assumed that cleaning of the ventilation system should be performed every two years. However, the frequency of inspections depends on the type of pollution your building comes in contact with, as well as the type of building. Detailed standards of acceptable chemical and microbiological contamination are defined, for example, for residential buildings, schools, workplaces and theaters.

Most importantly, the employer is responsible for keeping the ventilation and air ducts clean and well maintained. In addition, he/she is obliged to periodically replace the filters, which should be changed or cleaned at least every 1-2 months.

Methods of Duct Cleaning

Air duct cleaning is carried out in 3 simple steps:

1.       initial diagnosis – a visual or digital camera inspection

2.       duct cleaning – the appropriate cleaning method is chosen after taking into account the condition of the installation

3.       final diagnosis – ventilation systems should be inspected periodically (at least once a year)

Your duct cleaning company can choose between the several different cleaning methods:

• mechanical cleaning with rotating brushes, powered electrically or pneumatically, mounted on the drive shaft, and cleaning with compressed air or suction air (vacuum cleaners)
• steam cleaning, cleaning with chemicals (including disinfection).

The entire system must be maintained in a technical condition ensuring its efficient and reliable operation throughout its service life. It is also important to maintain the required cross-section of ventilation grilles, which should also be cleaned regularly.

Cleanliness, proper disinfection and mechanical efficiency of the HVAC duct system are above all of great importance for our health and safety! The insides of the heating and air conditioning ducts and channels pose ideal conditions for the development of many microorganisms, including fungi and molds. Systematic servicing and cleaning ensures comfort and wellbeing of your loved ones and your employees. Clean air ducts also reduce the risk of fire spreading in the event of fires. It is for this reason that inspection and cleaning of chimneys, ducts, ventilation channels and all other elements of the system are required for almost any type of building – residential, industrial, or public.

Chicago Air Duct Cleaning

The cleanliness of individual elements of the air exchange system in the home affects our quality of life. Proper ventilation means also clean ventilation, and all homeowners and building managers need to make it a priority to inspect the ductwork of their building, and call PT DUCT if you think your system could benefit from our air duct cleaning service.

The degree and speed of contamination in the air duct systems depends on the type of building, the method of air exchange and the quality of the filters used. Clean air ducts translate into the efficiency of the entire HVAC system and air quality in the interiors.

For professional air duct cleaning in Chicago call PT DUCT today and schedule your inspection now to verify your building’s needs.