Why HVAC Contractors Should Do Duct Cleaning (And Sealing Too)

Many homeowners today want to have their ducts cleaned. There are various reasons why they are asking for the service, and in many cases cleaning ducts can solve a host of issues. But is simple cleaning enough?

If a duct system is designed properly, free of any holes, and has good filtration there should be no reason why they need to be cleaned more than once every ten years.

But, most issues that concern homeowners are not addressed by simple cleaning. For example, many homeowners want their ducts cleaned because they have dust issues. In some cases cleaning can help, however research has proven that a leaky duct system is most likely the culprit for most dust issues that a homeowner sees.

Many homeowners want their ducts cleaned due to unhealthy air in the home. Again, a leaky duct system can pull contaminated air from attics, crawlspaces, and garages causing a home to have an unhealthy air situation. In turn, this can bring in unwanted odors due to the unhealthy and contaminated air. A simple cleaning will not solve these problems!

Solutions

Have your ducts cleaned by a NADCA ASCS Certified professional. There is a huge difference between duct cleaning companies who simply bring in portable hand-held devices and say they are cleaning your ducts and a NADCA ASCS Certified professional. In order to clean ducts properly, high suction vacuums and even brushes designed specifically for cleaning ducts should be used.

A professional duct cleaner should spend a significant amount of time making sure both the duct work and a home’s HVAC equipment is cleaned. In most cases this is not done with low cost duct cleaning.

But most importantly, duct work should be tested for leaks and repaired. A good duct cleaning professional should seal and clean ducts using specially designed sealants to make sure that the duct system will work properly, reduce dust and help keep a home’s air clean and fresh. They should add the proper filtration and suggest any modifications needed. In some cases these repairs may also even lower your energy bills!

Don’t live with unhealthy or contaminated air, having to dust constantly or lingering odors in your home. Having it done right by a professional duct cleaner the first time will give peace of mind that your family is now living in a safe, healthy, comfortable, and efficient home.

Contributor

About Ken Summers

Ken Summers has more than 30 years of experience in the HVAC industry. Starting in 1980, he did residential service, in-home sales, and commercial design/build. In 1995, he joined Retrotec, a manufacturer of test instruments used in performance contracting such as blower doors and duct air tightness testers, where he trained contractors how to use test instruments to understand better on how houses worked from a comfort and indoor air quality (IAQ) basis. In 1998, he co-founded Comfort Institute (CI), a leading home performance training organization. For the past 20+ years, he has been with CI helping progressive HVAC contractors adopt whole-house and air distribution system diagnostics and repair. In 2014, CI joined Aeroseal where Ken is the Vice President of Training. Ken specializes in helping contractors avoid common issues related to HVAC load calculation and duct design mistakes, duct leakage problems, thermal envelope repair, and mold related issues across the country. He has spoken at many industry leading events including ACCA, PHCC, RSES, EPA, EGI as well as being brought in to speak with local utility and code officials across the country about how the house works as an interactive system.