The 7 Tasks You Should Expect From Your Air Duct Cleaning Company

The EPA recommends cleaning air ducts whenever there is a rodent/insect infestation, mold growth, or if the ducts are clogged with dust and debris.

iStock_000019880307SmallAirborne particles can be released from dirty ducts and contaminate a HVAC system, or if moisture gets into the system mold can grow, and mold spores may be released into the air. In those situations, it’s crucial to have your facility’s ducts cleaned.

Dirty ducts can become a breeding ground for mold spores, bacteria and other particles, which can lead to poor indoor air quality.

We know from the information provided in our past posts about indoor air quality (IAQ) such as the 4 Reasons You Should Clean Your Building’s Air Ducts that poor IAQ can affect the health of occupants.

If your facility is faced with a dirty duct problem, and you have to hire an air duct cleaning service, what should you expect from the company? The EPA offers a list of expectations, so you’ll know how to verify that your provider offers a quality service.

The duct cleaning service provider should:

  1. Open all ports and doors to ensure the entire system is thoroughly cleaned and inspected.
  2. Be sure to inspect the system before cleaning to look for asbestos-containing materials (insulation, etc.). Such materials should not be disturbed and should only be removed by contractors who are specially trained in asbestos removal.
  3. Use a vacuum that will exhaust particles outside of the building, or use a HEPA vacuum to contain particles.
  4. Protect furnishings and carpeting throughout the cleaning procedure.
  5. Brush duct surfaces as well as use contact vacuum cleaning to remove all dust and particles.
  6. Protect the ductwork by sealing and re-insulating access holes and use soft-bristled brushes to clean fiberglass duct board or metal ducts lined with fiberglass.
  7. Use the NADCA‘s air duct cleaning standards and NAIMA‘s practices for ducts containing fiberglass.

Facility managers may also choose to use their own crews to handle air duct cleaning. Fortunately, Goodway offers a full line of duct cleaning equipment to clean ducts easily and quickly.

Our equipment can handle cleaning 4″-18″ round and spiral ducts as well as 4″-16″ rectangular/square ducts. Our duct cleaners have top-of-the-line features including flexible shafts, reversible shaft rotation, rotary brushes, three-stage true HEPA filtration and adjustable speed control.

And, as a last step to duct cleaning, consider requesting an EPA registered mold and mildew control product like CoilShine-BC. This product is designed to control and inhibit the growth of mold, mildew and odor causing bacteria on surfaces like ductwork.

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6 comments


  • Sandra

    I believe mold/mildew is present in my HVAC.

    June 9, 2017
  • jeff

    lol sucks

    April 30, 2018
  • James

    Great information shared.

    November 1, 2018
  • Thank you for sharing some of the steps that an experienced air duct cleaner would do. I like that you mentioned professionals will open all ports and doors to ensure the air duct is thoroughly cleaned. When I call for an appointment, I will keep this tip in mind.

    May 12, 2020
  • It’s good to know that professional duct cleaners have EPA registered mold, mildew, and odor inhibitor products. My work has a bunch of air ducts that have never been cleaned. I’ll talk to my boss about hiring some professional cleaners to keep them clean.

    September 18, 2020
  • krish

    thanks

    December 18, 2020

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