How to clean hvac ducts

Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems. Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts. This is because much of the dirt in air ducts adheres to duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter the living space.

The truth is that there is no evidence that having your ducts professionally cleaned would make your air any cleaner than it is now. In fact, the EPA did a study to determine the results of air duct cleaning. Here is what they concluded: “Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems.

The average duct system needs to be cleaned every two to five years. If your system is properly maintained and you exchange your filters twice a year, you can increase the time between professional cleanings.

The typical single-family home’s air duct system takes between two to four hours to clean with a crew consisting of at least two technicians. Older homes and those with pets may take longer to clean. Newer homes, townhomes, and condominiums may take less time to clean!

The technician uses specialized tools to dislodge dirt and debris in the system, followed by a thorough sanitizing process to effectively “wash away” the mess. They’ll then do an air filter change and a final testing of the system operation to ensure everything is back to working flawlessly.

Mold grows in ductwork when two things are present: moisture and warm temperatures. A warm, humid environment has the ideal conditions for mold to form. A humid climate along with poor ventilation, or anything that traps moisture in your walls and causes condensation, can lead to mold in air ducts.

In such cases, a solution of diluted bleach provides the fastest way to kill mold on walls or flooring. Prepare the solution by adding one cup of bleach into a bucket that contains about a gallon of warm water. Then proceed to scrub the mold vigorously with a stiff-bristled brush you’ve dipped in the bleach solution.

Visible Mold

Air moving through the vents can move mold spores around and push them toward the vents. This then presents mold with the opportunity to form on the vents in addition to inside the air ducts. Usually, the fungus will appear green, black, or white, so watch for patches of such colors on your vents.

Mold infestation usually comes with a musty odor. If there is mold in your HVAC system, you should be able to smell the strange musty odor in multiple adjacent rooms. If the mold problem is quite severe, you should be able to spot the growth around the ducts, in the vents and the other parts of the ductwork.

However, indoor mold growth can be dangerous, especially when it is located in your HVAC system’s ductwork, coils, and drip pans. Molds that produce mycotoxins, known as “toxic molds,” can be extremely harmful to your family. Daily exposure to these kind of molds can cause brain issues and even lead to death.

The black dust coming out of your vents could be soot, which is the byproduct of burning a candle or using the fireplace. Because your AC is constantly sucking in air from your home to be cooled, it can pull in soot and blow it back into your home. One way to check if soot is the culprit is to check your air filter.

Respiratory Issues

Coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath could all be symptoms you experience if there is decaying vermin or mold in your air vents. The American Lung Association warns that poor indoor air quality can contribute to the spread of bacteria, infections, and even lung disease in extreme cases.

Dirty air ducts are the common cause of allergies, sore throat, colds and coughing – Dirty air ducts lower the quality of air in your house, promoting the circulation of allergens and other bacteria in the air.

How much does air duct cleaning cost? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, properly cleaning an entire system in an average-sized home may typically range in cost from $450 to $1,000.

Mold is also known to cause asthma and life-threatening primary and secondary infections in immune-compromised patients that have been exposed. Toxic mold exposure has also been linked to more serious, long–term effects like memory loss, insomnia, anxiety, depression, trouble concentrating, and confusion.

Symptoms of Mold Exposure

Here are some of the health problems linked with mold exposure: Allergy symptoms: One of the most common ways your body reacts to mold is to release histamines to try and get it out of your system. This causes you to develop a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing, sneezing, and fever.

Many patients with memory loss and dementia are actually simply toxic from mold, which is a reversible condition.

Activated carbon filtration in the home can remove mycotoxins. Some homeowners use ozone generators to remove mycotoxins however no person or pet can be in the home during treatment because of the high level of ozone required.

Importantly, even those without genetic susceptibility may need to detox if they’ve had a serious mold exposure. Ideally, mycotoxins should be filtered out by the liver and then escorted out through urine or stool.

Human exposure to molds, mycotoxins, and water-damaged buildings can cause neurologic and neuropsychiatric signs and symptoms.