How To Decide Whether or Not Have Your Ducts Cleaned

Knowledge about the potential benefits and possible problems of air ducts cleaning limited. Since conditions in every home are different. It is impossible to generalize about whether or not air duct cleaning in your home would be beneficial.

If no one in your household suffers from allergies or unexplained symptoms or illnesses and if. After a visual inspection of the inside of the ducts. You see no indication that your air ducts  contaminated with large deposits of dust or mold (no musty odor or visible mold growth). Your air ducts cleaned  probably unnecessary. It  normal for the return registers to get dusty as dust-laden air  pulled through the grate. This does not indicate that your air ducts  contaminated with heavy deposits of dust or debris; the registers can  easily vacuumed or removed and cleaned.

On the other hand, if family members are experiencing unusual or unexplained symptoms or illnesses that you think might be related to your home environment. You should discuss the situation with your doctor. EPA has published the following publications for guidance on identifying possible indoor air quality problems and ways to prevent or fix them.

• Indoor Air Quality: An Introduction for Health Professionals
• The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality

You may consider  your air ducts cleaned simply because it seems logical that air ducts will get dirty over time and should occasionally  cleaned. While the debate about the value of periodic duct cleaning continues, no evidence suggests that such cleaning would  detrimental. Provided that it is done properly.

On the other hand, if a service provider fails to follow proper duct cleaning procedures. Duct cleaning can cause indoor air problems. For example, an inadequate vacuum collection system can release more dust, dirt and other contaminants than if you had left the ducts alone. A careless or inadequately trained service provider can damage your ducts or heating and cooling system. Possibly increasing your heating and air conditioning costs or forcing you to undertake difficult and costly repairs or replacements.

Substantial Visible Mold Growth Inside Air Ducts

• Many sections of your heating and cooling system may not be accessible for a visible inspection. So ask the service provider to show you any mold they say exists.
• You should be aware that although a substance may look like mold, a positive determination of whether it  mold or not can  made only by an expert and may require laboratory analysis for final confirmation. For about $50, some microbiology laboratories can tell you whether a sample sent to them on a clear strip of sticky household tape is mold or simply a substance that resembles it.
• If you have insulated air ducts and the insulation gets wet or moldy it cannot be effectively cleaned and should  removed and replaced.
• If the conditions causing the mold growth in the first place are not corrected, mold growth will recur.