Poor indoor air quality is a growing problem in America, and maintenance services such as air duct cleaning could improve air quality in a home. This concept, seemingly logical, has never been scientifically proven through studies or experiments, according to the EPA. The pros and cons of air-duct cleaning to consider include the physical characteristics of your home and individual health concerns of you and other family members.
Cleaning basics
Air-duct cleaning generally includes cleaning all parts of a heating and cooling system, including ducts, registers, grills, diffusers, heat exchangers, coils and drip pans. Services also typically include motor and housing cleaning. Providers use physical cleaning methods such as scrubbing or brushing and chemical methods such as biocides and sealants to clean air duct systems. Prices range from $450 to $1,000 per unit as of 2010, according to the EPA.
Benefits
Air-duct cleaning can provide health and financial benefits to homeowners. Dust and other debris build-up in the heating and cooling system of a home encourages mold and bacteria growth if moisture enters the system. This causes health problems and allergic reactions in some people. Dirty systems also run less efficiently; clean systems usually break down less often and last longer. Cleaner, more efficient systems require less energy to operate and thus lower energy costs for the homeowner, according to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association.
Providers
Service providers offering air duct cleaning should be trained and certified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association to perform such services. Texas, California, Florida and other states require licensing to work as an air duct cleaning service provider as of 1996, according to the EPA. Look for an experienced provider with references who is in good standing the local Better Business Bureau.
Considerations
The EPA recommends that air ducts be cleaned in homes in which certain conditions exist. Visible mold, insects or rodents in the air delivery system indicate the need for air-duct cleaning to avoid exposure to substances harmful to the health of you and other family members. Ducts that are so dirty as to visibly release dust into the air from the registers should be cleaned as well. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association recommends the use of removal cleaning methods as opposed to chemical methods to avoid exposure to harmful chemicals.
Warning
Some newer air ducts are constructed of fiberglass. It remains unclear whether these systems experience mold and bacterial growth in the same manner and at the same rate as older metal systems. However, if they do become infested with bacteria or mold growth, they need to be replaced because there is no approved way of cleaning such contaminants from porous surfaces like fiberglass, according to the EPA.
