Air Purifier News: Are Air Duct Cleanings Necessary?
Many Americans are beginning to realize the effects of poor indoor air quality, and air purification is now a billion dollar industry. Also, to address growing concern over indoor air pollution, there has been an increase in the number of air duct cleaning service providers touting the benefits of duct cleaning.
Essentially, duct cleaning refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling components of forced air systems, including the supply and return air ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers, heat exchangers heating and cooling coils, condensate drain pans (drip pans), fan motor and fan housing, and the air handling unit housing. These types of services can typically range from $450 to $1000 per heating and cooling system, and this greatly depends on the size of the system being cleaned, system accessibility, climate, and level of contamination.
While it may seem logical that over time, air ducts get dirty and should occasionally be cleaned, some argue that it may not be necessary. In fact, the EPA has stated that there is no proof that duct cleaning actually prevents health problems, as there are bigger sources of pollutants in the home in addition to just air ducts. Instead, the EPA recommends you make sure that dirty air ducts are the cause of your indoor air problems.
If you or someone in your household is suffering from allergies or unexplained symptoms and if on physical inspection, you see mold growing in the ducts or other parts of the ventilation system; infestation of vermin in the air ducts; or dust and debris clogging the ducts, causing it to be released it is being released into the home from supply registers, then perhaps a duct cleaning may be a good idea. The above conditions are often indications of a bigger problem rather than just a dirty air duct.
However, if duct cleaning may not be of benefit and if you are still concerned with indoor air quality, consider purchasing a HEPA air purifier or an inexpensive furnace filter. These products utilize an advanced filtration system to remove particulates from the air you breathe, and they will also prevent the recirculation of dirty air inside your home.
Essentially, duct cleaning refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling components of forced air systems, including the supply and return air ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers, heat exchangers heating and cooling coils, condensate drain pans (drip pans), fan motor and fan housing, and the air handling unit housing. These types of services can typically range from $450 to $1000 per heating and cooling system, and this greatly depends on the size of the system being cleaned, system accessibility, climate, and level of contamination.
While it may seem logical that over time, air ducts get dirty and should occasionally be cleaned, some argue that it may not be necessary. In fact, the EPA has stated that there is no proof that duct cleaning actually prevents health problems, as there are bigger sources of pollutants in the home in addition to just air ducts. Instead, the EPA recommends you make sure that dirty air ducts are the cause of your indoor air problems.
If you or someone in your household is suffering from allergies or unexplained symptoms and if on physical inspection, you see mold growing in the ducts or other parts of the ventilation system; infestation of vermin in the air ducts; or dust and debris clogging the ducts, causing it to be released it is being released into the home from supply registers, then perhaps a duct cleaning may be a good idea. The above conditions are often indications of a bigger problem rather than just a dirty air duct.
However, if duct cleaning may not be of benefit and if you are still concerned with indoor air quality, consider purchasing a HEPA air purifier or an inexpensive furnace filter. These products utilize an advanced filtration system to remove particulates from the air you breathe, and they will also prevent the recirculation of dirty air inside your home.
Labels: hepa
posted by Jeanie at
11:48 AM
Digg
Del.icio.us
Technorati
Furl
Reddit
Spurl
1 Comments:
Our house was built in 1976; we bought it in 1994. In 2002 we hired a duct-cleaning company to do the job, and I was amazed by the amount of junk they sucked out of there. I'm guessing it had never been done before. From that point onward we've never experienced that musty start-up smell you get whenever the forced-air furnace kicks in, but I can't see cleaning them again as long as we change the filter regularly. According to the technician who did the work, most of the problem is caused by construction debris left behind during the build-out phase and NOT because of dirt accumulation
Post a Comment
<< Home