HVAC Cleaning
Why Should You Have Your HVAC System Cleaned?
An HVAC system accumulates debris over time and has the potential to put large amounts of dust and particulates into circulation around your building.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is one concern that building managers and building inhabitants have when they decide to investigate HVAC system. Through normal occupation in a building, we generate a great deal of contaminants and air pollutants, such as dander, dust, and chemicals. These contaminants are pulled into the HVAC system and re-circulated 5 to 7 times per day, on average. Over time, this re-circulation causes a build-up of contaminants in the ductwork.
While a contaminated HVAC system doesn’t necessarily mean unhealthy air, the situation may be contributing to larger health issues or harboring contaminants that could cause serious problems for people with respiratory health conditions, autoimmune disorders or some environmental allergies.
Energy Savings
- According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 25 to 40 percent of the energy used for heating or cooling is wasted.
- Contaminants in the heating and cooling system cause it to work harder and shorten the life of your system.
- When an HVAC system is clean, it doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain the temperature you desire.
SYSTEM ACCESS
HVAC system cleaning is not a complex process, but each job is unique. Where possible, access to duct interiors should be made through existing openings such as supply diffusers, return grills, duct end caps, and existing service openings. The technicians may need to cut access holes in the ductwork in order to reach inside various cleaning tools. Creation of these service openings and their subsequent closure requires craftsmanship and professional skills.
The Process
Removal begins through agitation of contaminants achieved through hand brushing or contact vacuuming. During cleaning, the entire HVAC system is placed under continuous negative pressure (with a vacuum) to prevent the spread of and extract the contaminants.
Continuous negative pressure allows very fine particles to be removed from the system as they become airborne, ensuring that these particles are not released into the living space when the system is turned on after cleaning. This negative pressure also serves to extract the loosened contaminants, which are collected and removed from your home.
Antimicrobial Chemicals
Antimicrobial chemicals include sanitizers, disinfectants, and deodorizers that can be applied to non-porous surfaces in HVAC systems to address microbial contamination and help control odors.
Only chemicals registered with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can be used. These products should only be considered after mechanical surface cleaning has been performed and if the need for such treatment has been deemed necessary.