Cleaning air ducts can be a tricky business, and it's important to understand the potential risks before taking the plunge. At Smart Air, our Houston HVAC team puts the best interests of our customers first. We understand that many Houston residents choose to clean their air ducts because they have old ducts that have been collecting dust for more than ten years, and we want to make sure they are aware of the potential damage that can be caused by improper cleaning. The ducts are made of various materials, and you or an unqualified duct cleaner may not know how best to clean them.
Using the wrong cleaning materials and procedures can cause significant damage that can be costly to repair. The EPA does not recommend that air ducts be cleaned routinely, but only when necessary. The rotbrush is often used for cleaning air ducts, but it can quickly become trapped in flow dampers and break or disconnect poorly secured or protected ducts. Damaged ducts are often the result of air duct cleaning, especially when done by an inexperienced contractor.
Products marketed to coat and encapsulate duct surfaces claim to prevent dust and dirt particles from being released into the air, but there is no evidence to support this. One of the few independent studies was conducted in the 1990s by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). They analyzed 33 homes in Montreal before and after pipeline cleaning. If sufficient dirt and moisture are allowed to enter the duct system, there may not be a significant difference in microbial growth in internally lined or bare metal foil ducts. Cleaning with brushes involves inserting a brush into the duct and trying to collect or release dust. However, this method has never been proven to actually prevent health problems or effectively remove dust and dirt from ducts. If you think duct cleaning might be a good idea for your home, but you're not sure, talk to a professional.
Local air conditioning companies or service providers often promote it as a way to prevent indoor air pollution and improve air quality. When service providers visit your home, ask them to show you the contamination that would justify cleaning the ducts. Otherwise, you will surely breathe a material that is known to cause cancer and that is carried through the air as a result of the procedure. At Smart Air, we offer alternative solutions for indoor air quality without jeopardizing the integrity of your air duct systems. Cleaning air ducts may seem logical, but there is no evidence to suggest that it could be harmful.
