Ten Questions about Duct Cleaning This Engineering Control Column provides information on duct and HVAC system cleaning. Abbreviations: IAQ = indoor air quality; HVAC = heating, ventilating, and air conditioning; NADCA = National Air Duct Cleaners Association What is "duct cleaning"? Ductwork sometimes can become both the source and the pathway for dirt, dust, and biological contaminants to spread through the building. In this case, duct cleaning usually means the removal of dirt, slime, mold, debris, and other materials found in ductwork and other HVAC components (e.g., cooling coil, drain pan). When should duct cleaning be performed?HVAC equipment suppliers and manufacturers sometimes provide instructions on when and how "cleaning" should be performed. Cleaning schedules typically depend on operating schedules, climate, filtration used, air contaminants, costs, and building occupant expectations.When new systems are being installed or when older systems are being updated, suppliers should provide access for cleaning system components that are cleanable or replaceable when they become contaminated.

New equipment should be kept sealed until installed. If not, new construction or updating of older equipment should always include duct cleaning. New ductwork often contains oil, tools, construction debris, and dirt. These must be cleaned from the ductwork before connection to the air handling system.As time passes, ductwork can become contaminated with dust, dirt, debris, mold, slimes, and other contaminants. The presence of these materials does not necessarily mean IAQ problems or complaints will occur. Most ducts have small amounts of dry dust collected on their surfaces--a common occurrence that occasionally requires duct cleaning. You definitely would want to provide cleaning (or duct replacement) if: there is permanent water damage there is slime growth there is debris that restricts airflow dust is actually seen emitting from air supply registers offensive odors originate in the ductwork or HVAC system. This article originally appeared in the May 2006 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.

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10/6 - Health & Safety: Breaking Down the Silos - Intermediate LevelBased on reader feedback, the editors at CM/Cleanfax are taking a look at the air duct cleaning industry. To get the inside scoop, they contacted the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. Although the industry has been around for many years, the term “air duct cleaning” is really a bit of a misnomer. Those in the know realize the need for comprehensive “HVAC system cleaning.” best cleaner for hand scraped wood floorsIn fact, at their 2008 annual meeting in March, members of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association took a dramatic step toward re-shaping their organization as “NADCA — The HVAC Inspection, Maintenance and Restoration Association.”homemade leather cleaner for shoes

Contractors who started out as air duct cleaners 20 years ago are now experts in this broader range of services. This identity-altering event speaks volumes about the phenomenal growth and maturation of the “air duct cleaning” industry. In a 2005 report prepared for the U.S. EPA, researcher Hal Levin estimated the domestic air duct cleaning industry at $4 billion in annual sales revenue. best vacuum cleaner for engineered wood floorsIn that same study, Levin estimated “Building Remediation for Indoor Air Quality” (primarily for HVAC systems) at another $3.4 billion annually. best vacuum cleaner zaWith its expanded scope, members of NADCA have nearly doubled the size of their industry – just by looking at their industry with a clearer vision.best vacuum cleaners 2013 consumer reports

People who suffer from allergy or asthma tend to be more sensitive to poor air quality and have long appreciated the benefits of HVAC cleaning. This group represents the original drivers in the industry, along with consumers who purchase HVAC cleaning services simply “because it’s dirty” and want a clean home. Around 2001, mold captured media headlines and focused attention on the need for better indoor air quality. laptop cpu fan diagramHVAC systems – the “lungs” of a building – are the focal point for indoor air quality. As a result, the industry experienced tremendous growth. Looking ahead, with crude oil prices topping $100 a barrel and likely headed higher, society is engulfed in a new environmental movement that picks up where the 1970s left off. Terms like “reducing carbon footprints” and “energy conservation” are ubiquitous in today’s media. Given that professionally cleaned and maintained HVAC systems can save an estimated 30 percent of energy costs attributed to HVAC systems (the largest source of energy consumption in U.S. buildings), industry experts believe the desire for energy efficiency will soon surpass IAQ as the primary driver for the industry.