Duct Cleaning

Duct cleaning can be an effective method of improving Indoor Air Quality. It also can have additional benefits such as improving HVAC equipment and system performance, lowering operating costs and increasing equipment life.

Air Duct Cleaning, as defined by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association or NADCA, is the mechanical cleaning or physical removal of debris and other foreign matter from the air conveyance system. Debris is defined as any solid material in the air conveyance system not intended to be present. Most persons recognize this to be dirt and dust but it frequently is much more than that.

Because “Air Duct Cleaning” is a generic term for Heating, Ventilating or Air Conditioning (HVAC) system cleaning, care should be taken to understand what services a “duct cleaning” company is providing at the price they are quoting. Many companies literally mean that they just clean the air ducts, yet the air coming out of the registers in your building travels through an air conveyance system or HVAC system that includes much more than just air ducts. Because of this it is critical that the entire system be cleaned.

At a minimum the duct cleaning provider should be a member of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association or NADCA. While membership in the organization does not guarantee the performance of the agency it is an indication of the awareness of the agency in air duct cleaning procedures. NADCA is a good source of duct cleaning information. There is also an avenue for consumers to report agencies that do not perform work to NADCA guidelines.

Another minimum requirement of a Duct Cleaning Agency should be that they are licensed to service heating and cooling equipment. Any thorough cleaning of a HVAC system requires the dismantling of mechanical equipment and access into the duct system. This work should only be performed by a licensed professional.