How To Prepare for Air Duct Cleaning: Homeowner’s Guide

Everyone feels the benefits of heat roaring to life on a cold winter’s night or when the cooling air conditioning soothes a summer day. However, most people do not recognize the indoor air quality of their homes. 

It is true that the air ducts in most homes are almost always in use and provide an essential function for the heating and cooling systems that hum away in the background. Yet, it is also true those same air ducts are one of the most neglected parts of temperature control systems as they are either rarely cleaned or only cleaned on the surface. This negligence is partly because of their inaccessible, almost invisible place within the home. 

Without an expert’s knowledge, it can be challenging to properly clean air ducts or even understand how to prepare for air duct cleaning. Over time debris such as dust, dirt, pet fur and dander, and harmful contaminants can accumulate along the walls of air ducts and lower the air quality within a home. Plus, dirty air ducts often force heating and cooling systems to work overtime to fulfill their normal functions. 

Cleaning air ducts is a fantastic and efficient way to improve air quality and leads to a more cost-effective energy bill. That’s why it is a good idea to hire a professional to get the job done. 

Here are some tips on how to prepare for air duct cleaning, allowing you to get the most out of our HVAC services.

Before we clean your heating and cooling system air ducts, it is necessary to take steps to ensure the safety and cleanliness of other surfaces in your home. Health and cleanliness are, after all, the chief reasons to have this service performed. 

Our highly qualified cleaning service will take precautionary measures to ensure that home surfaces like carpets are protected and sanitized. Regular carpet cleaning is doubly beneficial as it removes debris that might arise when walking across carpeted surfaces that your HVAC system could suck in. 

Be sure to check out the excellent carpet cleaning services by Steam Smart Pro to keep your carpets pristine before, during, and after your air duct cleaning.

As for the ducts themselves, a thorough inspection of every air vent and duct is a vital first step. Rigorous inspection will reveal any materials that could compromise occupant and pet safety and ensure the surface of the air ducts is ready for cleaning. 

A certified technician will look for any asbestos or asbestos-containing materials that may be present. These materials are dangerous and require specialized removal procedures. 

A professional heating and cooling system expert will follow all relevant safety procedures and open all access ports and doors, thus allowing us to examine the system in its entirety.

This inspection will focus on every part of the system. Technicians will take a look at your return ducts (where the air enters) and supply ducts (where temperature-regulated air exits), as well as the internal components such as the heat exchanger, cooling coil, and blower. Each of these parts becomes dirty over time regardless of how clean you keep your home. 

This process will also allow the technician to study your specific heating and cooling system. Trained technicians will have familiarity with various air ducts, and the inspection will allow them (and yourself) an opportunity to fully understand the specific cleaning service to suit your individualized needs. 

If you have questions about the cleanliness of your air ducts, feel free to ask the trained specialist. The technician will be more than happy to show you the current state of your heating and cooling system and walk you through the air duct cleaning process. 

Though some dirt may be visible to the naked eye, a qualified technician will be able to determine the overall health of your HVAC system and better assess if it requires a deep clean.

Regularly changing air filters is a precautionary measure to reduce the dirt and dust accumulating in air ducts over time and prevent unwanted contaminants from circulating throughout your home. 

We recommend a high-quality air filter, as it will process a higher grade of air-borne materials and keep your air cleaner for longer. HEPA (High-efficiency Particulate Air) filters will weed out unwanted things like pollen and chemical residue. 

While a high-quality air filter will cut down on contaminants in the home, it will not prevent the layers of dust and dirt that eventually build up along air vents and the air duct walls.

Dust, dirt, and pet dander are visible byproducts of dirty air ducts, but the effects aren’t always easily seen. 

When air ducts are filthy, they spread contaminants (including soot and aerosol chemical particulates) throughout the home that you and your family inhale. Inhaling these contaminants is particularly harmful to those with allergies, asthma, the immunocompromised, children, and even pets. Cleaning your air ducts provides you with cleaner air, which means better health. 

Beyond the immediate health benefits of air duct cleaning, it is vital to consider the cost and efficiency of your heating and cooling system. Even when you regularly change the filters on your heating and cooling system, the highest quality filters cannot catch everything. When contaminants pile up along the walls of your air ducts, your system struggles to operate at peak efficiency. 

Thus, your heating and cooling system will work harder and longer, wasting energy, putting undue strain on your system, and leaving you with a larger bill than you’d otherwise have.

There are many factors involved in maintaining the health of a home, and too many homeowners neglect air duct cleaning in Tucson, AZ. Don’t let poor air quality ruin your home’s indoor atmosphere—now that you know how to prepare for air duct cleaning, reach out to the experienced professionals at Steam Smart Pro at (520) 600-6467 today.

Author Bio:

Eric Bullard

The owner of Steam Smart Pro in Tucson, AZ, brings over 20 years of invaluable experience in the field of carpet, tile, and air duct cleaning. With a strong dedication to quality and a deep understanding of effective cleaning techniques, Eric consistently delivers outstanding results to his satisfied residential and commercial clients.