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Air
Ducts and HVAC
Since the ventilation
system is often the biggest culprit in poor indoor air
quality, inspecting the ductwork should be the first order
of business. In most cases, this system has been operating
for some time without much attention. Dirty ducts can
circulate odors, contaminates like mold, and irritating
dust throughout your building or home.
Why choose your SERVPRO® of Chesterfield
along with SERVPRO® of Tri-Cities, Plus or SERVPRO®
of Newport News to provide Air Duct and HVAC Services?
Air Ducts Cleaning Services
• We use patented equipment such as the
rotoscraper, which automatically adapts to the duct shape
and diameter while traveling through the duct removing
debris and filth before vacuuming begins.
• A powerful push-pull air delivery and collection
system transfers the debris from the ducting to a 16 gallon
container.
• Clean air is filtered through a HEPA filtration,
removing 99.97 percent of particles before it returns
to air-wash the duct.
• A sealant can be sprayed to eliminate fallout.
 The
Difference You Can Expect From Our SERVPRO Franchises
• Remove Bacteria,
Fungi and Mold
• Reduce Potential for Mold Growth
• Restore Peak Energy Efficiency
• Eliminate Offensive Odors
• Free Written Inspections and Estimates
• Member of the NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners
Association)
Why should you get your air ducts cleaned?
In addition to normal accumulations of dust and dirt found
in all homes through regular use, there are several other
factors that can increase the need for air duct cleaning:
• Pets
• Pets or cigarette smoke
• Occupants with allergies or asthma
• Water contamination or damage to the home/HVAC
system
• Home renovation or remodeling projects
Some occupants are more sensitive to these contaminants
than others. Allergy and asthma sufferers, as well as young
children and the elderly tend to be more susceptible to
the types of poor indoor air quality that air duct cleaning
can help to address.
What You Need to Know About Duct Cleaning
Air duct cleaning is a misnomer. In actuality, the entire
HVAC system should be cleaned. Failure to clean all components
of the system can result in re-contamination of the entire
system, thus minimizing the benefits of cleaning. Just as
you wouldn’t only clean half of your living room floor,
you also would not want to clean only part of your heating,
ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. As a member
of NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association), we recommend
cleaning the entire HVAC system, including the following
components:
• Air ducts
• Coils
• Drain pan
• Registers
• Blower motor and assembly
• Grills
• Heat exchanger
• Air plenum
• Air Filter
• Air Cleaner
Breaking Contaminants Loose
Properly cleaning HVAC systems requires removing the sources
of contamination. Source removal begins with use of one
or more agitation devices designed to loosen contaminants
from the surfaces within the heating and air-conditioning
system. Examples of agitation devices include brushes, air
whips, and compressed air nozzles or “skipper balls.”
Agitation can also be achieved through hand-brushing or
contact vacuuming.
COLLECTION of Contaminants
During cleaning, the entire HVAC system is placed under
continuous negative pressure (vacuum) to prevent the spread
of contaminants. This vacuum 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 extracts the loosened contaminants, which
are collected and removed from your home.
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. Cleaning technicians may need to cut access holes
in the duct work in order to reach inside with various cleaning
tools. Creation of these service openings, and their subsequent
closure, requires craftsmanship and professional skills.
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.
System Maintenance
There are a few things that you can do to maintain the cleanliness
and efficiency of your HVAC system:
• Get good
filters—ask your contractor for a recommendation.
• Clean/change the filters as needed (at least every
two months).
• Even with properly cleaning and changing quality
filters, the HVAC system will still become dirty over
time. Have your system inspected every two years to determine
whether your system needs to be cleaned again.
How to Inspect YOUR AIR DUCTS
Use a small mirror and flashlight or a digital camera to
take a picture inside the duct. If there
is visible dust, dirt or debris, you should have your ducts
cleaned.
Why choose your SERVPRO® of Chesterfield, Tri-Cities
and Newport News to provide Air Duct and HVAC Services?
Our company adheres to the strict requirements of the National
Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA). These requirements
were established to provide a higher level of assurance
to the consumer. As members of NADCA our technicians are
trained to clean HVAC systems according to NADCA standards.
Our staff includes Air System Cleaning Specialists (ASCS),
Certified Ventilation Inspectors (CVI) and Ventilation System
Mold Remediators. We understand HVAC systems and utilize
the proper techniques recommended by NADCA, the NADCA Standards,
safety practices, and more. Certified Ventilation Inspectors
(CVI) have undergone training based on the Environmental
Protection Agency’s (EPA) I-Beam program for conducting
building IAQ inspections. We can properly inspect HVAC systems
and diagnose IAQ. In addition System Mold Remediators (VSMR)
have undergone passed a rigorous examination demonstrating
knowledge and understanding of basic microbiological agents,
how to perform project assessments, and the proper methods
for remediating mold within an HVAC system, according to
industry guidelines and standards. Go to NADCA.com for additional
information.
Go to NADCA.com
for additional information |
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