Come sapere se i tuoi condotti sono puliti (e tenerli puliti)

Ti chiedi come sapere se i tuoi condotti sono puliti? Bene, c'è una risposta semplice e una risposta leggermente più complicata. Ecco quello semplice:

Prendi una torcia e guarda all'interno del condotto di restituzione. Se vedi uno strato di sporcizia, i tuoi condotti sono sporchi.

Se stai pensando "Ok, sembra un po' troppo semplice", sei su qualcosa! Mentre è facile confermare visibilmente se i tuoi condotti sono sporchi semplicemente guardando all'interno del ritorno o dando un'occhiata alla ruota del ventilatore, non vuoi solo sapere se i condotti sono sporchi. Vuoi sapere se dovresti pulirli e come mantenerli puliti.

E questa è tutta un'altra conversazione.

Perché prima di tutto pulire i condotti?

Prima di parlare se dovresti pulire i tuoi condotti (e come), consideriamo perché potresti volerlo. In alcune case, i condotti rimangono abbastanza puliti da soli. Tipicamente, si tratta di case con condotti ben progettati, installati correttamente, ben sigillati e un sistema HVAC adeguatamente dimensionato e ben funzionante. I proprietari di casa utilizzano un filtro dell'aria di qualità. Inoltre o non hanno animali domestici o li puliscono molto bene.

Se dovessi pulire il dito all'interno dei condotti di ritorno in una di queste case, potresti sollevare un sottile strato di polvere. È normale e non è motivo di pulizia dei condotti.

Tuttavia, la pulizia del condotto dell'aria è necessario quando i tuoi condotti contengono uno dei seguenti elementi:

• Spessi strati di polvere e/o detriti incrostati
• Peli di animali domestici
• Escrementi di insetti o altri parassiti

Questi contaminanti possono entrare nell'aria interna ogni volta che il sistema HVAC è in funzione. Possono aggravare allergie o asma e farti sentire male. In molti casi puzzano anche.

Quando puoi verificare che i tuoi condotti sono sporco - e l'aria della tua casa non ti fa sentire bene - la pulizia dei condotti può benissimo aiutarti. Ecco come pulirli correttamente e assicurarsi che rimangano puliti.

1. Have a professional clean your ducts.

This isn't a DIY project. Properly cleaning your ducts requires specialized equipment that isn't readily available to consumers. Pros use truck-mounted or large portable vacuums with special extension attachments. They'll also run a HEPA filter during the cleaning process to prevent contaminants from entering your home after they've been stirred up by the equipment.

When you hire a duct cleaning company, make sure you choose one that:

• Owns and maintains specialized duct cleaning equipment
• Will also clean the blower motor and indoor coil when needed
• Replaces your air filter as part of the service
• Offers the option to inspect your ducts for leaks and seal the leaks after the cleaning

Note that duct cleaning is more effective for hard pipe ducts than for flex ducts. It's the difference between scrubbing a dirty plate and scrubbing a towel that's flapping in the breeze. It's just… harder. If you have flex ducts, they can still be cleaned; however, replacing them might be a better option since even the most effective duct cleaning equipment (and service provider) faces limitations.

2. Seal your ducts after cleaning them.

This factor, more than anything else, will help prevent your ducts from getting dirty again in the future. Not all duct cleaning companies seal ducts after cleaning them, but they should! Ecco perché:

Duct leaks are often the cause of dirty ductwork.

It's really that simple. When your return ducts are leaky, a lot of the air entering the ducts doesn't come from inside your home. It's being sucked in from your attic, crawlspace, or wherever your return ductwork runs.

Think about what's inside your attic air:dust, fiberglass bits, insect and rodent dross. And let's not forget crawlspaces:mold, mildew, more dust, more fiberglass bits, more insect and rodent dross. It's pretty gross.

When ducts are leaky, that stuff gets sucked inside your HVAC system, coats the inside of your ducts, and circulates throughout your indoor air. You breathe it in all the time. Cleaning your ducts will get rid of what's already there, but it won't prevent the leaks from making your ducts dirty again.

That's why we strongly recommend having your ducts sealed after you have them cleaned. Otherwise, you'll just have to clean them again and again. Yes, it's an additional service, but in the long run it's a cost effective, preventative measure.

Oh, and we know how to get your duct leakage down to 4%. If you know someone who can get it even lower, let us know.

3. Install a media filter.

Even with duct sealing, ducts can keep getting dirty. If you have kids or pets, they'll get dirty sooner. Ditto for homes where the return grilles are at the floor. For this reason, it's a good idea to get a high quality air filter. Even as more gunk starts to coat your ducts, less of it will get into your indoor air when you've got a good air filter to capture it.

Media filters are the way to go. Unlike the throwaway 1" filters you get at big box stores, these high-MERV filters barely restrict airflow and do a better job filtering air. They also only need to be replaced twice per year.

4. Consider replacing your ducts.

When your ducts are really old, poorly designed, and/or improperly installed, replacing them can make more sense than cleaning them. Paying for duct cleaning when your ducts are in poor shape is kind of like getting a new transmission for your 1995 Dodge Stratus. Sometimes, you just have to play taps and let it go.

When we install new ductwork, we do it right . You get a proper duct design for your home and HVAC system (we follow the ACCA's Manual D for ductwork design). Your ducts will be sized to suit, installed properly, and sealed as tightly as possible.

You'll benefit from clean, sealed ducts and better HVAC performance.

Speaking of HVAC performance, consider having your ducts replaced if you're already planning to replace your HVAC system. This can be a good way to get cleaner, better designed ducts at the same time.

Think you need duct cleaning?

Give us a shout! Our team serves all of Metro Atlanta. We'll visit your home, listen to your concerns, and examine your ductwork. Sometimes, duct cleaning makes sense and is likely to solve your problems. But not always.

We'll find the best possible solution, whatever that is. Our team always works with you to determine the smartest fix for your indoor air quality issues.