According to the American Lung Association, “Indoor Air Pollution is wide spread. You are more likely to get sick from pollution in your home and office than from pollution in the air outside.” Your home’s air is 5 to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air. Allergies and sinus conditions are commonly caused by mold in the ductwork, bacteria, viruses, fungi and dust mites in your home’s air.
Our air duct cleaning company consistently invests in the most modern technology and air duct cleaning equipment to rid your home of the dirt, bacteria, dust and debris that has built up in your air ducts. We use a negative machine, equipped with HEPA filtration, and a powerful air compressor and air agitators to ensure your air ducts are thoroughly cleaned.
The duct cleaning process followed by North-West Hood And Duct Systems Cleaning, is in strict accordance with NADCA standards.
The procedure we use to clean air ducts is called the “positive-negative method” and is described below (the procedure may vary slightly per job depending on the configuration of the duct work):
Cut an access hole in the main duct work, and attach a negative air machine to the hole. Remove the vent covers in the home/property. Clean the grill/diffuser (opening to the air duct) and clean inside the vent using a HEPA filtered backpack vacuum. After cleaning is complete, each vent cover is plugged with foam to ensure that debris does not flow through a vent opening during cleaning and creates a powerful negative air pressure inside the duct work after the vacuum is turned on.
Turn on the negative machine. Go to the vent furthest away from the main system and pull out the foam plug. All force will go to that vent. Then, an agitator is introduced into the vent opening to dislodge all debris from the walls of the duct work. Method of agitation varies depending on the size and type of duct work and includes spin brushes, and air operated whips. (Note: the furnace will be zoned off so no debris will be pulled through the system).
This agitator supplies approximately 200 pounds per square inch of compressed air, and is used to push all the debris to the vacuum while the vacuum is pulling. This is frequently called the “positive- negative” method and is the way NADCA mandates that duct cleaning be performed.
The return duct work is cleaned in mostly the same way. However, often times the return duct work is wide enough to allow us to use hand brushes and vacuums in addition to agitation.
Replace all vent covers/diffusers, and close any access holes. Access holes are closed with pre-fabricated sheet metal doors, which are attached with self-tapping screws then sealed with foil tape. This leaves a convenient access door for future duct work maintenance, and will not affect air-flow.
Remove the panels on the air handler, and brush and vacuum the encasement, the insulation, the fan, the blower, the coils (if accessible) and all other accessible components. We will ensure that the furnace/air handler unit is cleaned thoroughly.
Retrace ours steps throughout your home and do a final “touch up” to ensure that the areas in which we have worked are clean, vacuumed and left in their original condition.