A disturbing percentage of homeowners with forced air systems are completely unaware that their ducts need to be cleaned on a semi-regular basis. If you’re asking this question, then you probably already know that your ducts need to be cleaned, but are unsure of when to act on that knowledge. There are a few ways to determine that your house needs duct cleaning. Let’s examine some of those ways together.

You Haven’t Had Your Ducts Cleaned Before

If you have just recently become aware of the need for duct cleaning, but you haven’t had it done yet, get it done as soon as possible. Some pretty frightening things have likely built up in your ducts over the years that they haven’t been cleaned, and you’ll want to get rid of those things as quickly as possible. There’s no point in waiting until a preset time; ducts have no optimal time of year for cleaning, like heating systems do. Just get it done as soon as you can to start reaping the benefits of duct cleaning. Ducts should be cleaned every 1-3 years after the first time.

Frequent Allergy Attacks and/or Illnesses

The primary reason that duct cleaning is necessary is that all the microscopic contaminants that circulate through the air often find a home and a means of transportation in the ducts. Things like dust, pollen, viruses, bacteria, insect dander, and mold are all common pollutants that can be found in the common home’s air ducts. These pollutants are circulated throughout the house whenever the air conditioning or heating is turned on, infecting the occupants of the house in the process. If you are an allergy sufferer, or if you find that you get sick often throughout the year, then you could definitely reap the benefits of having your ducts cleaned out. That’s not to say that duct cleaning will solve all of your health problems, but it can remove a lot of the organisms that contribute to things like the common cold and the flu.

If you haven’t had your ducts cleaned in a while, call Bartels Heating & Cooling to schedule an appointment today. We provide professional duct cleaning services throughout West Chester.

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Professional duct cleaning employs the use of tools that are most likely not readily available to the average person. Moreover, ducts can be tricky to clean; it can be difficult to see the entire duct without the help of visual aid tools, and removing certain contaminants, like mold, can be challenging. These are just a couple of reasons why it’s best to call professionally-trained experts, like the ones at Bartel’s Heating & Cooling, for your duct cleaning service in West Chester.

Equipment Used by Professionals

Following is an overview of the kinds of equipment a technician can bring to a scheduled duct cleaning:

Access Tools

Technicians need access tools to create entry points in the HVAC system in order to properly inspect and clean your system. Access points can range from small holes for optical imaging to entry panels large enough to accommodate bulkier equipment.

Inspection Tools

These tools help the technician assess the scope of cleaning necessary for your ductwork. Tools may include hand-held mirrors, a periscope, closed circuit TV camera or a regular camera.

Hand-Held Cleaning Tools

Hand-held tools can include pneumatic devices that help remove stuck-on debris, as well as power and manual brushes.

Vacuum Collection Devices

Vacuum collection devices are used to collect the dirt and debris from your ductwork without spreading contaminants. The collection device does this by creating negative pressure in the ductwork. There are two main types of collection devices: those mounted on trucks and those that are portable.

Hand-Held HEPA Vacuums

HEPA vacuums are used to help remove debris from small or hard-to-reach places, and the HEPA filter inside the vacuum helps reduce the chances of contamination.

How It Works

The technician will access your ductwork by existing access points as well as any he/she may have to create. Your ductwork will get a thorough inspection, and then the cleaning will begin. Typically, a technician will start the cleaning with the truck-mounted vacuum to remove as much dust and debris as possible, and then focus on the more difficult spots. Once he/she has finished cleaning, your ductwork will be inspected again to ensure that the system was completely cleaned. Upon conclusion of the cleaning, the system will be re-closed and the workspace cleaned up.

A professional duct cleaning can improve your energy efficiency, comfort level and indoor air quality. If it’s been more than 5 years since you’ve had a duct cleaning, or you’ve moved into a new home with ductwork, call Bartel’s Heating and Cooling today and schedule a duct cleaning for your West Chester property.

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Your house may look clean from where you stand, but you don’t know what sort of dust, dirt, lint, dander, hair, and other pollutants could be hiding in your ductwork. In fact, if more than two years has passed since you had professional duct cleaning done—or if you’ve never had it done—your ventilation system could hold a reservoir of dirt and dust that is constantly getting blown out into your air and circulating through the ductwork, causing all sort of health problems, cutting into your HVAC system’s efficiency, and contributing to a build-up of dust inside the house that you will have a hard time clearing away.

You need to have the ductwork cleaned out, and it will take more than a broom or a vacuum hose shoved down an open vent to do this job. You must have professional cleaners on this task. Fortunately, it isn’t difficult to locate skilled duct cleaning technicians: you only have to call Bartels Heating & Cooling. We have a team ready to restore your ventilation system to its best shape with duct cleaning in West Chester, OH.

Why is it necessary for professionals to do this job?

The ductwork in a home, even a small home is quite complex and intricate, and most of it is out of the reach of the homeowner. To properly clean out the many types of debris that can become lodged inside ducts requires special high-end equipment and the knowledge to use it.

The most important tool of professional duct cleaners is the power vacuum, an enormous vacuum that dwarfs the size of any commercially purchased home vacuum cleaner. This vacuum not only provides suction, it also places the whole duct system under “negative pressure,” which allows for the easier removal of contaminating particles from the duct wall.

Duct cleaners also use agitation equipment, such as rotary brushes on long hoses, to target specific areas of the ductwork that need special attention. You shouldn’t attempt to buy professional-grade rotary brushes and use them yourself; you’ll risk damaging the interior of the ducts with the brush action. Let the professionals handle this work.

Finally, the cleaners use special kinds of sanitizers and deodorizers—again, nothing you can find in mainstream stores—to eliminate bacteria, odors, and other microscopic nuisances form your ducts. These substances are non-toxic and will have no negative effect on the health of you or your family.

Stay on top of duct cleaning

Most homes should have duct cleaning performed every two years, although if you encounter early trouble with dust and dirt coming from the vents, it’s fine to schedule it earlier or more frequently.

Let the technicians at Bartels Heating & Cooling help you with scheduling duct cleaning and other indoor air quality services in West Chester, OH. When you put our skill to work on your cleaning job, we’ll have the work done fast and leave you with the cleanest home you’ve ever had. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

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