Orange County, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Tustin, Lake Forest Heating & Air Contractor, Duct Cleaning | Jones & Son, Inc.

1. Are there any health benefits that come from HVAC system cleaning?
   
   Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems have been shown to act as a collection source for a variety of contaminants that have the potential to affect health, such as mold, fungi, bacteria, and very small particles of dust. The removal of such contaminants from the HVAC system and home should be considered as one component in an overall plan to improve indoor air quality.
   
   
2. Will HVAC system cleaning reduce our home energy bills?
   
   Research by the U.S. EPA has demonstrated that HVAC system cleaning may allow systems to run more efficiently by removing debris from sensitive mechanical components. Clean, efficient systems are less likely to break down, have a longer life span, and generally operate more effectively than dirty systems.
   
   
3. How should a residential HVAC system be cleaned?
   
   The most effective way to clean air ducts and ventilation systems is to employ Source Removal methods of cleaning. At Jones & Son we use the Roto Brush system that will remove all dust and debris from the ductwork with a rotating brush and then it is vacuumed up by a strong vacuum 4” behind the brush.
   
   
4.  What kind of equipment is best for cleaning-truck mounted vacuums or portable vacuums?
   Portable equipment can often be brought directly into a facility, allowing the vacuum source to be located closer to the ductwork. A portable system is far less obtrusive to the homeowner and is far more effective. Roto Brush systems are portable.
   
   
5. All vacuum units should be attached to a collection device for safe containment prior to disposal. Any vacuum collection device which exhausts indoors must be HEPA (high efficiency particulate arrestance) filtered. Roto Brush uses a HEPA filter so n contaminated air gets in your home.
   
   
6. A vacuum collection device alone will not get an HVAC system clean. The use of methods and tools designed to agitate debris adhered to the surfaces within the system, in conjunction with the use of the vacuum collection device(s), is required to clean HVAC systems. (For example: brushes, air whips, and "skipper balls.") Roto Brush uses the brush method.
   
   
7. How often should residential HVAC systems be cleaned?
   
   Frequency of cleaning depends on several factors, not the least of which is the preference of the home owner. Some of the things that may lead a home owner to consider more frequent cleaning include:
• Smokers in the household.
• Pets that shed high amounts of hair and dander.
• Water contamination or damage to the home or HVAC system.
• Residents with allergies or asthma who might benefit from a reduction in the amount of indoor air pollutants in the home's HVAC system.
• After home renovations or remodeling.
• Prior to occupancy of a new home.
  
  
8. What exactly does a professional HVAC cleaning job include?
   
   A professional HVAC or air duct cleaning job includes the furnace, furnace blower, air conditioning coils, registers, returns, air duct's and sanitizing. Cleaning just part of the system is not effective. A dirty furnace blower, for example, will re-contaminate the air duct system after cleaning. Thus, it's very important to make sure the entire system is going to be cleaned and make sure the price quote you are given also covers the entire system. Unfortunately some companies will advertise a very low price and then charge extra for the furnace, sanitizing and other things and before you know it the $99 dollar price is $600 or more! So be careful!
   
   
9. What is the normal price range for the air duct cleaning service?
   
   The Environmental Protection Agency says that "duct cleaning services typically - but not always - range in cost from $450 to $1000 per heating and cooling system, depending on the services offered, the size of the system to be cleaned, system accessibility, climactic region, and level of contamination" and type of duct material. Consumers should beware of air duct cleaning companies making sweeping claims about the health benefits of duct cleaning - such claims are unsubstantiated.
   
   Consumers should also beware of "blow-and-go" air duct cleaning companies. These companies often charge a nominal fee and do a poor job of cleaning the heating and cooling system. Representatives often show up in their own cars as opposed to company vehicles with nothing more than a vacuum unit similar to a shopvac. These companies may also persuade the consumer into unneeded services with or without their permission. (If you have knowledge of a practicing "blow-and-go" air duct cleaner, contact your local Better Business Bureau to report the company, and your local, federal, and state elected officials to demand legislation.)
   
   
10. What criteria should I use in selecting an HVAC system cleaner?
    
    Interview as many local contractors as you can. Ask them to come to your home and perform a system inspection and give you a quotation.
    
    To narrow down your pool of potential contractors, use the following pre-qualifications:
• Always check the license status at www.cslb.ca.gov or call 1-800-321-2752
• See if the company has been in business long enough to have adequate experience.
• Get proof that the company is properly licensed and adequately insured. .
• Make sure that the company is going to clean and visually inspect all of the air ducts and related system components.
• Avoid advertisements for "$49 whole house specials" and other sales gimmicks.
• Ask if the company has the right equipment to effectively perform cleaning, and if the company has done work in homes similar to yours. Get references from neighbors if possible
  
  

  What are sanitizers, and why would they need to be used?
  
  Sanitizers are anti-microbial chemicals applied to the interior surface of the air ducts, designed to control microbial contamination. Before any sanitizers are used, the system should be thoroughly cleaned. It is critical that any anti-microbial treatment used in your system be EPA registered for the intended use in HVAC systems. Ask to see the chemical's Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). If you are still concerned, call the EPA at 1-800-438-4318.
  
  It should be noted that there are no EPA registered anti-microbial products for use on porous system surfaces - such as fiberglass surfaces.

  How long should it take to clean a typical residential HVAC system?
  
  There are a variety of factors that could affect the time needed to clean a residential HVAC system, including the type of home, accessibility of the ductwork, and the number of workers on the project. A typical three or four bedroom home will require 2 to 4 hours for cleaning.

• How can we determine if the HVAC system cleaning was effective?
  
  The best way to determine if the HVAC system cleaning was effective is to perform a visual inspection of the system before and after cleaning. If any dust or debris can be seen during the visual inspection, the system should not be considered cleaned. While you can perform your own visual inspection using a flash light and mirror, a professional cleaning contractor should be able to allow you better access to system components and perhaps the use of specialized inspection tools.

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Below is a quick dozen reasons why one should consider having their home’s air duct system professionally cleaned.

1. 9 out of 10 system failures are caused by dirt and dust.
   
   
2. Clean systems restore capacity and lessen running time. Translation: savings on monthly heating/cooling bills.
   
   
3. A buildup of .042 inches of dirt on heating or cooling coil can result in a decrease in efficiency of 21%. (Epa) environmental protection agency.
   
   
4. Most commercially purchased fiberglass filters are only 7% efficient in stopping dirt, dust, pollen, etc. Passing through it. (Ashrae)
   
   
5. 50% of all illnesses are either caused or aggravated by polluted indoor air. (American college of allergists)
   
   
6. One out of six people who suffer from allergies do so because of the direct relationship to the fungi and bacteria in air duct systems. (Total health & better health magazines)
   
   
7. Legionnaire’s disease was spawned in air conditioning ducts. It killed 29 people in 1976. (American lung assoc)
   
   
8. In the summer of 1988 at least 7 people died in the Los Angeles area from legionnaire’s disease. (Modesto bee 9/22/88)
   
   
9. Children are more likely than adults to be affected by polluted indoor-air they breathe faster, inhale more air per unit of body weight and are closer to the ground where concentrations are higher. (Dept. Of consumer affairs)
   
   
10. The elderly, asthmatics, and people with breathing problems, allergies, and lung diseases are also likely to be more sensitive to pollutants. (Dept. Of consumer affairs)
    
    
11. Most people spend 60-90% of their time indoors. (Ala) American lung association
    
    
12. Indoor air is found to be up to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air. (Epa) environmental protection agency

Duct Cleaning Could be the Healthiest Home Improvement You Will Ever Make!

On New Installations and Duct Cleaning

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