DO I HAVE TO CLEAN ALL OF MY DUCTS?

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Depending on the type of unit or system in question, cleanliness inspections should be performed annually or biennially. This inspection will determine whether or not your systems require cleaning. It is always good to have your ducts cleaned after any home renovation that produces sheet rock dust, paint particles, wood dust, etc.

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HOW OFTEN SHOULD I GET MY SYSTEM/UNITS INSPECTED?

Depending on the unit or system, an inspection should be performed either once a year or twice a year. Generally speaking, a residential heating unit should be inspected once a year, and residential supply ducts and exhaust/return ducts should be inspected twice a year.

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ARE THERE ANY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS THAT MAY PROMPT A CLEANING PROCESS?

Yes, there are several contributing factors that may make you consider having your unit or system cleaned. Some of them include:
Members of your household who smoke If you practice cooking methods that affect your home’s air quality.

• Pets in your household that shed hair or dander

• If members of your household have asthma or allergies

• If you are moving into a new/previously occupied home

• Living in a hot and humid climate, or a dry climate

• Duct work that consists of metal or is lined with fiberglass

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HOW OFTEN SHOULD MY CHIMNEY BE CLEANED?

The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) recommends a yearly inspection and cleaning and repairs done as necessary. Free standing wood stoves or fire place inserts used to heat the home should be inspected and cleaned if needed every year. Regular open fireplaces need to be maintained and cleaned on a consistent basis as well. Usually a cleaning is needed for every cord of wood burned or at least 2-3 years.

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CAN YOU DO CHIMNEY REPAIRS?

YES, we repair fireboxes, replace lost or damaged damper blades or install a top mount damper if a replacement blade is not available. We also repair crowns, replace chase covers, install chimney caps, and waterproof chimneys. If you are having problems with your chimney, we can most likely find a workable solution.

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I HAVE RUST STAINS ON THE TOP AND RUNNING DOWN MY CHIMNEY, WHAT CAUSES THIS AND WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT? 

Pre-fab fireplaces have a metal covering (chase top) to prevent water from entering the interior of chimney structure. The chase top is usually made of a cheap galvanized sheet metal. Over the years the metal coating wears off from sun, rain and other forces. Most tops have a low spot that holds water as well. When you get pine straw and leaves blowing around some are bound to get stuck on the water that has collected during rain, snow, ice storms. Pine straw and certain leaves are very acidic when they are decomposing especially when sitting in water. The acid breaks down the galvanized coating and you soon get bare metal.

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After a while the metal starts to rust and when water runs off the top during a rain, carries the rust with it down the side of your beautiful siding causing a stain that’s get bigger over time. You may even hear water dripping on the inside of chase after a rain as the rust has pitted the metal allowing water to seep through. Then you know you have a problem. The rust stains on outside of chimney are the first clue as it can take several months for the metal to pit enough for water to seep through. The time to act is when you first notice rust stains not when you hear water dripping…

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The best way to fix the problem is to remove old rusted chimney top and replace with new one. We use and recommend stainless steel for its strength and ability to resist rust. You can use the regular galvanized metal which is less costly but not as long lasting. The cost difference is usually $150-$175 less than stainless steel.

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WHAT IS A CHIMNEY LINER?

Currently, most masonry chimneys are built with terra-cotta clay tiles stacked and mortared inside the brick structure. These tiles serve as a gas-tight and heat-resistant insulator against the masonry structure. Without a liner, or with cracked and damaged liners, there would be heat transfer or actual seepage through the brick and mortar. A liner is a stainless steel tube inserted into a chimney to draft a furnace, wood stove or fireplace. The appliance will vent through that stainless pipe and use the existing chimney structure as an encasement. New liners are gas tight systems insulated for highest efficiency. This system can solve most drafting and safety issues of chimney fire damaged or older unlined chimney flues.

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HOW OFTEN SHOULD MY DRYER VENT BE CLEANED?

Most dryer vents should be cleaned at least every two years or so. This depends on the length of your vent, how many turns and how often the dryer is used every week. Dryers that have short vents and little usage may be able to go longer than normal before being cleaned. On the other hand if you have a large family and/or are constantly running the washer and dryer then you might need to have a dryer vent cleaning yearly..

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Cleaning the dryer vent can help prevent the possibility of a fire in your house or dangerous carbon monoxide gas, in the case of a gas dryer, plus can save you money on electricity or gas cost. A clean vent pipe allows the dryer to move the proper amount air through the system taking the humidity out of the clothes, caused by the heating of gas burners or electric elements in your dryer thus allowing your clothes to dry quicker with less energy consumed. Take time to notice if your dryer is running longer with the same amount of clothes, it may be time to have the vent cleaned. And, with all the talk about power shortages we all must do our part and make sure all our appliances are operating at peak efficiency.

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Speaking of energy savings, one of the best ways is a programmable thermostat that will automatically raise and lower the temp in your home when you are at work. They work by allowing the temp to raise during a summer day to around 81 and before you get home have the temp back to 78. Some other ways of saving energy is to set your A/C cooling temp at 77 or 78 degrees instead of 74 or lower, and during heating season try 68 instead of 70. You won’t notice the difference till the electric or gas bill comes.

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HOW DO I PREVENT AIR DUCT CONTAMINATION?

Whether or not you decide to have the air ducts in your home cleaned, committing to a good preventive maintenance program is essential to minimize duct contamination.

To prevent dirt from entering the system:

a. Use the highest efficiency air filter recommended by the manufacturer of your heating and cooling system

b. Change filters regularly

c. If your filters become clogged, change them more frequently.

d. Be sure you do not have any missing filters and that air cannot bypass filters through gaps around the filter holder

e. When having your heating and cooling system maintained or checked for other reasons, be sure to ask the service provider to clean cooling coils and drain pans.

f .During construction or renovation work that produces dust in your home, seal off supply and return registers and do not operate the heating and cooling system until after cleaning up the dust.

g.Remove dust and vacuum your home regularly. (Use a high efficiency vacuum (HEPA) cleaner or the highest efficiency filter bags your vacuum cleaner can take. Vacuuming can increase the amount of dust in the air during and after vacuuming as well as in your ducts).

h. If your heating system includes in-duct humidification equipment, be sure to operate and maintain the humidifier strictly as recommended by the manufacturer.

Whether of not you decide to have the air ducts in your home cleaned,committing to a good preventive maintenance program is essential to minimize duct contamination.

HOW DO I PREVENT AIR DUCTS FROM BECOMING WET?

Moisture should not be present in ducts. Controlling moisture is the most effective way to prevent biological growth in air ducts.

Moisture can enter the duct system through leaks or if the system has been improperly installed or serviced. Research suggests that condensation (which occurs when a surface temperature is lower than the dew point temperature of the surrounding air) on or near cooling coils of air conditioning units is a major factor in moisture contamination of the system. The presence of condensation or high relative humidity is an important indicator of the potential for mold growth on any type of duct. Controlling moisture can often be difficult, but here are some steps you can take:

1. Promptly and properly repair any leaks or water damage.

2. Pay particular attention to cooling coils, which are designed to remove water from the air and can be a major source of moisture contamination of the system that can lead to mold growth. Make sure the condensate pan drains properly. The presence of substantial standing water and/or debris indicates a problem requiring immediate attention. Check any insulation near cooling coils for wet spots.

3. Make sure ducts are properly sealed and insulated in all non-air-conditioned spaces (e.g., attics and crawl spaces). This will help to prevent moisture due to condensation from entering the system and is important to make the system work as intended. To prevent water condensation, the heating and cooling system must be properly insulated.

4. If you are replacing your air conditioning system, make sure that the unit is the proper size for your needs and that all ducts are sealed at the joints. A unit that is too big will cycle on and off frequently, resulting in poor moisture removal, particularly in areas with high humidity. Also make sure that your new system is designed to manage condensation effectively.