When You You Can't Do It Yourself: The Value Of Professional Vent Cleaning
Vent or duct cleaning is touted as the best way to keep your home free of dust, contaminants and allergens. The process is straightforward: A vent cleaning specialist comes to your home and removes dirt from your heating and cooling systems. But if you like to do as much as possible yourself, you may be wondering: "Why can't I just do it myself?" Here's why having a professional clean your ducts is worth it to even the most accomplished do-it-yourselfer.
Professionals Have Specialized Equipment
Have you wondered if perhaps your utility vacuum could suck out debris and do just as good a job as a professional cleaning service? It's unlikely. Professionals have special tools they can use for cleaning and inspection. These include:
- Access tools to gain entry to the system without damage.
- Inspection tools to see areas that might be damaged or need cleaning; these include mirrors, periscopes and cameras.
- Brushes and other hand cleaning tools to get at small and delicate areas.
- Pneumatic devices like air blowers and whips, and the compression systems necessary for them to work.
- Vacuums that collect dust and contaminants; can be portable or mounted on a truck. These usually have special filtration to remove as many contaminants like pollen and dander as possible.
You Might Do Damage
If you're cleaning the ducts and you don't get a connection put back correctly or you make a hole in the ductwork, you could mess up your entire system. There are three main things to fear:
- The system will no longer be efficient. Warmed or cooled air will leak out into the area where you've created the hole and the system will need to work harder to produce enough to properly heat or cool the home.
- If you were worried about contaminants before, you have more to worry about after dusty air from attics or basements gets into the ducts.
- If you use vacuums and other equipment that is not suited to the job, you could make everything even more dirty.
You don't want to risk a problem -- it's not worth it for the cost of cleaning.
It's Not Worth Your Time
Duct cleaning and vent cleaning are time intensive if you don't do it for a living and have the right equipment. Just cleaning the exterior vents around your home requires you to get up on a ladder, take off the vents, vacuum or wash them, replace them...this could take you all day. Duct and vent cleaning ensure everything is clean and efficient without you spending time that you could devote to other projects.
Duct and vent cleaning professionals not only can give your system a thorough cleaning, but they can also identify any problems where duct work is leaking or damaged. If materials need to be replaced, they can let you know. Talk to your local professionals if you have questions about the process or the cost.
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