Frequently Asked Questions
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Air Duct Cleaning – FAQs
The National Air Duct Cleaning Association advise cleaning the air ducts every 3-5 years. Also after construction or when you move into another house. If someone in the household has asthma, allergies or respiratory concerns, it can be more frequent.
The air duct cleaning process will not make a mess in the house when it is done the proper way and using the proper equipment.
In order to not make a mess in the house the air duct cleaning process uses a negative air machine that hooks up to the main trunk duct near the air handler and creates a light suction in the air duct system thus vacuuming the dusty air. The machine collects dust and dirty air from the entire system and then HEPA filters it to exhaust clean air during the cleaning.
Not every company uses the right equipment and procedure so you should be careful with cheap offers. Cheap air duct actually means a quick and incomplete, shoddy job that can make the air quality worse in your house.
A NADCA certified company usually uses their source of information and training. These companies are more likely to use the correct equipment and most of them do a thorough job. The price difference is usually an indication of the quality of work a company offers.
A proper air duct cleaning job starts with the proper equipment and proper training of the technicians. Keep in mind that not every company does the same quality of work and most of them cut corners during the job. When it comes to the duct cleaning process you should remember that you get what you pay for.
The first step of the duct cleaning process requires a company to cut a clean out port in the main trunk duct to hook up a giant negative air machine which will put the system under suction before the vents begin to get cleaned.
The second part of the process requires a truck mounted air compressor to power the pneumatic cleaning tools with high pressure compressed air. These tools whip the duct to agitate the dust while blowing it towards the center of the system where the negative air machine will be collecting it.
A few holes need to be cut in the ducts for a proper cleaning according the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA). The holes are then properly closed with metal plates and can be reused.
The best way to choose an air duct cleaning company is to remember that in this industry you get what you pay for. The cheap air duct cleaning offers always mean that a company will skip in the process and provide a less than thorough job or will bait and switch the price once they get to your house.
A good air duct cleaning company provides up-front prices which can look expensive at first. However, compared with the cheap offers that are usually a scam, you are actually getting the right price for the job done properly and without bait and switch pricing gimmicks.
A proper air duct cleaning job requires a company that is NADCA Certified. The process is labor intensive and two technicians in the crew will provide a better job than only one technician on the job.
The proper equipment is heavy and bulky, and many tools are used. The air duct cleaning process requires cutting a couple of clean out access holes in the duct almost always for the job to be done right. The holes are fixed properly and can be reused. All according to the NADCA Standards.
Consumers should be aware that most duct cleaning prices you see advertised is usually a bait and switch offer or the company will do a quick job that is not thorough at all in order to quickly move on to the next job.
The companies that offer a thoroughly deep air duct cleaning will look more expensive at first than the cheap “blow-and-go” companies, but you get what you pay for in this industry.
We are not a low quality “cheapest guy in town” kind of company because what we offer is a time consuming proper and thoroughly deep air duct cleaning. But our price is lower than what other companies that do an honest thorough cleaning job will charge. You are going to save about $ 100 when you compare us to other quality companies.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of shady businesses using the fact that you cannot see inside the air ducts to cheat on the quality of job. The cheap companies only quickly blow air in the vents and run out the door to the next job of the day. Many times, their final bill will be up to 10 times more than the announced price after their bait & switch charges. And what is worse? Improper air duct cleaning may put dust and microbes sitting in the ducts to circulate all over the house. The good companies scrub, flush and vacuum deep inside the air ducts so no residual dust is left behind, the cheap guys just push the dust further down the vents where you can’t see it and leave it there.
Yes. AirWiz holds a NADCA ASCS Certification.
Dryer Vent Cleaning - FAQs
A dryer vent needs periodical cleaning regardless of special reasons to maintain proper functions. There is no way to know when a safety issue will sneak up on you.
But your dryer is at a greater risk if:
- Clothes are hot but still damp after one cycle.
- If your dryer takes more than one cycle to dry.
- Dryer is hot to the touch.
- Lint accumulates around/behind dryer.
- Laundry room is humid or warm when dryer is in use.
- Musty smell coming from dryer.
- Birds’ nests, clogged vents, broken parts.
- Clothes dryer can catch fire. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that in the U.S. in the year 2000, there were 12,700 clothes dryer fires resulting in $99,400,000 (that’s 99 MILLION dollars) in damages, 330 injuries, and 20 lives lost.
- A clogged dryer vent adds to this risk. The lint is highly flammable and the reduction of air flow increases temperatures.
Anyone you call can promise anything, there are no regulations in place to protect you. Many fly-by-nights and scammers pose as professionals and promise they can do a good job for any price. But the truth is they do not specialize in dryer exhaust cleaning and are not certified. They usually employ seasonal employees or students. Without the right knowledge and without advanced equipment you cannot do a proper job.
Cheap price turns the most expensive at the end. The cheaper companies only appear to be cheap and will pull the old bait & switch on you. You will get a superficial job and it will be the most expensive after all the gimmicks and extra costs.
Keep in mind; you get what you pay for. A real business, employing well paid certified C_DET dryer vent specialists and equipped with professional tools cannot afford to be cheapest, but it will really make your dryer vent safe.
It varies per house hold, but the National Fire Protection Association recommends cleaning or at least inspecting a dryer vent once a year.
The dryer vent that we are referring to collects lint in the pipes inside the walls where you cannot reach and become constricted and clogged which reduces the efficiency of the clothes dryer.
Typically, this indicates that your dryer vent is completely clogged. When the dryer’s moist air cannot escape it condensates in the hose. By the way, a flexible hose is not up to code and it needs to be looked at.
No, your dryer should only be warm. If it is hot to the touch, then it’s most likely not venting properly or clogged.
There could be multiple issues, a disconnected/crushed hose or the vent may need to be cleaned.
Our technicians come to your house uniformed and in marked vehicles. They are good family men on weekends and courteous but seriously dedicated professionals at work. The C-DET Certified techs will give you an exceptional service experience.
It’s very likely that your dryer was originally installed by the appliance store delivery guys who not professional technicians. They use flexible transition hoses because they are cheap, easy, and quick to install. But these hoses are not up to code, they are a big obstruction of the air flow and not recommend by all fire protection agencies, trade associations and safety codes. Foil and vinyl hoses are corrugated, which traps lint and slows down airflow. These hoses also contain polyester plastic under the foil which is flammable. Using the correct transition is crucial to your dryer’s performance and safety.
It could work if your dryer vent is very short. But many times, we are called in to remove brushes that break off inside the vent. Also, improper cleaning compacts the lint and cause a clog that’s difficult to break. Only professional grade equipment can do a complete job.
This is a terrible idea. Chances are you will have a lint cloud in your laundry room. The lint sticks to the wall of the pipe so by using a blower you will only move further out what is loose. The loose lint will then accumulate downstream forming a compact clog. Some of the worse clogs we have removed were caused by a leaf blower.
Mold Remediation - FAQs
When you see the dark marks around the air vents it usually indicates a couple of things: mold or dirty air blowing out. It could also be soot, but less likely. Moisture and dirt is what causes mold. The air handler machine and the air ducts can often become affected by moisture which is due to condensation caused by temperature differentials. And the interior lining of the ducts, especially when dirty, becomes a perfect environment for mold to develop.
Air duct cleaning helps to prevent mold from developing in the hvac duct system by removing the dirt which helps the mold to thrive. The air duct cleaning process and equipment is very successful removing dust but if there is already mold growth inside the ducts it will not automatically be removed, Mold is not that easy to remove, there are many variables as far as how difficult to reach, the source, the location, the material and process to remove it
Mold removal in the ventilation system can be challenging and it varies. In addition to duct cleaning to remove loose and airborne spores, it also requires reaching areas of difficult access inside the ducts. To remediate the affected areas it can require cutting and repairing the ductwork in different places. In extreme cases even replacement may be necessary. The mold cleaning process includes wet cleaning and washing cleanable surfaces with a safe mold killer product. The correct way to remove mold in HVAC ducts and vents many times also requires us to discard materials such as insulation, grills, and finish with an application of a safe and natural HVAC Disinfectant Product called Benefect.
Yes. The air hvac air handler is very susceptible to mold growth due to surface temperature differences and humidity from the condensation that happens inside the equipment. During duct cleaning it is advisable to inspect the air handler to see if the air handler requires cleaning and mold remediation in addition to duct cleaning.
The mold growth location, size of affected areas, level of difficulty and other variables are what determines the price. During our duct cleaning process we at AirWiz Duct Cleaning investigate the system for signs of mold suspicion. When mold is suspected we bring the problem to the customer's attention for consideration and the price of the remediation can be given upon assessment. This is the best way to provide the lowest or more accurate estimated cost.
Radon - FAQs
In a simple way, Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the ground into your home and circulates in the air you breathe. It is odorless and invisible.
Radon is a gas derived from the decay of radium in the long decay chain of the uranium in the soil.
Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers according to the EPA. As per the Surgeon General of the United States. It's also only second to smoking as the leading cause of Lung cancer. Even a low level of Radon in a home increases the risk of cancer exponentially.
No home is safe from Radon. The EPA recommends that all homes be tested for Radon Levels.
Unfortunately there are no safe levels of Radon and a professional test is the only way to estimate the risk. Even low levels can cause lung cancer based on long exposure.
Yes, very much so! Especially if you live in the Washington DC metro areas including MD and Northern VA. Our region is considered to have the highest levels of radon. In the EPA Map of Radon Zones we are Zone 1, in red color which is the highest level. It includes: Montgomery County MD, Frederick County MD, Carroll County MD, Baltimore MD area, Howard County MD, Fairfax County VA areas, Falls Church Va, Manassas VA, etc. Also high levels of Radon areas (Level 2) are Alexandria VA and Arlington Va, Fairfax City, Loudoun County Va etc.
The EPA and the Surgeon General recommend that all homes be tested.
A certified Radon Mitigation professional can reduce the levels of Radon in your home. Even high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels. One of the primary methods for Radon Mitigation is to pull radon from the soil under the house and exhaust it to the outside. This method is known as the soil suction radon reduction system.