Here's What to Expect

Once you've chosen to have your ducts cleaned, your service provider should:

• Open access ports or doors to allow the entire system to be cleaned and inspected.
• Inspect the system before cleaning to be sure that there are no asbestos-containing materials (e.g., insulation, register boots, etc.) in the heating and cooling system. Asbestos-containing materials require specialized procedures and should not be disturbed or removed except by specially trained and equipped contractors.
• Use vacuum equipment that exhausts particles outside of the home or use only high-efficiency particle air (HEPA) vacuuming equipment if the vacuum exhausts inside the home.
• Use well-controlled brushing of duct surfaces and conjunction with contact vacuum cleaning to dislodge dust and other particles.
• Use only soft-bristled brushes for fiberglass duct board and sheet metal ducts internally lined with fiberglass. (Although flex duct can also be cleaned using soft-bristled brushes, it can be more economical to simply replace accessible flex duct.)
• Take care to protect duct work, including sealing, and re-insulating any access holes the service provider may have made or used so they are airtight.
• Follow NADCA’s standards for air duct cleaning and NAIMA’s recommended practice for ducts containing fiberglass lining or constructed of fiber glass duct board.