Posts Tagged fire prevention

Reduce Indoor Air Pollution With Clean Ducts

9 July 2011

Most people have become concerned about the increase in air pollution. We often associate air pollution with the outdoors, but indoor air pollution has become a growing health concern. The air quality in our homes and offices can have an affect on our health. Polluted indoor air can cause a host of problems such as breathing difficulties, allergies, and sinus problems. One method of reducing air pollution is to clean the air ducts.

Health Risks and Dirty Air Ducts

Air ducts can be found in such places as homes, schools, office buildings, hotels, retail establishments, apartment buildings,etc. Contaminated air ducts are often a major a major source of indoor air pollution. Air ducts can provide the perfect environment for the accumulation of allergens, bacteria, fungi, dust, dust mites, mold, and other organisms. Every time a heating and cooling unit runs, pollutants can be pulled in and over time, they will accumulate and flourish. Eventually, these contaminants are blown into rooms where they are inhaled by the occupants. The result will be the development of illnesses and severe allergic reactions.

Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of chronic respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis, lung disease, headaches and migraines, dry eyes, nasal congestion, nausea, insomnia, and tiredness. Biological pollutants such as molds, bacteria, viruses, pollen, and animal dander reduce air quality which can cause serious illness.

Duct Cleaning Benefits

Cleaning your air ducts is a great method of improving the quality of indoor air. It improves air circulation, eliminates the built-up of contaminates, and improves the quality and function of heating and cooling systems. Duct cleaning involves the cleaning and disinfection of the components of a heating and cooling system. This normally includes supply and return air ducts and registers, grills and diffusers, heat exchangers, heating and cooling coils, drip pans, fan motor, fan housing and air handling unit housing. If not properly maintained, the components will become contaminated with dirt and other microorganisms.

Moisture in ducts is a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi which can cause respiratory illnesses when inhaled. If there are mice or rats running through the ducts, they will often leave their droppings in the ducts. Air blowing the droppings can result air contamination and may lead to serious health problems.

Air duct cleaning technicians have the experience and tools to thoroughly clean and disinfect ducts. There are professional cleaners that can clean a variety of ducts such as commercial, residential, and industrial ducts. The outcome will be a cleaner and less dusty home or building because there will no longer be any dust blowing into rooms. The chance of an indoor allergic reaction will be greatly reduced. Dust mites feed on debris found in air ducts. When you eliminate the debris, you will eliminate the dust mites. Newly constructed homes may also need a duct cleaning.

Materials such as plaster and drywall particles, wood, dust, insects and insulation can accumulate in ducts during construction. Removing these contaminants will make breathing in your new home much easier. New homes are now being built to be more energy efficient. This means that they are more air tight. Dirty air ducts in an energy efficient home can seriously affect the health of the occupants.

If left unclean for a long period of time, your air duct system could be a major source of dust and contaminants. For businesses, hiring a professional duct cleaning service once or twice a year will greatly improve the health of employees, clients, and customers. Cleaning home ducts will benefit homeowners, their children, and their pets.

Benefits Of Dryer Vent Cleaning

31 May 2011

Dryer vent cleaning is obviously an essential part of home maintenance and fire safety prevention. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends cleaning dryer vents at least once a year, removing the link that accumulates in the dryer vent pipe. This is because the leading cause of dryer related fires is failure to clean them properly.  An unclean dryer vent pipe filled with lint is a serious fire hazard.  And manual cleaning of lint catcher is not enough.

Did you know that the lint screen in dryer, even when it is cleaned, only catches about 75% of the lint produced inside the dryer? That means 25% of the lint is working its way into the dryer vent pipe, where it can accumulate over time, causing a serious fire risk by restricting airflow and causing overheating that prevents fast drying action and drastically increases the risk of a fire. The dryer vent fills with lint that sneaks by the dryer’s filter. Lint can block the flow of air, cause excessive heat build-up, and result in a fire. Dryer lint is extremely flammable and has the potential to ignite at any time, making the dryer vent a fire hazard that cannot afford to ignore.

The benefits of dryer vent cleaning are the following:

Eliminates fire hazard

Reduces drying time

Saves you money on utility bills

Decreases wear and tear on your dryer

Here are some equipment to be used for dryer vent cleaning:

Steel coil rod with Nylon bristles and a soft tip – Traverse a refrigerator bottom in one swipe. Great for those deep dryer lint chutes. Convenient handle with strap loop for easy storage.

Lint trap brush – Reach way down into the deepest, darkest dryer parts.

Spiral cut Double-wide brush – Designed specifically for lint traps in the door.

Rotating brush with flexible rods – Scours the entire vent wall surface, while traversing the multiple turns that are common in most vent systems. It includes adapters to allow you use the air from your dryer, or a shop vacuum/ blower to completely remove the lint from the vent while rotary brushing. It is basically used for those with vertical-running vents or multi-story applications.

Semi-rigid metal vent – Adaptable to every installation for duct will expand to a distance of 8 feet. It includes specially crimped ends to adapt to every 4″ dryer outlet and wall outlet. Includes 2 steel clamps. Duct can be trimmed with ordinary kitchen shears for a custom fit. Improves drying times and reduces overheating of dryer.

Most vents need cleaning every two to three years. Very short vents attached to full size dryers may never need cleaning.  It’s just because the better a dryer vent blows, the less lint builds up in it. Short vents blow better than long ones. Full size dryers blow better than smaller stack dryers or older dryers. Vents with a lot of turns and elbows blow worse and build up more lint.