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Hvac Duct Cleaning

This document discusses duct cleaning and provides guidance on when it may be appropriate. It summarizes that while ducts can accumulate contaminants, there is little evidence that duct cleaning improves indoor air quality or has other claimed benefits. Duct cleaning is only recommended in specific situations to address known contaminants, and the source of the issue must be identified and controlled. Preventing contamination is key to avoiding costly duct cleaning, which should only be undertaken as a last resort after other measures.

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Sam Fisher
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224 views3 pages

Hvac Duct Cleaning

This document discusses duct cleaning and provides guidance on when it may be appropriate. It summarizes that while ducts can accumulate contaminants, there is little evidence that duct cleaning improves indoor air quality or has other claimed benefits. Duct cleaning is only recommended in specific situations to address known contaminants, and the source of the issue must be identified and controlled. Preventing contamination is key to avoiding costly duct cleaning, which should only be undertaken as a last resort after other measures.

Uploaded by

Sam Fisher
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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FactSheetonHVACDuctCleaning

Introduction
Inrecentyears,ventilationductcleaninghasgrownintoahugeindustry,inresponsetosurgingpublic concernaboutindoorairpollution.Theindustryclaimsthatcleaningductworkcanimproveindoorair quality,controlmoldsandotherallergens,enhanceheating,ventilating,andair conditioning(HVAC) systemperformance,andreduceenergycosts.Yetthereislittlescientificevidencetosupportthese claims,andpoorductcleaningpracticescanactuallycauseorincreaseairqualitycomplaints.Thisfact sheetprovidesguidanceonwhenductcleaningmaybeappropriate,howtoprotectbuildingoccupants duringductcleaning,andhowtopreventtheconditionsthatdrivefacilitymanagerstoundertakethis costlyprocedure.

LatestFindings
Despitemorethantwodecadesofresearch,thereisstillnotenoughevidencetodrawsolidconclusions aboutductcleaningsbenefitsonindoorairquality,occupantshealth,HVACsystemperformance,or energysavings,accordingtoa2010reviewofscientificstudiesonductcleaning.1Thereviewdidfind clearevidencethatductworkcanbecontaminatedwithdustandcanactasareservoirformicrobial growthundernormaloperatingconditions.Yet,evenwhenductcleaningwasextremelyefficientat removingcontaminantswithinducts,the BEFOREhiringaductcleaningcontractor, effectivenessofreducingindoorairpollutantswas makesureyoucananswerYEStoallof highlyvariable,andinmanycases,postcleaning thesequestions: levelsofcontaminantswerehigherthanpre 9 Arethereknownorobserved cleaninglevels. contaminantsintheductwork? 9 Haveyouconfirmedthetypeand

Whenisductcleaningappropriate?

Althoughthevalueofregularductcleaningremains 9 questionable,theU.S.EnvironmentalProtection Agency(EPA)andindoorairspecialistsagreethat ductcleaning(or,insomecases,ductreplacement)is 9 appropriateinthefollowingcircumstances: 9 Permanentorpersistentwaterdamageinducts Slimeormicrobialgrowthobservedinducts Debrisbuildupinductsthatrestrictsairflow 9 Dustdischargingfromsupplydiffusers OffensiveodorsoriginatinginductworkorHVAC 9 component. Inallcases,ductcleaningshouldbeundertakenonlyafterthesourceofthecontaminanthasbeen identifiedandcontrolled.Otherwise,theproblemwillnotgoaway.Forinstance,thewatersource 1 M.S.Zuraimi.Isventilationductcleaninguseful?Areviewofthescientificevidence.IndoorAir2010.

quantityofcontaminantsbasedon testingorobservation? Arethecontaminants(ortheirby products)capableofenteringoccupied spaces? Haveyouidentifiedandcontrolledthe sourceofthecontaminant? Willtheductcleaningeffectively remove,inactivate,orneutralizethe contaminant? Haveyouconsideredotheroptions, suchasremovalofaffectedductwork? Isductcleaningtheonly(ormost effective)solution?

causingmoldgrowthmustbeidentifiedandcontrolledorductcleaningwillbeonlyatemporaryfix. DOHSstaffareavailabletohelpevaluateductworkconditionsandtestforcontaminants.

PREVENTIONofductcontaminationisKEYtoavoidingproblems
Followtheserecommendationstoavoidtheneedforcostlyductcleaning: PerformroutinepreventivemaintenanceofHVACsystems,bycomplyingwithmanufacturer schedulesforchangingHVACfiltersandcleaningcoilsandothercomponents. Duringbuildingrenovation,sealductworktopreventconstructiondustanddebrisfromentering theHVACsystem. Newductworkfrequentlycontainsoilanddebris.Beforenewductworkisconnectedtotheair handlingsystem,itshouldbeinspectedforcleanlinessandcleanedifnecessary. Maintaingoodhousekeepinginoccupiedspaces. Ensurethatairintakesarelocatedawayfromcontaminantsources. Considerroutineinspectionsofductwork.TheNationalAirDuctCleaningAssociation(NADCA)s standard,Assessment,CleaningandRestorationofHVACSystemsACR2006,recommendsthat HVACsystemsbevisuallyinspectedforcleanlinessatregularintervals,dependingonthebuilding use.Forhealthcarefacilities,thestandardrecommendsannualinspectionsofairhandlingunits,as wellassupplyandreturnductwork.

Ifductcleaningisdeterminedtobethebestoption:
1. HireaductcleaningcontractorwhoisamemberingoodstandingoftheNationalAirDuct CleaningAssociation.DuctcleaningcompaniesmustmeetstrictrequirementstobecomeNADCA members.Amongthoserequirements,allNADCAMembersmusthavecertifiedAirSystemCleaning Specialists(ASCS)onstaff,whohavetakenandpassedtheNADCACertificationExamination. 2. PROTECTbuildingoccupantsduringandafterductcleaning: PlaceafilteroversupplyandreturngrillstocapturedustwhenHVACsystemisplacedbackinto serviceaftercleaning. Performductcleaningduringhourswhenthebuildingisunoccupied,suchasnightsand weekends. Usecontainmentbarriersandproperventilationequipment,suchasnegativeairmachines equippedwithhighefficiencyfilters. Avoidtheuseofbiocidesandsealants.EvenEPAregisteredbiocidesmayposehealthrisks, includingeye,nose,andskinirritation. NobiocidesarecurrentlyEPAregisteredforuseonfiberglassductboardorfiberglasslined ducts.BoththeEPAandNADCArecommendreplacingwetormoldyfiberglassductmaterial.

Remember:
Ductcleaningshouldonlybeundertakenasalastresort,afterothermeasureshavebeen exhausted. Ductcleaningshouldonlybedoneaftertheproblemhasbeenthoroughlyevaluatedandthe contaminantsourcehasbeenidentifiedandcontrolled.DOHSstaffareavailabletohelpstudy theproblemandfindsolutions. Preventdirt,water,andothercontaminantsfromenteringductsinthefirstplace,byfollowing goodpracticesforpreventivemaintenanceandhousekeeping,aswellasproperlocationofair intakes. 2

References
Assessment,CleaningandRestorationofHVACSystemsACR2006.NationalAirDuctCleaning Association(NADCA). EPA/NIOSHBuildingAirQuality:AGuideforBuildingOwnersandFacilityManagers.AppendixB,HVAC SystemsandIndoorAirQuality.December1991. ShouldYouHavetheAirDuctsinYourHomeCleaned?U.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency.October 1997.http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/airduct.html TenQuestionsaboutDuctCleaning,byD.JeffBurton.OccupationalHealth&Safety.May2006.

Moreinformationaboutductcleaningisavailablefromtheseorganizations:
U.S.EPAIndoorAirQualityWebsitehttp://www.epa.gov/iaq/index.html NationalAirDuctCleanersAssociation(NADCA)www.nadca.com NorthAmericanInsulationManufacturersAssociation(NAIMA)www.naima.org SheetMetal&AirConditioningContractors'NationalAssociation(SMACNA)www.smacna.org

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