The main reason why residential homes should have their ducts cleaned is because of dust! This accumulation over time can be the cause of a myriad of problems, including

increased need for dusting

poor heating and cooling performance

musty odors

allergy suffering

While normal, repeated cycling of dust in a home can increase the need for air duct cleaning, other factors may push the air duct cleaning timetable forward even more, including:

Pets

Occupants with allergies or asthma

Water contamination or damage to the home/HVAC system

Home renovation or remodeling projects

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed indoor air quality as America's fourth-largest environmental threat. Some occupants are more sensitive to the contaminants within a residential HVAC systemthan others, so having a proper air duct cleaning performed to alleviate this issue is important!

One of the most popular questions our customers ask when they begin researching the air duct cleaning process is how to determine whether the vents need cleaning. There are very simple ways to do this on your own. If you own a digital camera simply remove the floor or wall register, insert the camera into the open duct, aim it into the duct and CLICK. You may need to set your flash if the picture is too dark.

Another simple way to inspect the condition of your ducts is to use a mirror and a flashlight. Insert the mirror (a make-up compact mirror, automotive inspection mirror or simply a smal handheld mirror) into the duct and use the flashlight to illuminate the space.

If you see any visible dust or debris it is time to get the ducts taken care of. The dust and debris collects the least at this part of the duct system. If you see a little here there's a whole lot more you cant see further down!

Air duct cleaning is a lot more complicated than just blowing out the vents in your home. Depending on how reputable of a service your are researching, air duct cleaning can mean several different things. Some companies only clean some vents, up-charging additionally for others. Some only use negative pressure, (a vacuuming process). Others yet exclude furnace components. Your air ducts are only a part of the overall heating and air conditioning system in your home. which include the following components:

Return vents

Supply vents

Coils

Vent registers

Air plenum

Blower motor and assembly

Heat exchanger

Air cleaner

Air filter

The truth of the matter is that many air duct cleaning companies relish working with consumers who aren't aware that air ducts are only a part of the overall heating and cooling system. They lure unsuspecting homeowners' into a sales situation where they are up-charging several hundred dollars above their original quote, leaving them only shoddy work. The best way to protect yourself is to do your research and trust a company in good standing in the community which can be displayed by the Better Business Bureau. We have an A+ rating with the BBB!

Properly cleaning air duct systems requires removing the sources of contamination. Source removal begins with the use of one or more agitation devices designed to loosen contaminants from the surfaces within the ducts. FSM Inc duct cleaning utilized the BrushMaster system and the Viper Whip system through every vent in your home to agitate and remove dirt and debris.

During the cleaning, the entire duct system is placed under continous negative pressure (vacuum) to prevent the spread of contaminents. Continuous negative pressure allows very fine particles to be removed from the system as they become airbourne, ensuring that these particles are not released into the living space when the system is turned on after the cleaning. This negative pressure also serves to extract the loosened contaminanets, which are collected and removed from your home.

Note: Negative pressure alone is not enough to clean your air ducts to standard, so avoid any company that only utilizes pressurized air to clan the vents. A reputable company will use an agitation tool in tandem with pressurized air and a "brushing" tool.

Because each system is unique, the way the duct cleaners will access them will also be different. Where possible, access to duct interiors should be made through existing openings such as supply registers, return grils, duct end caps, and existing service openings. However, if the system dictates, we may need to create an access panel ourselves. Creation of these service openings, and their subsequent closure, will be performed and maintained by our expertly trained technicians.

We use Envirocon sanitizer as an additional step for cleaner ducts.EnviroCon is a Bacteriostat, Fungistat and Deodorizer. This product is EPA-registered for use in HVAC systems. EnviroCon is highly-effective in eliminating odor-causing microorganisms as well as those associated with mold, mildew and bacterial growth. An enhanced benefit of EnviroCon is its low toxicity and safety rating from the EPA. As a result, EnviroCon may be used in occupied spaces. It does not use any environmentally damaging propellants or flammable ingredients. This is optional for each homeowner. It is a safe cleaning agent that does not require vacating the home for any time period and is safe for pets in the home.

Every home and every duct system inside a home is different. Some are in open basements, some in crawlspaces and some up in the attic. Also, the type of duct sytem varies home to home. Metal ducts, flexible ducts, fiber board duct and clay pipes laid in the slab. The accessibility and physical condition of the ducts have a direct bearing on the cost of air duct cleaning.

Because of all these variables we can most accurately quote the price of air duct cleaning to you by performing an inspection. There is no cost for an air duct inspection, likewise there is also no obligation to you, the homeowner, to buy the service. Being informed and knowing your best options and solutions is our goal.