Comment savoir si vos conduits sont propres (et les garder propres)
Vous vous demandez comment savoir si vos conduits sont propres ? Eh bien, il y a une réponse simple et une réponse un peu plus compliquée. Voici le plus simple :
Prenez une lampe de poche et regardez à l'intérieur de vos conduits de retour. Si vous voyez une couche de crasse, vos conduits sont sales.
Si vous pensez, "Ok, ça semble un peu trop simple", vous êtes sur quelque chose ! Bien qu'il soit facile de confirmer visuellement si vos conduits sont sales simplement en regardant à l'intérieur du retour ou en regardant la roue du ventilateur, vous ne voulez pas seulement savoir si les conduits sont sales. Vous voulez savoir si vous devez les nettoyer - et comment les garder propres.
Et c'est une toute autre conversation.
Pourquoi nettoyer vos conduits en premier lieu ?
Avant de parler de savoir si vous devriez nettoyer vos conduits (et comment), examinons pourquoi vous pourriez vouloir le faire. Dans certaines maisons, les conduits restent assez propres par eux-mêmes. En règle générale, il s'agit de maisons dotées de conduits bien conçus, correctement installés et bien scellés, ainsi que d'un système de CVC correctement dimensionné et fonctionnant correctement. Les propriétaires utilisent un filtre à air de qualité. Ils n'ont pas non plus d'animaux domestiques ou ils nettoient après eux très bien.
Si vous deviez essuyer votre doigt à l'intérieur des conduits de retour dans l'une de ces maisons, vous pourriez soulever une fine couche de poussière. C'est normal et n'est pas une raison pour nettoyer les conduits.
Cependant, le nettoyage des conduits d'air est nécessaire lorsque vos gaines contiennent l'un des éléments suivants :
- Couches épaisses de poussière et/ou de débris agglomérés
- Squames d'animaux
- Excréments d'insectes ou d'autres nuisibles
Ces contaminants peuvent entrer dans votre air intérieur chaque fois que le système CVC fonctionne. Ils peuvent aggraver les allergies ou l'asthme et vous rendre malade. Dans de nombreux cas, ils puent aussi.
Lorsque vous pouvez vérifier que vos conduits sont crasseux - et que l'air de votre maison vous rend mal à l'aise - le nettoyage des conduits peut très bien vous aider. Voici comment les nettoyer correctement et vous assurer qu'ils restent propres.
1. Have a professional clean your ducts.
This isn't a DIY project. Properly cleaning your ducts requires specialized equipment that isn't readily available to consumers. Pros use truck-mounted or large portable vacuums with special extension attachments. They'll also run a HEPA filter during the cleaning process to prevent contaminants from entering your home after they've been stirred up by the equipment.
When you hire a duct cleaning company, make sure you choose one that:
- Owns and maintains specialized duct cleaning equipment
- Will also clean the blower motor and indoor coil when needed
- Replaces your air filter as part of the service
- Offers the option to inspect your ducts for leaks and seal the leaks after the cleaning
Note that duct cleaning is more effective for hard pipe ducts than for flex ducts. It's the difference between scrubbing a dirty plate and scrubbing a towel that's flapping in the breeze. It's just… harder. If you have flex ducts, they can still be cleaned; however, replacing them might be a better option since even the most effective duct cleaning equipment (and service provider) faces limitations.
2. Seal your ducts after cleaning them.
This factor, more than anything else, will help prevent your ducts from getting dirty again in the future. Not all duct cleaning companies seal ducts after cleaning them, but they should! Voici pourquoi :
Duct leaks are often the cause of dirty ductwork.
It's really that simple. When your return ducts are leaky, a lot of the air entering the ducts doesn't come from inside your home. It's being sucked in from your attic, crawlspace, or wherever your return ductwork runs.
Think about what's inside your attic air:dust, fiberglass bits, insect and rodent dross. And let's not forget crawlspaces:mold, mildew, more dust, more fiberglass bits, more insect and rodent dross. It's pretty gross.
When ducts are leaky, that stuff gets sucked inside your HVAC system, coats the inside of your ducts, and circulates throughout your indoor air. You breathe it in all the time. Cleaning your ducts will get rid of what's already there, but it won't prevent the leaks from making your ducts dirty again.
That's why we strongly recommend having your ducts sealed after you have them cleaned. Otherwise, you'll just have to clean them again and again. Yes, it's an additional service, but in the long run it's a cost effective, preventative measure.
Oh, and we know how to get your duct leakage down to 4%. If you know someone who can get it even lower, let us know.
3. Install a media filter.
Even with duct sealing, ducts can keep getting dirty. If you have kids or pets, they'll get dirty sooner. Ditto for homes where the return grilles are at the floor. For this reason, it's a good idea to get a high quality air filter. Even as more gunk starts to coat your ducts, less of it will get into your indoor air when you've got a good air filter to capture it.
Media filters are the way to go. Unlike the throwaway 1" filters you get at big box stores, these high-MERV filters barely restrict airflow and do a better job filtering air. They also only need to be replaced twice per year.
4. Consider replacing your ducts.
When your ducts are really old, poorly designed, and/or improperly installed, replacing them can make more sense than cleaning them. Paying for duct cleaning when your ducts are in poor shape is kind of like getting a new transmission for your 1995 Dodge Stratus. Sometimes, you just have to play taps and let it go.
When we install new ductwork, we do it right . You get a proper duct design for your home and HVAC system (we follow the ACCA's Manual D for ductwork design). Your ducts will be sized to suit, installed properly, and sealed as tightly as possible.
You'll benefit from clean, sealed ducts and better HVAC performance.
Speaking of HVAC performance, consider having your ducts replaced if you're already planning to replace your HVAC system. This can be a good way to get cleaner, better designed ducts at the same time.
Think you need duct cleaning?
Give us a shout! Our team serves all of Metro Atlanta. We'll visit your home, listen to your concerns, and examine your ductwork. Sometimes, duct cleaning makes sense and is likely to solve your problems. But not always.
We'll find the best possible solution, whatever that is. Our team always works with you to determine the smartest fix for your indoor air quality issues.