The best thing that you can do to make sure that your home’s air ducts are not contaminated to employ a preventive maintenance program. The home owner’s task of minimizing the risk of air duct contamination is twofold. Part 1) Keep dirt from reaching the inside of your HVAC system. Part 2) Maintain all parts of the heating and cooling system that you can. It’s like changing the oil in your car… it can prevent a lot of problems down the line.

Here are some tips for preventing contamination of your air ducts:

• The air filter that you use should be the highest efficiency that is recommended by the maker of your heating and cooling system.
• Air filters, like car oil, need to be changed on a regular basis. If you cannot remember the last time that you changed your air filters… then they probably need it really badly.
• If you notice that your air filters frequently get clogged or very dirty before you change them, then you should probably be changing them more frequently.
• Make sure that there are no missing air filters in your home ventilation system. Even one missing filter can cause a lot of problems.
• Check the status of the filters. Make sure that there are no gaps between the filter that air can get around. Like a missing filter, gaps allow the air, along with contaminants, to enter your air duct system with ease.
• If your air duct system is being checked or maintained, ask that the cooling coils and drain pans be cleaned.
• If there is any construction, maintenance, or renovation at your house, you should cover all supply and return registers to prevent the dust and debris from contaminating your system. You should not operate your HVAC system until the dust and debris have been removed from your home.
• Use a HEPA vacuum cleaner or at least the highest efficiency filter bags your vacuum cleaner can take.

The bottom line with these recommendations is that whether of not you make the choice to have the air ducts in your home cleaned, you can follow these tips to help reduce the risk of air duct contamination. These are just some friendly tips from your local New Jersey Air Duct Cleaners at Clean as a Whistle.

• I don’t smoke
• I don’t have allergies or asthma
• I don’t have a problem with dust in my house
• I don’t have any pets
• And no one that I live with has/does any of the above either

Well, the health benefits of air duct cleaning are just one of the ways that it can be beneficial. During this recession, you might be interested in a low cost way to significantly reduce your utility bills. Intrigued?

Cleaning your home’s (or office’s) heating and cooling system can be can both an effective and relatively low cost solution for reducing your energy costs.

Over time, dust, debris, and other contaminants build up in air duct systems, reducing their efficiency and causing them to heat and cool less effectively. It has been suggested in some studies that a dirty HVAC system is 30% less efficient than a clean one. This reduction is particularly due to dirty coils.

The bottom line is that

1) You should inspect/change your air filters regularly to ensure the best performance from your air duct system.

2) You should have your air duct system cleaned about every one to two years. These steps will ensure that your home or office air ventilation system is operating at its most efficient, lowering your energy costs and saving you money. Why not get a free air duct cleaning estimate today?

Air Duct Cleaning in the Spring

Don’t let allergens, pollen, and dust get the better of you this Spring!

Though often neglected, air duct cleaning should be an imporant part of your spring cleaning routine. Allergies tend to be quite bad in the Spring, as everyone with pollen allergies knows. The pollen counts get high and those of use who are allergic get coughs, sneezes, runny noses, etc. etc. etc. 

What many allergy sufferers do not know is that indoor air pollution is frequently much worse than outdoor air quality (because it is in a confined space. Believe it or not, the EPA (Environment Protection Agency) ranks poor indoor air quality as one of the top five environmental risks to public health.

It stands to reason that if you have not had your air duct system cleaned within the past few years, it is probably dirty, and if it is dirty, it is likely spreading:

• Pollen
• Dust
• Other allergens, such as mold and bacteria

When you are doing your spring house cleaning, don’t you want the air to be clean too? If so, then cleaning your air ducts just makes sense. 

There is a couple of steps that can be taken in the spring to ensure that your air ventilation system is functioning properly and providing you with contaminant-free-air. 

1. Air filters should be changed. This is an easy and obvious one that people more often than not simply ignore. It is not expensive. People think that the air filter is not important, but it is one of the easiest ways to ensure that the air in your home is clean. Changing your air filters is a recommendation of the American Lung Association. You can trust those guys.

2. Inspect your Air Duct System. HVAC inspections should be done, and if needed, the systen should be cleaning. Your air duct system is more than the vents that you see. It is a complex network of pipes, ducts, vents, and more, and within this network, there are numerous areas that often trap contaminants (such as pollen and any other airborne particles that may have worked their way inside).  According to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), if there is visible dust, dirt or debris within the ductwork, your HVAC system likely needs to be cleaned. However this is not the only indicator that a system may need to be cleaned. It’s just one of many.

3. Hire a professional air duct cleaner. That is, if your system needs to be cleaned. No need for an air duct cleaner if your system is ship-shape. IT should be pointed out that not all duct cleaning companies should be trusted. Air duct cleaning carried out by non-qualified persons often has little or no benefit and can actually make indoor air quality problems worse. Not to mention that it costs you money. Make sure that your air duct cleaning company is certified by NADCA, the National Air Duct Cleaning Association.

Receive your free air duct cleaning estimate, and get a jump on your spring cleaning.

Hospitals, such as UMDNJ, Overlook Hospital, Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center, and Hunterdon Medical Center, to name just a few of our commercial duct cleaning clients, all require the utmost attention to detail, to cleanliness, and to sanitary procedures. It is because of this need to provide a sterile environment, in accordance with I.C.R.A. and J.C.A.H.O. standards, that we have developed a Hospital Ceiling Containment System, which enables a single air duct cleaner to work in a hospital environment without disturbing sensative areas and patient environments. This system is already in use and it has met with an overwhelming positive response from our commercial clients.

More information will be provided soon regarding this exciting and innovative way to clean the air ducts in hospitals.

If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” it does not mean that you definitely have a problem, but simply that there is a chance you do, as each is a sign of indoor air pollution. 

• Does your HVAC or Air Ventillation System uses a standard fiberglass filter?
• Do you have pets? Pet dander and hair build up in your air duct system, causing it to become contaminated much faster than in homes without any pets. A simple home air duct cleaning from our NADCA certified technicians will correct this problem.
• Are there smokers in your house? As with pets, smoking causing the HVAC system to become contaminted far more quickly, as well as to circulate the cigarette or cigar’s pollutants throughout the house.
• Does anyone in your house suffer from allergies, asthma, or any other respiratory problems? These may be caused by contaminents in your HVAC system, such as mold, fungus, or simply an accumulation of dust and debris.
• Do you regularly clean excessive dust accumulation from your household furniture? This is a common sign that the air duct system is not clean and is circulating dust throughout the house.
• Do you experience headaches, nausea, burning sensations in the nose, throat or eyes when inside the home? These common signs of respiratory distress may be due to contaminated ductwork and indoor air pollution.
• Do you have “dust trail” or discoloring coming out of your air duct register? This is a sure sign that it needs to be professionally cleaned.
• When you last changed your furnace filter, did you see dust and dirt inside the filter housing? Again, this is a sure sign that you should call our Air Duct Cleaning Professionals in New Jersey. Contact us today and receive a free air duct cleaning quote.

While it is undoubtedly true that tropical states have more of a problem with mold and fungus growth than New Jersey, many New Jersey homes are in desperate need of mold remediation, because they fail to take proper care of their air duct system. Moisture build-up is not uncommon in HVAC systems, even in New Jersey, and the subsequent growth of mold can have serious side effects. 

Mold, fungus, and bacteria are like cockroaches; they don’t need a lot in terms of nurishment to grow and become a serious problem. Also like cockroaches, some basic cleaning and maintenance goes a long way in preventing the problem from occurring in the first place. Unfortunately, very few people take proper care of the home or office air ventilation system.

Fungus and mold growth, particularly toxic mold, can cause serious health issues. The job of New Jersey Mold Remediation Professionals (we are certified by NADCA, the National Air Duct Cleaners Association), is to protect New Jersey homes and businesses from the harmful  mold, fungus, and bacteria growth which often takes places in their ductwork. 

Thousands of varieties of mold and fungus grow in New Jersey homes, usually without the knowledge of the homeowner. Most of these are harmless to healthy individuals who have strong immune systems. However, chonic exposure to mold spores which are carried through contaminated air duct systems, can aggravate allergies, asthma, sinus conditions, headaches, and other health issues. Overexposure to mold has been known to causes fevers, fatigue, and respiratory distress in victims, while toxic molds cause even more severe problems, including bloody noses, hypersensitivity pneumonitis and permanent lung damage.

Because New Jersey Air Ducts are often damp, due to simple condensation, they are an ideal breeding ground for mold and bacteria.
Materials with high amounts of cellulose, such as sheet rock, ceiling tiles and wood, also provide a habitat where mold grows quite rapidly. Inadequate mainenance of your HVAC System in New Jersey may be causing mold, fungus, and bacteria to build up and be transmitted throughout your home or office. 

It is important to promptly combat mold problems, and to have your air vent system cleaned on a regular basis byAir Duct Cleaning Professionals, such as Clean as a Whistle, who are also certified Mold Remediation Experts. Contact us today for a free mold remediation estimate and help protect your family from the harmful effects of mold.

If you ask, hopefully you air duct cleaning company can explain that the plenum is a space provided in building construction for air circulation, specifically, for HVAC, that is, for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning. Plenums are usually found between the structural ceiling of a home and the drop ceiling, They can also be located under a raised floor. The plenum is distinct from the ductwork system, and is a part of the building itself, but it is still part of the air supply and return system.

The plenum is part of your home or office airflow system, and like any other part, dirt, dust, dead skin particles, and even animal feces can accumulate there, as well as mold and harmful bacteria. Cleaning the air duct system plenums is an essential part of air duct cleaning, and failure to do so could negate any benefits of cleaning the rest of the system, as a dirty plenum could quickly recontaminate the entire system again. Now that you know what a plenum is, and why it is important, make sure that your air duct cleaner does not neglet this essential part of the air duct cleaning process. For professional air duct cleaning in New Jersey, contact us.

Dryer vent cleaning is actually a very important process that can significantly reduce the risk of fire in your home. Dryer vent fires are not uncommon.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that over 15,000 dryer vent related fires occur every year. These dryer vent fires cause an estimated 97 million dollars in property loss. Read the CPSC Dryer Vent Fire Warning. 

The lint screen in your dryer, even when it is hand-cleaned, only catches about 3/4 of the lint and bits of paper produced inside your dryer during a normal drying cycle. That means 1/4 of this waste is working its way in your dryer vent, where it can build up over time, causing a serious and very real fire risk. Dryer lint is extremely flammable and has the potential to ignite at any time, especially due to the intense heat within a drying. This makes your dryer vent a fire hazard that you cannot afford to ignore.

Professional Dryer Vent  Cleaning in New Jersey is a simple and common sense way to avoid and prevent that fires and the damage to homes that can be caused by a house fire. Protect your home and your family. Contact our professional Dryer Vent Cleaners in New Jersey today.

PLEASE NOTE: Buying a new drying machine DOES NOT eliminate the potential fire hazard of lint build-up in dryer vents. The dryer vent itself is the fire hazard when it becomes clogged with lint and paper particles.

• the supply and return ducts
• the supply and return registers
• grilles
• diffusers
• heat exchangers
• heating and cooling coils
• condensate drain pans (drip pans)
• fan motor
• fan housing
• the air handling unit housing

As the Environmental Protection Agency (aka, people you can trust) points out that the components of your air duct system, “if not properly installed, maintained, and operated,” could “become contaminated with particles of dust, pollen or other debris.” This would not be a good thing… but it gets worse. If any moisture, condensation, or wetness is present (which is not uncommon), “the potential for microbiological growth (e.g., mold) is increased and spores from such growth may be released into the home’s living space.” Obviously, this is not healthy, as these contaminants may cause allergic reactions and other negative health symptoms in people who are exposed to them. This is why you don’t want just any air duct cleaners. You want professional air duct cleaners.
Clean as a Whistle is professionally certified by NADCA, and unlike other companies who cut corners, we will clean your entire air duct system, no just the portions that you can see, or that are obvious. We know that even a single contaminated component can result in re-contamination of the entire system, thus negating any and all benefits of the duct cleaning. We use specialized air duct cleaning tools to dislodge dirt and other debris in ducts, then vacuum them out with a high-powered vacuum cleaner, and also provide hand cleaning and sanitizing. Visit our website for more information about our New Jersey Air Duct Cleaning.