The dirt on duct cleaning

John Santos of Los Angeles wants his home to be a healthy gathering place for family and friends, some of whom are recovering from major illness. As part of his effort, he recently had his home's ductwork professionally cleaned.

"I wanted to make certain the air that they were breathing was as clean as it possibly could be," says Santos, 54, a high school technology teacher, "Especially living in a city like Los Angeles, where the air quality can really be poor and cleaning the air systems can provide value."

Although many homeowners consider duct cleaning a way to make their indoor air cleaner, research on whether it can really create a healthier home is in the early stages.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends looking into duct cleaning after fires, floods, pest infestations and in hazardous waste situations, or if you can see particles coming out of your ducts. Otherwise, the agency says it's not necessary for the average household.

Tom Keys, president of Atlantic Duct Cleaning in Sterling, Va., says his company has done more than 80,000 duct-cleaning jobs, and that many customers report back that they have better air quality, a cleaner home and lower energy costs. Customers often are surprised at how much debris collected in their ductwork over the years, he says.

"Most of the people who do it, do it for peace of mind," Keys says. His company has found all sorts of items in ductwork beyond dirt and grime, including class rings, rare baseball cards and construction debris from when the home was built.

Keys encourages homeowners to ask duct-cleaning technicians for evidence that there is dirt in the ducts that should be removed.

Jodi Araujo, executive director of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, says homeowners can tell when ducts are dirty by simply removing a register cover, inserting a camera and clicking a photo.

On the other hand, contractor John DeSilvia doesn't generally recommend duct cleaning to homeowners. It's normal for dirt to accumulate and stick to the sides of air ducts, he says. But visible mould growth is a problem.

If you do have ductwork cleaned, he advises getting a few estimates and ensuring that the service you hire uses high-powered equipment to capture what they dislodge. Otherwise the effort could backfire.

"Any dust and dirt not collected will be distributed throughout your home, causing a bigger problem," DeSilvia says.

If you decide to get your home's ductwork cleaned, expect to pay between $400 and $800 if there's one HVAC - heating, ventilation and air conditioning - system. If you have more than one zone, you could pay more. That's because duct cleaners don't just clean the ducts - they also clean the furnace and air handler for each unit, which could extend the life of your appliances.

In addition, they can identify any places where a duct has become unsealed, torn or flattened, preventing good airflow. Many professional duct cleaners recommend having a system cleaned every five to eight years.

Patrons who wish to light up while visiting the facility will now have to venture over to a spot by the main soccer field, council decided this week.

Staff had looked at numerous places around the Civic Centre that would meet the requirements for a Designated Smoking Area (DSA). The draft bylaw calls for a DSA to situated 30 metres from doorways, vents, operable windows, ventilation ducts and entryways to community centres, municipal offices and other town-owned buildings.

While staff reviewed potential DSAs north of the arena, that proved problematic due to the amount of equipment and amenities in the area. Secondly, access to the north side would have to be through the fire doors.

Parks and recreation manager Kelly Williams told council that option raised concerns over security and public access to the dressing room corridor. Additional facility retrofits and the installation of a close circuit television system would have to be considered. The soccer field location would fall short of the 30-metre buffer but meets the intent of the regulation, he added.