What Is Air Duct Cleaning?

CONTENTS

• What is air duct cleaning?
• How often should you clean your air ducts?
• How to know when your air ducts need cleaning
• The risks of not cleaning your air ducts
• What to do if you need to clean your air ducts
• Get in touch

Air ducts in the workplace or at home require regular inspection and cleaning to avoid an accumulation of dust and particle build-up. Your ventilation is at risk of mould and pest infestation and may be a potential fire hazard without consistent cleaning.

If you need air duct cleaning services, our technicians here at ICE Cleaning can be on-site within a few hours in an emergency. We utilise specialist industrial-grade equipment to decontaminate and deep-clean air ducts.

Read on to learn what air duct cleaning is and how to maintain your ventilation system.

What is air duct cleaning?

This cleaning service is vital for homeowners and employers with a ventilation system. The extent of cleaning and decontamination required will depend on a few factors concerning the system, such as:

• Your local climate
• The size of the ventilation system
• How accessible the area is
• The type of air duct

Air ducts require consistent cleaning and maintenance, or they may suffer from an accumulation of dust, pollen, and other particle debris like smoke. If there are high levels of moisture and warmth in the ventilation system, there is a risk of mould growing in these ducts.

How often should you clean your air ducts?

If you own a restaurant, there are legal obligations regarding kitchen duct cleaning. According to the Building & Engineering Services Association, which published the TR19 Report, the frequency of cleaning necessary depends on the usage.

• Twelve to sixteen or more hours of daily use need cleaning every three months
• Six to twelve hours of daily use requires cleaning every six months
• Two to six hours of daily use needs cleaning every twelve months

Other ventilation systems in offices or homes must be maintained and deep cleaned annually. However, there are ways for you as a homeowner or employer to improve the air quality in your ventilation system:

• Changing filters regularly
• Ensure all filters are fitted properly
• Dust and hoover your home often
• Use an air purifier or dehumidifier

How to know when your air ducts need cleaning

It can be hard to know whether your air ducts require a deep cleaning, especially if the vents are high up and you rarely notice them. However, you will see signs of your ventilation needing a deep clean if you:

• Notice mould growing on or around the vent
• Have expensive energy bills
• Hear noises coming from the vents
• Show signs of allergy symptoms
• Do not feel heating or cooling effects
• Notice an accumulation of dust and dirt around the vent

Some of these issues can be rectified by changing your air filters, but mould or pest infestations require more specialist cleaning services. You must not attempt to clean mould or handle pest control by yourself.

The risks of not cleaning your air ducts

If you do not clean your kitchen vents often, whether at home or in a restaurant, you could be at risk of organic smoke damage or a fire. Grease and organic smoke will build up inside the vents, eventually making it difficult for smoke to escape and grease may leak out.

Lacking air quality in an office space poses a risk to your employees as you are legally obligated to provide safe and clean indoor air. According to the Health and Safety Executive, you must provide adequate ventilation for your staff.

At home, allowing a build-up of dust and mould affects your health. If mould grows in your vents, mould spores can spread across your property. Any children living with you could potentially develop asthma and chronic health conditions.

What to do if you need to clean your air ducts

If you are unsure if your air ducts require cleaning, a simple external inspection will suffice. If you notice a build-up of dirt, dust, or mould, you should contact duct cleaning services immediately.

You can also have your air quality tested with air cleaning services, which test the levels of harmful particles in your home.

Your vent filters may need changing, which you can do yourself. However, if you cannot access the filters or the vent itself, you must have a professional on-site to do this for you.

Do not attempt to clean or tackle pest infestations by yourself. Doing so could put you at risk of mould exposure or contracting an illness from rodents or bugs.

Get in touch

Air duct cleaning is just one of the many services we carry out at ICE Cleaning. Our expert cleaners can tackle mould and pest infestations lurking in your vents. We are also accredited with BICSc and IOSH and perform cleaning to the highest quality.

If you would like to know more about our air quality testing or cleaning services, you can get in touch with our helpful team at 0208 066 0360 or enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk. We are available nationwide, 24/7, 365 days a year including bank holidays.