If you’ve decided to have your air ducts cleaned, and have already chosen a cleaning company that will carry out the procedure, then there is a big chance that right now, as you’re reading this, they’re finishing their work. Of course, you wish to know if the cleaners have done their job properly. How do you determine that?
The best way to know if the air ducts are clean is to look. Some cleaning companies use photography to prove they have cleaned everything. Everything should be visibly clean and spotless; also there shouldn’t be any debris. Ask the cleaners to prove they’ve completed the service as agreed – ask to see every component of the system.
You may find that making a checklist will help you with determining the quality of the cleaning. Here are some points, which you should mark with “yes” or “no”. If you mark even one point with negative, then there’s a problem with the service they’ve done, and you should insist that they fix it.
- Have ALL the components of the air ducts system been successfully reached and cleaned?
- Have the cleaners demonstrated that the duct works and the plenums are clean (those are components where air moves)?
- Can you see the heat exchanger’s surface?
- Can you see both sides of the cooling coil?
- Does light shine through the other side of a cooling coil when you point a light at it?
- Are the coil fins unbent and evenly distant from each other?
- Does the coiled drain pan work properly and is it clean enough?
- Are the blower blades cleaned of all dirt?
- Is the blower compartment visibly clean?
- Does the return air plenum look clean enough?
- Are all the filters fitted accordingly?
- Is the supply air plenum dry and clean?
- Do the interior ductwork surfaces look clean?
- Is the fibre glass undamaged?
- Are there any new access doors attached with more than duct tape?
- With the system turned on, is there strong air-leakage?
- Are all the vents well attached to the walls/floors/ceilings?
- Does the system work in both heating and cooling modes?