HEPA Air Filters are Better than Duct Cleaning
Do you need the have your Heating and cooling ductwork system 
cleaned? Is your Air Conditioning company telling you that dirt in your ductwork system is what is making you sneeze? This could be partially true, however in reality cleaning the ductwork probably won’t solve your problems. You should be aware that there are some risks to the duct cleaning process. Metal ductwork is much more rigid and can withstand a lot of stress, however if you have flex duct, the cleaning process could possibly rip or even tear loose at the ductwork joints.
Exactly what are you wanting to accomplish by having your HVAC ductwork system cleaned? Could it be because you want to combat some allergy or intolerance? Could it be because there is a smoker in your house? Maybe it is because of pets? Or perhaps it is mainly because of escalating levels of general smog from cars and industry.
Air duct cleaning alone will not solve any of the problems that are stimulating you to evaluate having this process done. If you are likely to have your ducts cleaned, be sure to have the entire HVAC system cleaned. Cleaning only a portion of the components is the same as raking only half of your yard in the fall and not expecting the wind to blow the un-raked leaves and destroy all your hard work. The cleaning process should include the air ducts, coils, drain pan, registers, grills, air plenum, blower motor and assembly, heat exchanger, air filter, and air cleaner. This process will need to be performed every year or so in an attempt to accomplish clean air in your home. This will be a costly process and still not fully accomplish a dust free house.
A HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Absorbing) air-filter is a much better alternative. HEPA filters, by definition will remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles. If you are not already getting a spring check up on your air conditioning system, you should start as it will save you operating costs during the hot summer months. One of the items on the technicians inspection list will be to clean the coils in the air handler. The coils should be cleaned seasonally because this is the area that collects dust particle more so than the walls of your ductwork. By maintaining the return air return filters, cleaning the coils and using a HEPA filter you will maintain a reasonably clean atmosphere in your home.
There are several brands of HEPA Air Purifier filters. They can be purchased at your neighborhood home improvement store. Determined the correct size for the area you are wanting to purify. I recommend you start with the master bedroom because this is where most air pollutants are found due to clothing and various fabrics, and is one of the most used rooms in the house.
Expect to pay $150.00 to $200.00 for a quality air filter a 300 SF room. The cheaper models are not designed that well and are less effective in cleaning the air in your home.
Category: Home maintenance
