Most air conditioning duct systems that are designed to be cleaned are for commercial applications. Very few residential duct systems can be effectively cleaned without dismantling or replacement, and no company can guarantee that ducts are completely clean and sanitized unless they are installed new.

Sean McCutcheon's Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc. will not offer any product or service that we feel is inferior, ineffective, misleading, or that the customer simply does not need.

You cannot properly clean ducts by attaching a powerful vacuum to a vent. Sometime try cleaning a carpet by holding a vacuum two feet above the floor.

If you have Flexible Ducts the act of stuffing a brush through them will tear the material and create holes in the ductwork.

The result: Not only are your ducts not clean - but now you are losing cold air into your attic as well as letting more contaminants (and maybe a few little critters) into your home.

If your ducts are made of fiberglass board - not only can they not be properly cleaned, but the act of trying to clean them will most likely result in filling your ducts, and your home with minuscule fiberglass particles.

Some fiberglass ducts have a coating that will reduce the amount of fiberglass particles created - but there will still be more than 50% of the "dust" left remaining.

So how about companies that claim they can sanitize ductwork?

One of the most efficient and acceptable ways to sanitize ductwork is by using a special fog machine that will mist chemicals that can sometimes kill mold growing in ducts.

Usually you will have to completely vacate the premises for up to 6 hours while this is going on. Even then, you can only expect a 40% success rate.

Bottom line - beware of duct cleaning scams. Some unscrupulous contractors will use this as a means to gain access to your home and intentionally mislead you into paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for additional work.

The best way to keep your ducts clean is to use a high quality AC filter and change it on a regular basis.

At Sean McCutcheon's Air Conditioning and Heating - we want you to you be informed, and we want you to know the facts. Feel free to call or email us anytime you have a question.