Clean It or Breathe It!™
Save big by cleaning your ducts.
For over 50 years, PROTEK has been helping facility managers, building mangers, office managers, and others who are concerned with reducing costs, providing superior comfort, supporting sustainability initiatives, and boosting employee health and productivity.
Save Money
Duct cleaning reduces costs by lowering energy consumption, increasing employee productivity, and decreasing loads and wear and tear, which prolongs your HVAC system’s life. Better air quality also reduces sick day and health care costs.
Superior Comfort
Improving indoor air quality creates a more comfortable environment, which enhances social interactions and boosts employee, guest, and customer confidence.
Sustainablility
Cleaning air ducts reduces heating and cooling costs by 10-15%. This efficiency lowers power plant greenhouse gas emissions and criteria pollutants.
Employee Health
Duct cleaning prevents the spread of diseases and the likelihood “Sick Building Syndrome” by removing contaminants such as microscopic bacteria, mold spores, pollen, dust, volatile organic compounds, and viruses. Regular cleaning of air ducts has been shown to increase cognitive processing by up to 50%.
We do it right the first time.
Quality
Ducts and vents are mostly out of sight. Therefore, it’s very difficult to know if they are properly cleaned to the level you desire. We’ve heard horror stories about vendors cutting corners, and even taken pictures proving clients paid for ducts were not cleaned. At PROTEK, we complete every project to the highest industry standards.
Transparency
We uniquely tell clients how many man-days (or man-hours) we estimate. Moreover, this essentially becomes a “not-to-exceed” estimate, meaning that if a project takes less time or uses less materials than originally estimate, our final bill reduces the associated costs accordingly. In fact, this provision annually saves clients’ money on over 25% of PROTEK engagements.
Experience
Certifications and Affiliations
When you need to clean your ducts
Why
Air Ducts spread harmful substances including microscopic bacteria, mold spores, pollen, dust (along with dust mites), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other chemicals. Contaminants like molds, bacteria, fiberglass insulation fibers, dust and debris are all present in your ductwork. These containments can easily be dispersed into the ambient air for the building occupants and visitors to inhale.
Sample Conditions Requiring Cleaning
- Recent construction, which can contaminate the system with particulate matter and dust
- Worn or damaged insulation, e.g. fiberglass duct liner, duct board, etc.
- System is a source of unacceptable odors
- Normal-use accumulation of dust mites, feces dust, and other particulate matter
- Deformation, discoloration, oxidation, corrosion, scale, leakage of fluids or vapors, excessive noise/vibration, loose/missing fasteners, ice, frost or condensation
- Biohazard contamination, e.g. mold, animals/insect infestation, their byproducts and carcasses, etc.
- Residents are extremely susceptible to allergens or have experienced a worsening of their asthma
- If mold is suspected, the associated components of the system should be cleaned immediately!
Best Practices
In order to properly remove debris from duct surfaces, cracks and protrusions, the debris must be mechanically agitated to dislodge it. During this process, vacuum-collection devices that are connected to the downstream end of duct sections are operated continuously so that areas being cleaned are under constant negative pressure. Known as Level 1, this methodology is strongly recommended by NADCA instead of Level 2 or Level 3 (e.g. Air Whips and Air Washing).
For clients who care more about the cost and less about the quality, Levels 2 and 3 may be acceptable, especially since they are easier, take less time, and are therefore less expensive. However, Levels 2 and 3 are NOT appropriate for most situations.
Our Best Practice Approach
1. Project Planning
- Verify client objectives, which always include source removal of debris and contaminants, especially those that might provide growth for molds, fungus, and/or bacterial growth.
- Determine the overall scope of work
- Clarify deliverables and assumptions
- Identify who (Client, PROTEK, or other) is responsible for what specific actions (e.g. ensuring fire alarms and smoke detectors are turned off during any cleaning).
- Establish project timelines
2. Setup
At the kickoff of any project, workers review the Work Orders, survey the site, review safety concerns, and then begin to stage equipment. They then turn off the Air Handling Unit (AHU).
3. Clean Return Ductwork
Most projects begin by cleaning the return ductwork, to prevent unclean air from contaminating any (supply) ductwork that has already been cleaned. This is especially important if the Air Handling Unit (AHU) needs to be turned on at some point before the entire system can be completely cleaned. This approach ensures that the clean duct is not re-contaminated.
4. Create Access Points
To enable insertion of the cleaning apparatus, if Access Points don’t already exist, access cuts are made as and where needed.
5. Photographical Documentation
To show the initial condition of dryer exhausts, workers take before pictures.
6. HEPA Filtration
To create negative pressure, and to ensure a safe environment, PROTEK uses a very powerful HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) Filtration Collector System. As needed, PROTEK blocks off trunk lines or other sections to make sure negative pressure can be maintained.
7. Remove Debris
Adhering to the NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association) recommended Level 1 methodology, PROTEK utilizes cable brushes to agitate debris. PROTEK then uses powerful HEPA negative air equipment to clean debris from the ductwork, move it forward to the HEPA Filtration Collector System, and remove it from the ductwork.
8. Crawl Inside Ductwork
Wherever practicable, PROTEK workers also crawl inside ductwork, as this is the most effective method of cleaning. In addition, our team may utilize cable brushes, with or without compressed air lines, to clean and blast the debris to the HEPA collector.
9. Clean Section by Section
PROTEK cleans each branch line up to the main trunk and then cleans the remaining portions up to the HVAC unit. After a branch line has been cleaned, PROTEK will clean any additional ductwork, e.g. booster fans, exhaust fans, VAVs, etc. This process allows for a complete cleaning of the ductwork servicing all areas associated with a particular unit.
10. Photographical Documentation
Upon the completion of each section, workers take after pictures. This is a best and serves as proof that that the work was completed.
11. Sealing
Associated access cuts are sealed with patches, plugs, or access doors.
12. Cleaning and Treatment
If included within the Scope of Work, PROTEK cleans and treats the HVAC unit and all appropriate components. When necessary, PROTEK uses Type I methods or Type II methods to clean the heating and condensing coils and correct any buildup or fouling on the heat exchanger surfaces.
13. Clean Supply Registers
After the returns and unit have been thoroughly cleaned, PROTEK cleans the supply sections of ductwork. Using the same approach used for cleaning return ducts, PROTEK works from the unit toward the supply registers.
14. Sanitize
As appropriate, PROTEK sanitizes all areas defined within the Scope of Work, using EPA-registered Antimicrobial Agents, Coatings, and/or other approved agents.
15. Final Inspection Walkthrough
Once all scoped areas have been cleaned, workers review the Work Order and perform a final inspection walkthrough. This ensures everything has been completed to PROTEK ’s high standards of quality and thoroughness.
16. Clean Up
The final step is to turn HVAC System back on and clean up, leaving the site as good (if not better) than when PROTEK first arrived.