Why Choose Fresh Air Systems

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We have many satisfied customers.  Click here to read their testimonials.

We clean all the ductwork, not just what can be cleaned by reaching into the vent.

We use different equipment for different sizes and types of duct work.  Having all the available technology allows us to clean all ductwork.

We take pride in our work and set high standards so our customers receive the high quality work as stipulated in our mission statement.

You can always rely on us, we are dependable.

We are fully insured in the event of property damage.

Our workers are fully covered by Workers’ Compensation Insurance.  You don’t have to worry about being held liable if one of them should get injured on your property.

We pay and treat our workers very well.  Our employees receive health and retirement benefits.  This allows us to have excellent employees who care about their jobs.

Our employees are courteous and will happily answer your questions and treat you with the kindness and respect you deserve.

Yes, will be your answer to the questions on the EPA Post Consumer Checklist once we finish your job.

At Fresh Air Systems, duct cleaning and Indoor Air Quality are our number one concerns.

Our prices are not the lowest nor are they the highest, but you will be paying a reasonable price for a Top Quality Job!

We clean to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) ACR2002 Standards.

Preventing Indoor Air Pollution

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In addition to having your air ducts cleaned your family can do things to control air pollution and biological pollutants in your home. Here are some tips compiled from publications of the Environmental Protection Agency, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the American Lung Association:

  1. Never use a gas oven to heat your home.
  2. Never cook with charcoal inside your home.
  3. Make sure wood or coal stoves are vented to the outside and that the exhaust systems don’t leak.
  4. Confine cigarette smoke to one room, equip that room with an air cleaner, and open a window or run an exhaust fan for extra ventilation.
  5. Fix water leaks or seepage problems and replace water damaged wallboard or other materials to prevent mold growth.
  6. Wash your bedding often in hot water to reduce dust mites.
  7. Throw out any water-damaged carpets, drapes, stuffed toys, upholstered furniture, and ceiling tiles unless they can be thoroughly steam cleaned or washed in hot water and dried.
  8. Remove and replace wet insulation.
  9. Keep shower curtains clean and install bathroom exhaust fans to exhaust moisture.
  10. Clean refrigerator and humidifier drain pans.
  11. Change or clean heating and air conditioning filters on a timely basis.
  12. Do not mix chemical cleaners.  Especially, never mix cleaners containing bleach with ammonia products.
  13. Provide ample ventilation when using paint, varnish, solvents, oven cleaner, or other chemicals.
  14. Have window or wall air-conditioning units cleaned and serviced regularly.

Remember with only a small effort on your part, and the assistance of the experts at your local duct cleaning company, you can ensure that your whole family breathes safe, clean and healthy air!

Indoor Air Pollution

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The Environmental Protection Agency recently reported that indoor pollution levels are up to 70 times higher than those outside.  We spend 80% of our time indoors!  

The culprit that collects this pollution is the HVAC System in your home or business.  It provides the perfect environment to collect dust, debris, virus’ and microbial organisms.

How Does indoor air become contaminated?  Contaminants are drawn from the outside to the inside through the air ducts to the HVAC System where it is conditioned and finally sent through the filter to the ductwork. Most filters in use today will let small particles pass through, these small particles can build up sizable collections in the air ducts.  High humidity or water damage can cause the growth of microbes, mold and fungi which greatly compromise the HVAC systems air quality and its efficiency.  These contaminants are in the air you breathe!  A thorough inspection is indicated at regular intervals.

Facts About Indoor Air Pollution

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For years Americans have thought of air pollution as an outdoor problem.  But new studies have revealed some alarming facts about the air we breathe indoors at home and at work.

For instance, the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ACRI) reported that air pollution levels indoors are often 10 times higher than those outdoors.  This is a cause for great concern, as Americans spend an average of 90 percent of their time inside.

The pollutants we are exposed to indoors include cooking fumes and grease, aerosol sprays, nuisance dust, tobacco smoke, animal dander, ash, household cleansers, viruses, bacteria, pollen, and fungi.

The accumulation of indoor pollutants is greater than ever because today’s homes and offices are much better insulated than those of the past.  Improved insulation reduces heating and cooling costs, of course, but also traps contaminants indoors.

How serious is the problem?  Serious enough to have captured the attention of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has established “IAQ INFO,” a clearing house for consumer information.  Call 1-800-438-4318 to obtain literature about detecting and solving indoor air pollution.

Indoor air pollution has also spurred the U.S. Legislature to act.  In 1993 Rep. Joseph Kennedy II (D-MA) introduced a comprehensive IAQ bill to Congress.  A similar bill was submitted by Sen. Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-ME).  Both sought expanded research efforts and management practices to control and measure indoor air contaminants.

*exerpt from NADCA newsletter 1993

Sick Building Syndrome Causes

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You’ve probably heard about “Sick Building Syndrome” or “Building Related Illness.” They’re closely related problems.

Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can cause health-related problems, including:

  • nausea
  • disorientation
  • headaches
  • chronic fatigue
  • respiration difficulties.

If a clinical illness can be directly attributed to known airborne contaminants, the cause is Building Related Illness, sometimes referred to simply as BRI. If a specific illness or cause can’t be diagnosed, but the problems are associated with a particular building, the term used is “Sick Building Syndrome” (SBS).

In the U.S., poor Indoor Air Quality costs

  • $60 billion annually in sick leave and lost productivity
  • $1 billion annually in medical costs

Both kinds of building-related health problems usually result from poor building maintenance or design. In many modern buildings, ventilation was sacrificed for higher energy efficiency. Unfortunately, the sacrifice occurred in all types of buildings:

  • hospitals
  • office complexes
  • schools
  • corporate centers
  • airports
  • factories

In fact, the ventilation standard in the 1970s was reduced from 15 cfm to 5 cfm of outdoor air per occupant. In contrast, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Engineering Association’s (ASHREA) current ventilation standard (62-1989) requires a minimum of 20 cfm of outdoor air per occupant.

True, polluted outdoor air has an affect on indoor air quality. But, it’s less than you may think. Most IAQ problems are caused by chemical contaminants within the building.

Contaminants are emitted from the most innocuous-seeming, common necessities:

  • carpeting
  • copiers
  • furniture upholstery
  • pressed wood products

Insecticides, cleansers, solvents, and disinfectants are invaluable for keeping buildings habitable and clean. Unfortunately, they also add to indoor air quality problems.

The volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde, coming from all these sources may be known carcinogens. In addition, certain VOCs adversely affect human health even at low levels.

Nearly one-half of all IAQ complaints can be attributed to HVAC systems.

The list of IAQ problems and their health-related affects-continues. Poorly maintained HVAC systems provide an ideal breeding ground for biological contaminants. Stagnant water in air ducts, humidifiers and drain pans attract molds, fungi, virus, and bacteria–including Legionella. Remember Legionnaires’ Disease?

Mold growth within an air handling unit gone undetected will multiply causing adverse health effects.

Aspergillus spores frequently settle in the HVAC system dust. The spores rarely affect healthy tenants, but they do contribute to hospital patients’ nosocomial infections in neo-natal, critical care, and immuno-compromised patients. Hospitals are concerned–rightfully so.

Both biological and chemical contaminants inevitably collect in air ducts. Removing particulates within the air duct can prevent tenant health problems and the long list of higher costs to building owner/managers.

The key to ensuring safe indoor air quality: thoroughly inspect, clean, and maintain your buildings’ HVAC system.

Fresh Air Systems specializes in Indoor Air Quality control from start to finish.

Consumer Post-Cleaning Check

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A thorough visual inspection is the best way to verify the cleanliness of your heating and cooling system. Some service providers use remote photography to document conditions inside ducts. All portions of the system should be visibly clean; you should not be able to detect any debris with the naked eye. Show the Post-Cleaning Consumer Checklist to the service provider before the work begins. After completing the job, ask the service provider to show you each component of your system to verify that the job was performed satisfactorily.

If you answer “No” to any of the questions on the checklist, this may indicate a problem with the job. Ask your service provider to correct any deficiencies until you can answer “yes” to all the questions on the checklist.

 Post-Cleaning Consumer Checklist

General

Did the service provider obtain access to and clean the entire heating and cooling system, including ductwork and all components (drain pans, humidifiers, coils, and fans)?

Has the service provider adequately demonstrated that duct work and plenums are clean? (Plenum is a space in which supply or return air is mixed or moves; can be duct, joist space, attic and crawl spaces, or wall cavity.)

Heating

Is the heat exchanger surface visibly clean?

Cooling Components

Are both sides of the cooling coil visibly clean?

If you point a flashlight into the cooling coil, does light shine through the other side? It should if the coil is clean.

Are the coil fins straight and evenly spaced (as opposed to being bent over and smashed together)?

Is the coil drain pan completely clean and draining properly?

Blower

Are the blower blades clean and free of oil and debris?

Is the blower compartment free of visible dust or debris?

Plenums

Is the return air plenum free of visible dust or debris?

Do filters fit properly and are they the proper efficiency as recommended by HVAC system manufacturer?

Is the supply air plenum (directly downstream of the air handling unit) free of moisture stains and contaminants?

Metal Ducts

Are interior ductwork surfaces free of visible debris? (Select several sites at random in both the return and supply sides of the system.)

Fiber Glass

Is all fiber glass material in good condition (i.e., free of tears and abrasions; well adhered to underlying materials)?

Access Doors

Are newly installed access doors in sheet metal ducts attached with more than just duct tape (e.g., screws, rivets, mastic, etc.)?

With the system running, is there air leakage through the access doors or

covers?  Is it very slight or non-existent?

Air Vents

Have all registers, grilles, and diffusers been firmly reattached to the walls, floors, and/or ceilings?

Are the registers, grilles, and diffusers visibly clean?

System Operation

Does the system function properly in both the heating and cooling modes after cleaning?

Fresh Air Systems Procedures

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If you choose to have your ducts cleaned, Fresh Air Systems will:

  • Open access ports or doors to allow the entire system to be cleaned and inspected.
  • Inspect the system before cleaning to be sure that there are no asbestos-containing materials (e.g., insulation, register boots, etc.) in the heating and cooling system. Asbestos-containing materials require specialized procedures and should not be disturbed or removed except by specially trained and equipped contractors.
  • Use vacuum equipment that exhausts particles outside of the home or use only high-efficiency particle air (HEPA) vacuuming equipment if the vacuum exhausts inside the home.
  • Protect carpet and household furnishings during cleaning.
  • Use well-controlled brushing of duct surfaces in conjunction with contact vacuum cleaning to dislodge dust and other particles.
  • Use only soft-bristled brushes for fiberglass duct board and sheet metal ducts internally lined with fiberglass. (Although flex duct can also be cleaned using soft-bristled brushes, it can be more economical to simply replace accessible flex duct.)
  • Take care to protect the duct work, including sealing and re-insulating any access holes the service provider may have made or used so they are airtight.
  • Follow NADCA standards for air duct cleaning and NAIMA recommended practices for ducts containing fiber glass lining or constructed of fiber glass duct board.

NADCA – National Air Duct Cleaners Association

NAIMA – North American Insulation Manufacturers Association

What Is Duct Cleaning?

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Duct cleaning generally refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling system components of forced air systems, including the supply and return air ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers, heat exchangers heating and cooling coils, condensate drain pans (drip pans), fan motor and fan housing, and the air handling unit housing.

If not properly installed, maintained, and operated, these components may become contaminated with particles of dust, pollen or other debris.

If moisture is present, the potential for microbiological growth (e.g., mold) is increased and spores from such growth may be released into the home’s living space.  Some of these contaminants may cause allergic reactions or other symptoms in people if they are exposed to them. If you decide to have your heating and cooling system cleaned, it is important to make sure the service provider agrees to clean all components of the system and is qualified to do so. Fresh Air Systems has a ventilation mold remediation specialist on staff. Failure to clean a component of a contaminated system can result in re-contamination of the entire system, thus negating any potential benefits. Methods of duct cleaning vary, although standards have been established by industry associations concerned with air duct cleaning. Typically, a service provider will use specialized tools to dislodge dirt and other debris in ducts, then vacuum them out with a high-powered vacuum cleaner.

In addition, the service provider may propose applying chemical biocides, designed to kill microbiological contaminants, to the inside of the duct work and to other system components. Some service providers may also suggest applying chemical treatments (sealants or other encapsulates) to seal or cover the inside surfaces of the air ducts and equipment housings because they believe the sealant will control mold growth or prevent the release of dirt particles or fibers from ducts. These practices have yet to be fully researched and you should be fully informed before deciding to permit the use of biocides or sealants in your air ducts. They should only be applied, if at all, after the system has been properly cleaned of all visible dust or debris.

  • Contaminants build up inside the ductwork over time and can make your duct system a breeding ground for mold, spores, bacteria, fungus, mildew and other microbes.  Dust clings to the surface of your ductwork and builds up over time.

Your duct system functions as the respiratory system of your home.  When that system becomes congested, it should be cleaned so it can “breathe” normally and efficiently.

What can you do about mold?

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Moisture can enter the duct system through leaks or if the system has been improperly installed or serviced. Research suggests that condensation (which occurs when a surface temperature is lower than the dew point temperature of the surrounding air) on or near cooling coils of air conditioning units is a major factor in moisture contamination of the system. The presence of condensation or high relative humidity is an important indicator of the potential for mold growth on any type of duct. Controlling moisture can often be difficult, but here are some steps you can take:

  • Promptly and properly repair any leaks or water damage.
  • Pay particular attention to cooling coils, which are designed to remove water from the air and can be a major source of moisture contamination of the system that can lead to mold growth. Make sure the condensate pan drains properly. The presence of substantial standing water and/or debris indicates a problem requiring immediate attention. Check any insulation near cooling coils for wet spots.

Make sure ducts are properly sealed and insulated in all non-air-conditioned spaces (e.g., attics and crawl spaces). This will help to prevent moisture due to condensation from entering the system and is important to make the system work as intended. To prevent water condensation, the heating and cooling system must be properly insulated.