Duct cleaning considers both of the following services:
- Horizontal and vertical dryer ducts
- Vertical ducts to rooftop units (RTUs) or makeup air units
While the dryer duct cleaning is a routine maintenance activity that typicallay occurs once a year, the vertical duct
cleaning is a major
maintenance activity, which
usually occurs less often than once a year and is often treated as a capital expense
rather than an operating
expense.
The
frequency of cleaning of the main duct runs connecting to the rooftop
units (RTUs) will depend on a number of factors, including:
- Whether any concerns have been expressed about the indoor air quality
- Whether the RTUs are air makeup units or air handling units
- Whether any major renovation work has occurred in the building (creating drywall dust, etc).
- Whether
there have been any major water leaks that entered into the duct system
and may have saturated any particles that have collected in the duct
walls
- Whether any major construction work has occurred in the neighbourhood around the building
For
example, It is recommended that the main ducts be cleaned after a major
renovation/rehabilitation project that disrupts the drywall and causes
fine drywall particles to enter into the duct system.
In a
standard residential application and under normal operating conditions,
the ducts from/to the RTUs should be checked and cleaned every 5-15
years.
Scope
Duct and vent cleaning includes the following activities on
the assets:
- Removing dust from hallway ducts.
- Removing lint from dryer vents.
- Indoor air quality.
The following assets are typically subject to
de-energized service:
- Make-up Air Unit
- Vertical ducts
- Horizontal ducts
Attributes
Duct cleaning has the following general attributes:
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Fig. Interior of the ducts before the cleaning.
Fig. Interior of the ducts after the cleaning.
Fig. Rooftop make-up air unit.
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