Wednesday, March 04, 2015
Despite popular belief, the duct work and HVAC system of a newly constructed house may not be as clean as it should be, according to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA). If you’re a homeowner of a new construction build, have your duct work inspected promptly to ensure it has been properly cleaned.“It’s a common misconception among homeowners that the duct systems of new builds are clean,” said Bill Benito, president of NADCA. “HVAC ductwork is sometimes one of the first systems to be installed in a home and everything from construction dust, drywall dust and debris can find its way into a duct system during the building process.”
Homes undergoing renovations can be exposed to similar amounts of dust and debris, which can impact the functionality of the air conveyance system. If you’re renovating your home, consider the following:
- Install high-efficiency disposable filters before beginning the renovation process and change them frequently.
- If you hire a contractor, ask that the return vent, supply registers and diffusers be sealed and the HVAC system be shut off during renovations that include demo work or other dust-contributing activities.
- Discuss with your contractor ways to minimize the amount of airborne dust within your home.
- Ask that poly-plastic barriers be installed and HEPA-filtered negative air scrubbers be used in the work area to “scrub” clean the air and keep dust from migrating to other areas of the house.
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