Regular cleaning of air ducts may lead to relief for those who suffer

For about two years, Steve Craden, an investment manager who lives in Muskego, suffered from headaches--- usually five out of seven days. But, he didn't know why until a visit to an allergist told him that he was allergic to mold.

Craden is one of more than 50 million people who suffer from allergic diseases, seasonal and perennial allergies according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. And sinusitis develops in approximately 31 million Americans each year.

"Evidently I had developed a sensitivity to mold, and I was told that due to the fact we've had very humid and mild winters the last couple years, it was the perfect condition to grow mold," Craden said. "In Wisconsin, if you've got allergies and sinus sensitivities, spring and fall are miserable, especially the last few years.  And if you've ever had a migraine or sinus headache, you'll do almost anything to get rid of it."  

"All though there is no guarantee that cleaning ducts will alleviate symptoms of health problems, I have to go by what my customers tell me"

Joe Dorff - Air Quality Controllers LLC

Still, Since he lived in a relatively new home, he wasn't sure where the mold was coming from. His mother suggested having the home's air ducts cleaned, but it was not until he discussed the idea with his allergist that the idea became a reality.

So about four months ago, Craden contacted Air Quality Controllers LLC, 10855 W. Potter Road in Wauwatosa, for some information on air duct cleaning.  And he's glad he did because his symptoms have almost been completely eliminated except on high humidity days.

Joe Dorff, co-owner of the company, said homeowners are increasingly becoming aware and more educated about the benefits of having their air ducts cleaned --- which include reducing household dust up to 85 percent; reducing the cost of heating and cooling by increasing efficiency of the system; and possibly helping to relieve symptoms of allergies. In fact, Dorff, began this company along with his brother Greg in 1998 precisely because he believes there is such a great need in most residential homes with forced air heating to have their ducts cleaned.

" I saw the growing need for air duct cleaning because 90% of homes will need this service," said Joe Dorff.  "Most people have not had their ducts cleaned in the last five to eight years. The ducts are part of the heating and cooling system in a forced air setup."

"Ideally, the best times to clean the ducts are after the original construction, after a major remodeling and every five to eight years thereafter."

Dorff said he has been in homes where there is an accumulation of matter stuck to the inside of the duct surface, sometimes 1/2 inch or greater in depth, which is common in 35-year-old homes that have never had ducts cleaned.

"There are two major sections of a ventilation system, the intake and supply air ducts," Dorff explained. "The intake duct sucks in air to bring back down to the furnace to be heated or cooled. When air is sucked in, it takes in any airborne dust, animal dander, etc. Over time, it builds up in the supply side of the air duct system that sends air back into a home's rooms. And any time you add moisture on a high humidity day, it's likely to build humidity or mold in the duct work as well.

"One of my very first customers got a house through a divorce, and the former owner had a bunch of cats. When I sat down with this man, his eyes were watering non-stop. After we did the duct cleaning, he has not had a problem. Although there is no guarantee that cleaning ducts will alleviate symptoms of health problems, I have to go by what my customers tell me."

Dorff said the average home takes three to four hours to complete with the labor of two technicians.  The technicians bring in several different vacuums, but the most important are the negative air machines. They are connected to the main duct work in the basement. They use a high efficiency particulate arrestant (HEPA) filter in which the efficiency is rated at .3 microns.  To get an idea of how small a particle size it collects, Dorff said a human hair is 70 to 100 microns. Then a rotary brush is used to agitate and loosen any accumulation within the ducts. Each register on the upper floors is also taken off and separate vacuums used. Dorff bases the cost for cleaning on the number of furnaces in a home. A single furnace home with cleaning and sanitizing is $279; a two-furnace home is $359. The company also offers two additional services including cleaning the furnace blower and cleaning the interior air conditioning coil.

Dorff added that if someone is considering having their ducts cleaned, the company does a free inspection that takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

By Dianna Greening