COMMON QUESTIONS

Furnace and duct cleaning should be considered an integral part of the regular maintenance of your HVAC system. Just like any other mechanical system, it needs to be clean to function properly.

If you are still unsure if you really need a service, here are some questions you may want to consider:

• When was the last time your furnace and ducts were cleaned?
• Are you having to change your furnace filter more often then usual?
• Have you recently completed any home rennovations or construction?
• Is your furnace louder then usual? Does it whistle when it runs? Is it making any booming or banging noises?
• Does your furnace cycle on and off frequently?
• Is your home excessivly dusty?
• Are there airflow issues causing some rooms to be colder or warmer then others?
• Do you have pets, kids or both?
• Do you have allergies or are sensitive to changes in air quality?

Answering yes to any of these should be reason enough to consider having your furnace and ducts cleaned.

While servicing your system, we may also observe issues that you may not be aware of. We will point out and try and remedy any of these issues if possible.

You will have peace of mind knowing that your HVAC system is working efficiently and you and your family are breathing cleaner air in your home.

Most of the work that we do while we are in your home is actually the duct cleaning.

To start, we hook a large vacuum and hose to both the cold (return) and hot (supply) sides of your ductwork system separately.

We proceed to clean each vent seperately throughout your home with various brushes and air tools which sweep the debris into the main duct lines, where most of it is sucked away by the vacuum.

The main ducts are then "air-scrubbed" with a high pressure air tool called the Scorpion Predator Air Whip which thrashes around and blows high pressure air inside the ductwork to dislodge and blow any remaining dust and debris into the vaccum.

Our vacuum is equipped with a state-of-the-art HEPA MERV 17 filtration filter which ensures that 99.97% of the dust collected (down to 0.3 microns in size) will be captured by the vaccum. The vacuum literally cleans the air.

When used properly, the deep cleaning provided by this whip system and vacuum can clean your ductwork to a like-new condition.

Taking pictures of the job as we go allows us to inspect the quality of our work. We always make sure to inspect everything we clean to ensure we didn't miss any dust or dirt.

When cleaning the furnace, we first start by removing the blower fan from the cabinet and cleaning it with high air pressure. We then wipe and clean the fan with a heavy-duty citrus degreaser to ensure it is as clean as possible.

Next we carefully degrease and brush clean the heat exchanger, cabinet interior and A/C evaporator coil to remove all possible dust and debris. Properly cleaning these components are critical steps which many other duct cleaning companies will skip to speed up the job. A clean heat exchanger and A/C evaporator in newer high-efficiency HVAC systems are vitally important for a proper functioning system.

Afterwards, we will clean and inspect the rest of the furnace components to ensure everything is in good working order before re-installing the fan.

Cleaning the furnace this way can increase the efficiency of the unit by up to 50%, saving you money every day on heating/cooling costs and helping to minimize costly equipment repairs down the road.

Natural gas, electric, oil, propane, boiler-type and geothermal furnaces.

We service all types, from modern day high-efficiency furnaces to older models.

The industry standard recommendation is every 2 to 3 years.

There are many variables to consider depending on your lifestyle, but in our opinion, more than 3 years is too long considering the importance and growing costs of modern HVAC systems.

The most common items removed during a furnace and duct cleaning are accumulated dust, dirt, lint and pet hair. Construction debris such as drywall dust, sawdust, wood chips, nails, screws or insulation are also common.

Less common are rodents, bugs, toys and objects that have fallen into registers over the years.

It may be surprising to some that even in the most spotless home, we often pull a sizeable amount of dust and dirt from the ductwork.

Every home is unique and has different service requirements, however, we are customers just like you and get frustrated when companies don't post their prices.

For an exact quote, please contact us by calling, texting or filling out our estimate form.

A full service from start to finish usually takes between 3 to 4 hrs. A ducts only takes 2 to 3 hours. HRV cleaning can take an hour or so. Occasionally a service may take longer.

Rest assured, we won't compromise on the quality of our service by taking short-cuts or rushing through the job.

Absolutely you can! ... With one caveat ...

Our cleaning system only requires a 3/8" air hose to enter your home from our vehicle outside (not a large vacuum hose), allowing the house warmth to stay inside while the service proceeds.

The issue is when it becomes too cold.

When temperatures dip to -23°C (-10°F) or lower, we unfortunately won't be able to finish a service reliably or punctually. When it does get too cold, we are happy to rebook you in as soon as possible when it gets warmer.

Before we show up for a service, we kindly ask that you have all large objects (like bookcases or cabinets) that cover a heating or return vent moved at least a couple feet away from the vent, to allow us access to it. If you are unable to move any obstructions yourself, we will attempt to move them during the service, provided they are of a reasonable size and weight.

We also ask that the furnace room be reasonably free of containers, furniture, boxes, tools and clutter so we have some space to work while cleaning your system.

Doing these small things will help speed up the service so we can finish up in a timely fashion!

We are currently servicing the Saskatoon and surrounding area.

With your help, we can arrange service in your area too!

With our rerferral rewards program, rural and remote communities can request a service while helping to keep our service rates affordable.

What we ask in return is for your help in scheduling 3 or more services in your area.

In return for your patronage and effort, we will give you a discount off the cost of a service and 2 add-on services for free.

Help us so we can help you!

Generally speaking, yes. Although people often comment that it's not as loud as they thought it would be.

If you are sensitive to loud noise, we are happy to provide you with ear plugs. It is also not uncommon for customers to leave us to our work (and noise) while they go about their day.

Examples of common indoor air contaminants and their main sources include:

• Dust, fibreglass, asbestos.
• Dust mites from carpets, fabric, foam chair cushions.
• Microbial contaminants, fungi, moulds, bacteria from damp areas, wet or damp materials, stagnant water, condensate drain pans, etc.
• Vapours, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from computers, carpets, furnishings, cleansers and disinfectants, solvents, pesticides, disinfectants, glues, caulking, paints etc.
• Other sources: tobacco smoke, perfume, body odour, food, etc.

Examples of particulates found in the air.

Indoor air quality issues do not affect everyone in the same way. When it is an issue, it is common for people to report one or more of the following symptoms:

• Dryness and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Hypersensitivity and allergies
• Sinus congestion
• Coughing and sneezing
• Dizziness
• Nausea

People generally notice their symptoms after several hours and feel better after they have left their home or when they have been away from home for a weekend or a vacation.

Many of these symptoms may also be caused by other health conditions including common colds or the flu, and are not necessarily due to poor indoor air quality. This fact can make identifying and resolving indoor air quality issues more difficult.

Occupants of buildings with poor indoor air quality report a wide range of health issues which are often called Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), Tight Building Syndrome (TBS), or Building-Related Illness (BRI).

The term sick building syndrome (SBS) is used to describe cases in which building occupants experience adverse health effects that are apparently linked to the time they spend in the building.

Building-Related Illness (BRI) refers to less frequent (but often more serious) cases of people becoming ill after being in a specific building at a certain time. In these cases, there is usually a similar set of clinical symptoms experienced by the people and a clear cause can often be found upon investigation. Legionnaires Disease is an example of BRI caused by bacteria which can contaminate a building's air conditioning system.

A certain percentage of people may react to chemicals in indoor air, each of which may occur at very low concentrations. Such reactions are often known as environmental sensitivities or multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS).

Some specific diseases have also been linked to or made worse by specific air contaminants or indoor environments, such as asthma being associated with damp indoor environments. In addition, some exposures such as asbestos and radon may not cause immediate symptoms but can lead to cancer after many years of exposure.