Why Should You Have Your Air Ducts Clean?

Air Duct Cleaning before after duct cleaning

“Why should I get my air ducts cleaned?” If this is something you’ve found yourself saying, then we’re glad to bring you 4 different reasons why you have your air ducts clean. A lot of people don’t even give their air ducts a second thought, but they can affect a lot more than people seem to think.

Here are 4 reasons why you should get your air ducts clean:

1 Improves indoor air quality:
Your air ducts are responsible for being the main entry way for air to enter into your home, therefore the air you breathe is affected by everything that is within your air ducts. That can be scary! Things like mold, allergens, and dust are just a few things that collect in your air ducts. If you want to learn more about the importance of indoor air quality, check out another one of our posts here.

2 Increase indoor comfort:
With your air ducts clean, your HVAC system is able to work properly and keep rooms at their correct temperature. If you find that you’re having trouble keeping rooms at the correct temperature, no matter what you set your thermostat to, that could be a sign that you need your air ducts clean.

3 Decreases fire hazards:
With things like dust and allergens collecting in your air ducts, there’s a risk of it aiding in fire or even being the cause of a fire. By making sure your air ducts are clean, you can feel safe knowing there isn’t a risk within your air ducts that are in your homes walls and ceiling.

4 Prevents larger problems:
By keeping your air ducts clean, you are preventing the potential issue of the air ducts becoming clogged. If the air ducts are clogged, or even halfway clogged, this can cause your HVAC system to struggle and work harder. This could cause other issues with your HVAC system or make it have a shorter lifespan and break down sooner then it should.

If you’re not sure if you’re home needs your air ducts clean, we recommend regularly cleaning them every 1-2 years. By doing regular maintenance, whether it’s your air ducts or HVAC system, you are learning more about your home and helping to prevent larger issues from occurring.

We recommend that you do NOT attempt to clean your own air ducts. If not done properly, you can stir up and simply move dust, molds, and allergens throughout your home’s air, rather than removing it. If you’re in the Virginia area and are looking for your air ducts to be cleaned, our expert technicians at Small Solutions, LLC are happy to come out and and give you a hand. By scheduling an appointment through this website, you will automatically save 10% off, feel free to also call or contact us for any other HVAC needs today!

5 Indoor Air Quality Categories of Concern from the EPA

asthma trivia duct cleaning

 

When it comes to your living environment, the Environmental Protection Agency identified 5 areas of indoor air quality that can create cause for concern. Things like asthma, allergies, carbon monoxide, mildew, mold and fungal spores can become toxic if levels increase without awareness.

Often it’s a need for better ventilation that can eliminate these concerns.

Pet dander, pollen, insect debris, smoke and dust mites can build up and create irritation for your nose and throat or asthma.

Colds, flu, bacteria and germs can be reduced with proper air filtration and ventilation in your home.

“Should I clean my ductwork?”

Small Solutions Dryer Vent Cleaning Services Team

This is a great question–it’s one of those maintenance things that can easily get overlooked, like cleaning out dryer vents. Because you don’t see the inside of your ductwork on a regular basis, thinking to clean it is random. Or you may not think it’s necessary to clean your ductwork because things seem to be running fine, so…?

The thing with ductwork is that it impacts the air quality in your home or office. It’s the stuff you can’t see that you’re breathing. If you have pets, kids, dampness, general house traffic…these can create build up over time of tiny particles, sticky things, mold, pet dander, hair, mud, etc. It’s small, so you don’t see it until you open up the ductwork to see what’s collected over time.

Believe me, you may NOT want to see what’s collected over time! You wouldn’t want to see what we see. 🙂

So it’s great to clean your ductwork ever so often to improve the quality of the air in your home, and also to reduce allergies, colds, sniffling noses. If you or your family seems to be cycling with repeated allergy flare-ups or congestion, this could be the source. Cleaning your ductwork could drastically improve that.

Give us a call if you’re curious about what it takes to get your ductwork clean. Depending on how your ductwork is set up in your house, our cleaning jobs generally take 4-6 hours. We have special equipment we bring to your home, get in and suck it out.

 

It’s not fun to run into surprises in your ducts.

small solutions duct cleaning

You don’t want to be smacked with the surprise of dirty duct work in your home collecting years of goodness knows what. We’ve found groundhogs, clumps of matted pet hair, dead bugs, melted plastic, pet urine-soaked dust bunnies…honestly, you don’t want to see what we see.

The easy fix is to schedule ductwork maintenance: get your ducts cleaned effectively and efficiently. The duct work in your home may have more in it than you think. Or, if you’re moving to a new place, isn’t it a happier thought to know you’re not breathing someone else’s crud? We can sweep through and get it sparkling again for you.

Small Solutions LLC serves clients in the Winchester, VA and northern Virginia area. Schedule a visit today!

The Ultimate Guide: 9 Houseplants That Remove Chemicals From Your Air And What Exactly They Remove

House Plants air duct cleaning

There’s not a bad reason to want to improve the quality of your indoor air, whether it’s in your home or business. One easy, cheap, and environment-friendly way to better the quality of your indoor air is by purchasing a houseplant!

As stated, houseplants are inexpensive and easy to maintain, but they also have a very functional purpose. Certain houseplants remove a lot of various chemicals in the air including but not limited to: formaldehyde, benzene, ammonia, etc. These plants that take tiny amounts of water can make a huge difference in your air quality!

One unique thing about all of these plants, is that they all remove formaldehyde. Surprisingly, formaldehyde is an organic chemical that is extremely prevalent in our environment, including within our homes. There is a lot of possible sources of formaldehyde within our home or business’s air including: combustion devices (such as natural gas stoves, kerosene space heaters, or tobacco smoke); pressed wood products (such as particle board, decorative paneling, or plywood); and other household products (such as disinfectants, deodorants, shampoos, and cosmetics). With all of these as possibilities of bringing formaldehyde into our air, making sure to have things as simple as toxin-removing houseplants just makes sense!

Here is a list of 9 houseplants that can improve your indoor air quality and what chemicals they remove:

Garden Mum
Removes: Formaldehyde, Ammonia, Benzene, and Xylene

Spider Plants
Removes: Formaldehyde and Xylene

Dracaena
Removes: Formaldehyde, Benzene, Xylene, and Trichloroethylene

Ficus/Weeping Fig
Removes: Formaldehyde, Benzene, and Trichloroethylene

Peace Lily
Removes: Formaldehyde, Ammonia, Benzene, and Trichloroethylene

Boston Fern
Removes: Formaldehyde and Xylene

Snake Plant/Mother-In-Law’s Tongue
Removes: Formaldehyde, Benzene, Xylene, and Trichloroethylene

Bamboo Palm
Removes: Formaldehyde, Benzene, and Trichloroethylene

Aloe Vera
Removes: Formaldehyde and Benzene

Notice: Plants with are houseplants that are non-toxic to house pets. Therefore, be warned, all other plants on the list are toxic to pets. Keep these plants out of reach of pets or only buy houseplants safe for pets!

With all of this in mind, it’s important to note that even though these plants are great to have around, if you are concerned of formaldehyde or other toxins in your homes air or you think you may have IAP (Indoor Air Pollution)- [Find out the symptoms and how to tell if you have IAP by clicking here], then you should consider getting a whole-house air purifier to be certain that your home or business’s air is clean.

Buying houseplants is a quick and simple way to improve your indoor air quality! With this guide, it’s now easier than ever to locate houseplants that best fit your situation! Comment down below if you already own any of these plants or if you give them a try and let us know if they help!

The Ultimate Guide: Your New Home’s HVAC System

For Dryer Vent Cleaning Services duct cleaning call 540-425-3479

It’s always so exciting buying a new home, but with that same excitement comes busy-ness, nervousness, and everything else that comes with purchasing a new home! Often we become so busy that we forget to check things within our new home that are too important to forget. With this guide, we’ll walk you through what you need to check to make sure that your new homes HVAC system is safe, clean, and fully functional.

It’s important to go through each area of your home (indoor, outdoor, and air ducts) and carefully review to make sure nothing is missed. Even things that seem small issues, like making sure your air ducts are clean, can end up becoming big problems if not taken care of. Poor indoor air quality can lead to indoor air pollution which causes coughing, sneezing, nose bleeds, myalgia, lung disease, and cancer. That’s why it’s important to check all areas carefully to ensure everything is running efficiently and safely.

Guide To Your New Homes HVAC System:

Outdoor Area:

  1. First, make sure to locate your HVAC system, all of the places vents exit, and where your dryer vent exits. This way if any complications or emergencies happen, you’re able to quickly locate where to resolve the issue.
  2. Double check that the outside end of the dryer vent is clean. If the end is blocked up by lint, then the dryer will have poor air flow and won’t run as efficiently. It’s also a safety hazard!
  3. Make sure that the fan blades on your outside compressor are in good condition and can turn easily.
  4. There should be no vines, shrubs, or any other plants within 2 feet of your HVAC unit.
  5. Check that none of your outside units are tilting, but on an even, stable surface. It won’t run as efficiently if it’s tilting.

Indoor Area:

  1. Be sure to check the thermostats in the home. Locate all of them, turn them on, and make sure they are functioning properly.
  2. Locate the unit in your home and make sure it is clean and has no dirt or dust that could compromise function. Also make sure that there is no obvious damage or dents in the coils.
  3. If your unit uses propane or natural gas, make sure to turn it on and smell for any gas leaks. Turn on the furnace and check the color of the flame. You’re looking for a blue flame- if it’s yellow or orange, then that means that there may be gas leaks or problems with the furnaces combustion.
  4. Check to make sure there is no evidence of water damage or standing water in the condensate drain.
  5. Locate all of the registers in your home, make sure they are all able to open and close fine, and clean them of any dust or debris.
  6. Turn the unit on, and make sure there is a good airflow coming from all of the registers. If one isn’t working or has a low air flow, that could be a sign of duct issues.

Air Ducts:

  1. Locate all of the exposed ductwork in the house so you have an idea of where your ductwork is.
  2. Check all of the ductwork exits and make sure they are clean and clear of dust and debris. Consider also having your air ducts cleaned, that way you can be certain you and your family are breathing in clean air.
  3. Double check all exposed air ducts for peeling tape and streaking on the ducts. This streaking could indicate air leaks or other damage.

If you make sure to go through this checklist when you purchase your new home, you can not only breathe easy, but safely. Small Solutions wants our clients to be educated about their system, so once you’ve checked over your HVAC system, consider scheduling regular maintenance with us so that we can continue to educate you on your system as well as help catch and resolve small issues before they become large problems. You can find more information about maintenance sign up here or consider calling us for more information.

Slow Dryer? – 5 Ways to Help Your Dryer Run Efficiently

Dryer vent cleaning duct cleaning

Are you finding that after some time your dryer just isn’t drying your clothes as quickly as it once was? There are some simple solutions that you can do to not only help your dryer run more quickly and efficiently, but also more safely.

 

5 Simple Ways to Help Your Dryer Run More Efficiently:

  1. If you can, dry lightweight garments first when doing back to back loads. Drying lightweight garments first causes the dryer to “preheat” before following with a heavier load of laundry. By “preheating” the dryer, it leaves residual heat in the dryer and helps to dry heavier loads faster.
  2. This may sound obvious, but make sure to clean out your lint tray before each load. Cleaning the lint tray allows a better air flow, so the machine doesn’t have to work so hard to dry your clothes. This is also a safety precaution: not cleaning out your lint tray may result in a house fire.
  3. Another solution that’s not only efficient but also energy-saving is to pre-dry your clothes on a clothesline outside or a drying rack inside. By first pre-drying your clothes and then running them through a quick dry cycle allows your clothes to be soft and fluffy without using so much energy.
  4. A solution that’s also a safety precaution in addition to an efficiency tip is to have your dryer vent cleaned regularly. It’s best to have your dryer vent regularly cleaned out so that there’s an easy air flow, allowing it to run more efficiently, and it keep the pathway clear of lint that could potentially catch on fire. An easy way to manage this to contact us at Small Solutions LLC to schedule regular maintenance on your dryer vent.
  5. Last but not least, make sure to “Goldilocks” your loads- don’t overload or underload, make them just right! When you underload your clothes you’re wasting heat and energy when it could be used to dry more clothes. When you overload your clothes, you’re not allowing enough space for air to reach all of the clothes and half of them will end up wet. Make sure to fill your dryer up all the way, but not too much, to allow your dryer to run efficiently.

 

If you keep up these 5 simple practices, then your dryer will not only run efficiently and potentially save energy, but it will also have a longer lifespan, need less maintenance, and be safer for your home!

Also, don’t forget, that to easily manage regular dryer vent cleanings, call Small Solutions LLC 24/7 Hotline and talk to a technician to schedule an appointment today! Keep your home safe and your dryer running efficiently!

Have You Been Sick Lately? Find Out If It’s Indoor Air Pollution.

Indoor Air Quality Pollution duct cleaning

Whenever we hear someone coughing or sneezing, we immediately assume they have a cold or allergies. But what if it was something worse than that? It’s important to consider that these symptoms could be a sign to a great problem.

When we hear the word pollution, we usually think of outdoor pollution. Even on the news and social media, air, ocean, and forest pollution is a common topic of discussion. But there’s another form of pollution we should be aware of as well: indoor air pollution.

Indoor air pollution can be found in your home, business, or other older buildings you spend long periods of time in. If buildings are older, poorly ventilated, or are exposed to toxins, they can cause people who spend long periods of time within there, to be unprotected from indoor air pollution.

Luckily, there’s a way to find out if your symptoms are caused by indoor air pollution. There are a number of symptoms that could confirm indoor air pollution. It’s important to note, not every person will get every symptom and they will affect people differently. Therefore, consult your doctor to further confirm any suspicions of indoor air pollution.

Find out what symptoms point towards indoor air pollution and how you can tell whether or not you or someone you know has it.

Symptoms of Indoor Air Pollution:

Indoor Air Pollution is no joke and has both short-term and long-term effects. While the short term effects may not seem so severe, often it’s these short term effects that later turn into long-term effects and even fatal sickness. That’s why it’s important to recognize the symptoms before any short or long term effects take place.

 

Symptoms:

Dizziness

Coughing

Wheezing

Sneezing

Headaches

Upper Respiratory Congestion

Fatigue

Watery Eyes

*All symptoms can appear and affect people differently, so make sure to consult a Doctor if any of these symptoms take place.

 

Short-Term/Long-Term Effects of Indoor Air Pollutions

Ignoring symptoms of indoor air pollution can have life-threatening risks. Here are the short-term and long-term effects indoor air pollution causes:

Short-Term Effects:

Sore Throat, Cough

Nose Bleeds

Difficult or Painful Breathing

Worsening Asthma

Rashes

Eye Irritation

Fever, Chills

Nausea, Vomiting

And more…

 

Long-Term Effects:

Myalgia (Muscle Pain)

Hearing Loss

Severe Lung Disease

Cancer

Respiratory Disease

*Be sure to consult a Doctor to determine the actual cause of effects and how to best seek care for any effect listed

How To Find Out If You Have Indoor Air Pollution:

While it’s important to know the symptoms of Indoor Air Pollution, how are you supposed to know whether or not your headaches and coughing is from allergies or your indoor air quality?

The best way to determine whether or not your symptoms are caused by poor indoor air quality is by removing yourself from the environment and seeing if your symptoms go away. By simply leaving your home for a few days, you are breathing different air and it gives your body a chance to readjust and, if you do have Indoor Air Pollution, then any symptoms will go away. If your symptoms continue, this means you should continue to consult your Doctor to determine another cause.

If you do have Indoor Air Pollution, then you need to immediately update your indoor air quality control. The best way to do this? Contact a local business to help, like Small Solutions LLC! At www.smallsolutionsllc.com, our 24/7 Service Hotline number is available for you to give us a call or schedule an appointment right away!

Either way, beat the problem of indoor air pollution before any symptoms appear, and call our technicians at Small Solutions LLC to get an indoor air quality inspection today!

Resources: http://www.bluepointenvironmental.com/indoor-air-quality-health-effects/

What We Do When We Clean Your Ductwork

Duct Cleaning Tools

You could clean your ductwork with some fancy (or creative) tools. But no guarantees on how that’s going to turn out! This video shows how we perform a duct cleaning when we come to your home. Our process is usually 4-6 hours to complete a duct cleaning job–but it varies depending on the amount of ductwork and how it’s laid out in your home.

This example shows a residence where we set up our main equipment in the basement, and then blew the debris from the duct work starting from the upstairs down through the ducts. In the basement, the debris is then sucked into our unit where we can collect everything and haul it out of your home. You’re left with fresh air, we’re left with a pile of dust. You’ve got nothing to lose but dust bunnies!