Enviro-Air Duct Cleaning

Now is the perfect time to look at having your ductwork cleaned. Can you dust then are you able to write your name on the furniture the next day? The ductwork in you home is the lungs of the house. Give us a call and let us help you have a healthy, safe and happy holiday season!

I’ve had somewhat mixed emotions about posting this for a while. I finally decided that I should make this post for a few reasons. At the time I write this, th...e public health authorities (PHA) are clearly telling us that this pandemic is going to get much worse and I see a lot of people in public wearing scarves, handmade paper towel masks and incorrectly wearing N95 masks. 1) First and foremost, I firmly believe that all available PPE MUST go to those health care professionals on the front lines. I have already donated our company stock of N95 and P100 to a local ER that needed them. The images of N95 and P100 shown here are the last of the PPE that we retain and are required for some of our work. 2) I sense a trend towards the PHA accepting, and maybe even suggesting at some point soon, that certain people wear a mask. Probably because of supporting data from Asian practices to reduce the spread from both symptomatic and asymptomatic people. 3) I have worn PPE for decades with my profession. So, I feel compelled to share this information in an attempt to help those that know little, or nothing about masks or respirators. Believe me, there is a LOT of risk and safety factors with wearing PPE. I strongly recommend that you research all OSHA Regulations with respect to ALL PPE requirements before purchasing and wearing them. 4) My opinions are intended to be presented at a VERY BASIC level. If any other experts wish to elaborate or opine, please do so on your own page. Surgical masks primarily reduce exposure of potential ‘germs from the person wearing them to patients, or in the case of urban practices, to nearby people. For instance, a sneeze with someone wearing a mask greatly reduces the dissemination of droplet bugs. This link from the CDC shows the difference between surgical masks and ANSI/NIOSH N95 masks. https://www.cdc.gov//UnderstandDifferenceInfographic-508.p N95 masks are 95% efficient (not 100%) at filtering certain respirable (.3 microns and larger) particle sizes if they are properly fit tested and properly worn. My experience is these masks tend to move when I speak and also itch me. That makes me want touch my face more often (I think there are some studies that support this) which can bring the virus closer to my nose, mouth or eyes. That’s not a good thing. If you wear one you need to constantly remind yourself not to scratch that itch on your face. But they can be manufactured much faster and easier than other masks so I agree with the PHA recommendations. They still serve a very useful purpose. The half face mask with P100 filters are more comfortable to wear compared to the N95. They are more efficient are particle removal compared to the N95 too. Still not enjoyable compared to wearing no mask, but for me much more tolerable. I’m not going to discuss PAPR which are even better because they have very limited availability, are expensive and require battery packs. Because I wear glasses, I need an exhale valve to prevent my glasses from fogging up. This allows my exhaled air to be directed away from my glasses. Unlike a surgical mask, my exhaled air (because of the exhale valve) is not filtered and may not necessarily prevent an exposure from an airborne virus if I was capable of transmitting the virus. The white N95 shown is an expendable respirator that is not designed to be cleaned. Because they are currently in short supply, after use, I place mine in the sun to allow for natural UV exposure. At least one study assessed UV sanitizing of the N95 (in a lab type setting, not natural light) and concluded The capacity to disinfect and reuse disposable N95 respirators may be needed during a pandemic of an infectious disease that spreads by airborne particles. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation is one possible method for accomplishing this. In our experiments, UVGI had a small effect on filtration performance and essentially no effect on flow resistance at doses up to 950 J/cm2, while the structural integrity of the respirators showed a noticeable decrease at lower doses. The strength of the respirator straps was less affected by UVGI than the strength of the body material. Our results suggest that UVGI could be used to disinfect respirators, although the maximum number of disinfection cycles will be limited by the respirator model and the UVGI dose required to inactivate the pathogen. Here’s the link if you want to learn more: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4699414 In summary, surgical type face masks or even handmade masks can help mitigate or prevent the spread the virus but could offer limited (and possibly no protection) from exposure. And a reminder. Go to OSHA and review the requirements for respiratory protection. Stay safe & Healthy

We hope everyone has a safe, productive Thanksgiving week! We are thankful for all of the wonderful homeowners and business who have and continue to trust us with all of their indoor air quality needs.

Air duct cleaning services for commercial property are a must, yet many property owners are not even aware it should be done. Property owners are typically quite surprised by the amount of debris that is clogging their air ducts. Debris can build up and put extra wear and tear on your HVAC system, and eventually make people sick. Check out our latest blog for more information on commercial air duct cleaning.

A company is only as good as the people that support it. We are lucky to have the best darn duct cleaner in the business. Jeff has been with us for 20 years and is a big part of why we are so good at what we do. With well over 5,200 residential jobs under his belt, and we can’t even guess how many commercial jobs, Jeff has proven that he is the best. Filling his roll as a project manager and trainer he takes pride in every job he does. In twenty years we can only think of once or twice he has called in sick (and one of those we had to make him go home). We are proud to have Jeff as part of our family, keeping us on our toes and always ready to make everyone laugh. Congratulations Jeff, we love you and thank you for everything you do!!!!