In the eighties, there were already robotic devices used for maintaining duct-works. But they only give providers visualization, as just video cameras were built-into them. Nevertheless, through technical breakthroughs, these people started to assume other functions as well. Now they can also do robot duct cleaning jobs, even more effectively compared to human being alternatives.

A primary reason why robotic tools can be more effective at cleaning is they could possibly get in order to places that are hard to achieve. Obviously, a human worker may have a hard time achieving restricted corners and crevices. Even though little cleaning devices may be used, nevertheless you will see a few soil remaining within. On the other hand, robot cleaners are extremely helpful even just in locations which are impossible to reach.

Whilst cleaning has been done, occasionally normal activities both at home and in the office come to a halt. There is however a saying that period is actually gold. A human being cleaner would go to a good starting, washes the section, then techniques to another location one. Every time, the actual cleaning instruments have to be drawn together from section in order to area. This is often really a time consuming task. Robots can work in a considerably faster pace. So regular activities both at home and in the office might soon enough resume.

Not really everything that have to be taken off the actual duct works are visible types, for example soil and muck. Invisible ones will also be essential to be removed, such as viruses, germs, molds, and so on. This stuff can dirty indoor air as well as bring about a number of different medical issues. Included in this are allergic reactions, cancers, as well as respiratory and heart diseases. Often, robotic cleaners even produce a security should these people encounter such pollutants.

For this reason, human being workers are relieved from coming in contact with some severe medical issues. All they have to do is supervise and monitor robots at work from the secure distance. Apart from cleaning tasks, this kind of robots can also create a comprehensive analysis of the duct-works’ conditions within. This particular flexibility prevents people from obtaining hurt within doing the same process.

Who owns the home or a business may cut down on expenses. Because they robotic duct cleaners work much faster, the position could be done inside a snap. This kind of can help reduce labor costs. Similarly, the owner of the cleaning company also benefits through investment and using these robots. Human being staff is used because far through sustaining incidents during the job. This prevents unneeded hospitalization.

Indisputably, robots as brand new duct cleaning tools tend to be advantageous. The home, business as well as cleaning company owners just about all can reap the positive contributions of this kind of. Period, power and cash tend to be looked after. Right now, having cleaner vents and heating or even cooling system is actually fast, effective and secure.

Furnace and Duct Cleaning

1. Cleaning Air Exchangers

Typical servicing of air exchangers in a commercial duct system demands the replacement or cleaning of filtration plus addition ensuring that air getting drawn from the exterior is free from any kind of dirt. With usage, the air exchanger becomes dusty and also greasy. Getting rid of the dirt and grease is best completed with the help of solvents and degreasers.

2. Maintenance of Heat Recovery Ventilator

A heat recovery ventilator is what ensures that the building receives clean air plus a healthier working atmosphere, and it even assists holding fuel bills down to the absolute minimum. Cleaning the heat recovery ventilator should begin by first switching it off and then unplugging the system. Next, replace or thoroughly clean airs filters and perform an inspection on the outdoor intake and exhaust hoods. Follow that through an inspection of the condensate drain as well as examine the heat exchange core. Clean it and do the same to the grilles. A good inspection of the ductwork is necessary, as is servicing of the fans.

3. Clean the Energy Recovery Ventilator

Energy recovery ventilators keep power loss to a bare minimum as well as control the ventilation. When it is operating well, the energy recovery ventilator will decrease operating costs. Nonetheless, the ventilator needs more servicing work compared to some other ventilation systems. Frequent cleanliness is required to avoid bacteria as well as mold from spoiling the heat exchanger areas.

4. Keeping the Economizer Operating

Unless the economizer works to its complete potential it won’t be productive in lowering cooling costs. However, if it fails it will result in energy wastage. Proper maintenance of the economizer isn’t any less important than taking good care of a car. How often the servicing must be completed depends upon duration of use and the operating surroundings. Without any doubt, the more well serviced an economizer is the more efficiently it’s going to operate.

5. Cleaning Commercial Ducts

Many concerns can develop in regard to a commercial duct, including damage and poor airflow. Timely and regular maintenance ensures greater quality of air plus a healthier operating setting. Remember that many of the pollutants aren’t visible, but will nonetheless get circulated, especially if servicing is tardy or infrequent. Damage to the ventilation system can result in serious issues that have to be fixed at the earliest chance. This demands identifying the problem and diagnostic tests with regard to bacteria and fungi. Additionally, it indicates cleaning the duct and coil, as well as the filter systems.

Regardless of whether it is a large or small business building, cafe or shop, proper commercial duct cleaning is very important for all commercial structures.

To help prevent the spread of influenza’s including H1N1 in your home A-1 Ductworks is offering for a limited time a  free fogging of “Benefect” with every booking of our furnace and duct cleaning service or the install of any of our Indoor Air Quality Products. Benefect’s groundbreaking botanical technology is proven to kill over 99.99% of bacteria & surpasses Health Canada’s efficacy requirements for broad spectrum hospital disinfectants.

Have you ever worried about the antimicrobial products that you use? Sure they do the job but are they toxic? Are they suitable for use around children, pets, the chemically-sensitive or the elderly?  Are they environmentally responsible & sustainable? Benefect is a disinfectant and is effective against Swine Flu and all other influenza A viruses, HIV, Herpes, Staph, Salmonella, Mold, etc. and is completely safe for use in any environment.

Tips for preventing the spread of influenza’s in your home, school or office.

What Systems are Available to Sterilize, Capture and or Kill Airborne Flu Viruses?

1. MERV Rated Filters, H.E.P.A.

The Lifebreath Turbulent Flow Precipitator (TFP) In-home Air Cleaner gives the kind of performance needed to maintain excellent Indoor Air Quality.

It removes close to 99.97% (MERV Rating of 17 The Highest)of particles such as pollen, fungus spores, dust, animal dander and dirt; removes some bacteria;
and even removes a large proportion of particles as small as one tenth of a micron – only visible in an electron microscope.
And it does this continuously, day after day, year after year.

2. Germicidal UV Lights

Sanuvox Ultraviolet Air Purifiers will destroy biological & chemical contaminants such as mold, bacteria, spores, viruses, allergens, cigarette smoke,
cooking & pet odors, diesel fumes, VOCs and thousands of other airborne contaminants. Sanuvox UV Purifiers showed:

99% reduction of microbial and endotoxin concentrations
40% reduction in respiratory symptoms

3. Benefect HVAC Fogging

Benefect’s groundbreaking botanical technology is proven to kill over 99.99% of bacteria & surpasses Health Canada’s efficacy requirements for broad spectrum hospital disinfectants.
A simple fogging of your HVAC system will eliminate 99.99% of all bacteria and viruses your HVAC system.

A-1 Ductworks is your local Furnace Duct Cleaning and Indoor Air Quality experts call 780-598-5966 for a free estimate on furnace and duct cleaning or Indoor Air Quality Product installation.  For a Limited time A-1 Ductworks is offering a free Fogging of your HVAC system with every booking of Furnace and Duct Cleaning or the install of a Air Quality Product.

Better Business Bureau warns the public to be cautious about misleading door-to-door heating contractors who may use scare tactics to convince homeowners to buy a new furnace or authorize expensive, but unneeded, repairs to their existing heating system.

“Every fall we see a spike in consumers contacting us about heating contractors showing up door-to-door offering everything from duct cleaning to furnace inspections,” says Lynda Pasacreta, BBB President and CEO.

“While most furnace companies are reputable, competent and fair; con artists may try to frighten you into unnecessary installations or repairs using fear as their main tactic.”

The BBB has received reports of con artists who tried to frighten consumers into purchasing a new heating with warnings that their heating system is leaking dangerous gases that could explode or poison those inside the house.

In another example, earlier this year, the White Rock RCMP reported that several residents had been contacted by a company called “Can Fix It”, a gas inspection service. RCMP alleges that a representative from “Can Fix It” stated that they are designated by the City of White Rock’s “Gas inspections” to do gas line and equipment inspections around the house for a standard fee of $89.

The company had no authorization from the City of White Rock to act on its behalf.

From July to September, BBB received 1339 consumer inquiries for heating contractors in 2009 compared to 272 inquiries from last year.

While this has not resulted in a higher number of complaints in the industry, BBB has noticed consumers reporting that heating contractors are showing up selling door-to-door in BC communities.

Before you choose a heating contractor consider the following tips:

Start with the BBB. You can find out helpful information like, owners, company addresses, and customer service information by visiting the company’s reliability report at: www.mbc.bbb.org

Hire heating contractors who:

• Are licensed with the BC Safety Authority; call 1.866.566 SAFE (7233)

• Are or employ certified gas fitters

• Are bonded and insured for liability and property damage

• Can provide you a copy of the gas permit authorizing the company to work on your heating system

• Offer warranties that cover equipment, materials and labour

• Offer maintenance and service after installation and after warranties have expired

• Provide customer references

Get at least two estimates for the work. All bids should be in writing and should provide a full description of the services to be provided and the materials to be used.

• Compare more that just cost. Check the size and rated efficiency of the equipment each contractor recommends.

Ask each contractor how they arrived at recommending a particular sized system. Check the warranty offered and make certain you understand it.

Report misleading door-to-door sales practices. Consumer Protection BC can help with allegations of misleading door-to-door sales practices. For complaints, contact the Consumer Protection BC at 1.888.564.9963 or go to: www.consumerprotectionbc.ca.

Fort McMurray is lucky to have many heating and air conditioning companies that service the local residents as well as our booming oil industry. Here are a few of the local companies and contact numbers:

Fort mcmurray Plumbing & Heating Ltd
www.fmplumbing.ca (780) 743-2181

Adams Heating
(780) 714-5110

Professional Mechanical Ltd
(780) 743-4877

H & H Plumbing & Heating Ltd
(780) 743-8817

AAA Plumbing Heating Gas Fitting Air Conditioning Refrigeration Ltd
(780) 714-9001

B & K Refrigeration Air Conditioning & Heating Ltd
(780) 790-1474

Alberta Industrial Sheet Metal
(780) 743-2819

Action Imperial Plumbing & Heating
(780) 799-7201

JCS Plumbing & Heating Ltd (FMY)
(780) 598-7261

Alcor Management Inc
www.alcorfacilities.com (780) 743-1343

Here at A-1 Ductworks we are cleaning professionals that have proper knowledge for maintaining your heating and air conditioning systems but if you need repairs or replacements please contact one of the reputable companies from above. If you have excessive dust contact us we are a Fort Mcmurray local company and would be very happy to serve you.

I get asked very often, When is it time to replace my heating system?

My answer comes in the form of questions such as:

1. Is your furnace system more than 10 years old?

If your furnace is more than 10 years old you might want to consider a newer unit for the energy savings alone. Installed correctly, high-efficiency units can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs.

2. Some rooms in your home are too hot or too cold.

Improper equipment operation, duct problems or inadequate insulation could be the cause.

3. Your home has humidity problems.

Poor equipment operation, inadequate equipment, and leaky ductwork can cause the air to be too dry in the winter or too humid in the summer.

4. Your home has excessive dust.

Leaky ducts can pull particles and air from attics, crawl spaces and basements and distribute them throughout your house. Sealing your ducts and having the system professionally duct cleaned may be a solution.

5. Your score on the Home Energy Yardstick is below five.

I hope that these tips help you make your decision to replace or just properly maintain your fort mcmurray heating system this year and keep warm during the upcoming heating season.

That means your energy use at home is above average and you’re probably paying more than you need to on energy bills.

House Dust Mite

Dust Mites are a reality, they live with and feed off the human species. Are dust mites dangerous? well the short answer is yes. Dust mites themselves are not dangerous and do not drink blood like the bed bug but they can cause breathing problems and bring on allergy attacks through there fecal matter. Dust mites do not have stomachs, but the enzymes left behind after feeding are a common cause of asthma and allergic symptoms worldwide.

A typical house dust mite measures only 420 micrometers in length and 250 to 320 micrometers in width. Well not large in size they are large in numbers, a typical mattress can have as many as two million dust mites occupying it’s warm and well nourished frame. The human body losses as much as 1.5 grams of skin per day which enough to feed over a million dust mites.

Male dust mites only live an average of 19 days well the female dust mite can live up to 70 days well laying as many as 200 eggs in the last five weeks of it’s life. Dust mites like the warm and humid area’s, if exposed to temperatures below 20 degrees celsius for any length of time will prove fatal to the dust mite, a relative humidity of 50 or less usually proves fatal also. A quick run through the washer will remove any fecal matter left by the dust mite and a tumble through the dryer for more than ten minutes at greater than 60 degrees celsius will kill any remaining mites.

House dust mite allergens are among the most common triggers of asthma, symptoms include itchiness, sneezing, inflamed eczema, watery eyes, running noses and clogged lungs.

As far as eliminating dust mites by furnace duct cleaning your heating system is concerned, there is no evidence that performing this service will help remove the mites from your home. Yes some dust mites will exsist in the return air system after being blown from room to room by the powerful furnace fan but the real problems lyes in your bedding and furniture.

Using a service like “Bed Doctors” would be a better option at removing the dust mites from the source of the problem, regular cleaning of the bedding and using a powerful vacuum to clean your mattress, furniture and draps would go a long way in eliminating the problems. Companies such as the “Bed Doctors” use ultraviolet light to kill all remaining dust mites after a vacuuming has removed the main population. UV light given enough time will kill 100% of bacteria, molds and other micro-organisms.

You can look at our products page and view the Sanuvox systems that we offer that can be used in the duct system or as a stand alone product placed in any room of the home.

Hope that this helps clear any misconceptions that you have concerning dust mites and Air Duct Cleaning.

A-1 Ductworks is a Furnace Duct Cleaning company located in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada you can contact us at 780-598-5966 for free estimates on improving your indoor air quality.

Usually the systems of SBS are sensory irritation of the eyes, nose, throat; neurotoxic or general health problems; skin irritation; nonspecific hypersensitivity reactions; and odor and taste sensations.

SBS is one of the leading casues of employee’s missing work in North America and costs businesses hundereds of millions per year. Great lengths have been taken to prevent and correct the causes of SBS. What can you do to identify and correct the problems associated with SBS?

1. Pollutant source removal or proper storage of chemicals in your building. Storage of harsh chemicals in the mechical rooms can lead to unwanted fumes and vapors finding their way into the HVAC system.

2. Remove carpeting that has been damaged with water. Carpet that has been through a flood can be filled with molds and should be replaced as soon as possiable.

3. Use paints, adhesives, solvents, and pesticides in well-ventilated areas, and use of these pollutant sources during periods of non-occupancy.

4. Increase the amount of air exchanges in the building. A minimum of 8.4 complete air exchanges per 24 hour period is the reccommended amount by the engineers of The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning.

5. Proper and regular maintence of the HVAC system.

6. Proper cleaning and disenfecting of the air handling system and the attached ducting.

With building getting tighter and not allowing leaks to naturally occur we have to be sure to follow the proper installation of HVAC systems and consider installing air exchangers. Be sure to maintain your HVAC system and periodically clean the entire system.

Contact A-1 Ductworks of Alberta Canada at 780-598-5966 to recieve a free estimate on your Furnace Duct Cleaning http://www.furnacecleaning.info

Can You Find The Furnace Filter?

Your furnace system is the lungs of your home; the air that you breathe is first passed through the furnace system where it can be cleaned, humidified, heated or cooled.

Having a good furnace filter should be a high priority for your furnace system and your health. Furnace filters were originally designed to protect your furnace fans and other components. With increased knowledge of Indoor Air Quality filters were developed to both protect the furnace system and the residents of the home.

Your home is full of airborne contaminants such as:

· Dust on the floors and surfaces that are disturbed by activity in the home.

· Smoking, burning candles lint from laundry and cooking are just a few duct sources

· Hair and skin flakes from humans or pets. Did you know that humans shed an estimated 1.5 pounds per year.

· Pollens and dust that leak into the home through open windows or air intakes.

Dust particles can be so small that they are inhaled and exhaled from your lungs without getting trapped. Some particles are too large to get be inhaled but the dangerous particles are those that are breathed into your lungs and get trapped there. These particles are the ones that can cause respiratory illnesses.

I am sure that you would like to improve your filtration just to keep the visible dust from building up of the surfaces of your home but good filtration is much more important than that. The real risks are health related and come from respirable particles, which include tobacco smoke, spores, bacteria, and viruses.

So the question is what type of filter should you buy? How do you know what is a good filter and what is marketing? Well the answer is simple, ask for the MERV rating.

Most filters are labelled with a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating value, that measure the filters ability to trap air borne particles from a micron size 3.0 – 10.0.

The MERV rating was created by the testing methods of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning (ASHRAE). Residential filters have a MERV rating that ranges between 1-11. The higher the number in the MERV rating the better and more efficient the filters is.

Here are the ratings:

* A MERV rating of 6 means the filter is 35% to 50% minimum efficient at capturing particles, sized 3.0-10.0 microns.

* A MERV rating of 8 means the filter is 70% to 85% minimum efficient at capturing particles, sized 3.0-10.0 microns.

* A MERV rating of 11 means the filter is 85% to 95% minimum efficient at capturing particles, sized 3.0-10.0 microns.

1.

Standard Fibreglass Furnace Filter

The standard fibreglass furnace filter is very inefficient and only has a MERV rating of 1. This filter is not designed to remove much of the airborne particulates but only to protect the furnace fan and components. Smaller particles such as pollen and mold will pass right through.

This filter is very cheap, must be replaced every month during the heating season and every month if you have air conditioning. This filter is very inefficient and if not maintained can cause series damage to your furnace system.

2.

3M pleated Filter

3M has developed a better throw away filter with their pleated disposable. The MERV rating is also much higher with the 3M Filtrete Ultra Allergen filter is rated MERV 11, which is extremely good in any comparison. This high quality comes at a cost of about $25.00 to $30.00 per filter and still has to be replaced every other month.

This filter on a long term basis is very expensive due to the fact that it must be replaced at least every other month during the heating season and cooling season if you have air conditioning. On the plus side this filter is very efficient at removing airborne particles protecting your family from allergy attacks.

3.

Electrostatic Air Filter

Washable “Electrostatic” Filters produce a static charge and better filter media to attract more dust and other airborne particulates. The Electrostic filters are a larger investment initially than buying standard fibreglass filters or the 3M brand pleated media filter but they are washable so the investment will pay off in time. An electrostatic filter is a permanent, cost effective way to significantly improve the quality of your indoor air.

On a long term basis this is the best investment due to the onetime cost of purchasing this filter. No changes to the duct work need to be made for installing this filter type. This filter type like the others can cause damage to your furnace system if not maintained properly. The Electrostatic filter needs to be cleaned every other month in order to stay within proper air resistance ranges. Simply take your filter out and vacuum off the loose dust that is on the surface, next soak the filter in hot soapy water allowing time for the grease and other caked particles to be removed. Rinse the filter with hot clean water and leave out over night to dry.

4.

Pleated Thick Media Filter

Next is the pleated thick media filter. This filter type is excellent and has a high MERV rating of 8 or more. This filter uses a much denser mesh media to trap the airborne particles. The pleats increase the filtering area so that the filter only needs to be replaced one per year. These filters cost anywhere from $300 – $600 installed and you still have to replace the media every year.

This filter type requires changes to the duct work to allow for a six inch spacer between the furnace and the cold air return. This filter type only needs to be replaced once per year and are very efficient. This filter type is not cheap with a large investment during the install and a smaller investment every year with the filter replacement.

As you can see there are many filter choices for the consumer when battling dust and other airborne contaminants. Choosing the right filter comes down to budget, needs and your ability to maintain the filter choice that you make.

A-1 ductworks is a furnace duct cleaning company that specializes in Indoor air Quality in the Fort McMurray, Alberta Canada. Call 780-598-5966 for a free estimate on improving your Indoor Air Quality.

I had advised the customer to contact a sump pump company to first draw all the liquid out of the duct system before I start the cleaning process. Duct cleaning a system with in-floor ducting provides challenges that you do not face when cleaning a suspended ducting system, such as access is only available where ever the heat register is located. In a suspended furnace duct system you can make more access holes as required.

The good side of having a in-floor ducting system is there are fewer air leaks in the system which means stronger suction from the vacuum system. Because we have limited access holes we will use a combination of the Duct Brush system and  the Air Viper system to completely clean the duct system.

The cleaning went as expected and was a success with the system completely cleaned out. To finish the cleaning process when there was a septic backup we have to fog the furnace duct system with Benefect which will kill 99.9% of all germs and bacteria.

The furnace’s were two down flow Engineered Air Systems, I pulled the fans of both furnaces and cleaned the blowers, heat exchangers and the burner assembly. I also sprayed the blowers and blower compartments with Benefect. The customer supplied the filters to be replaced in the system.

With the system completey cleaned and Benefect spray applied the system is ready to be inspected by Health Canada so the customer can continue with the planned renovations.

Main Furnace Duct Cleaning Site