Mr. Duct's Checklist for a Trusted Air Duct Cleaning Company
Find a Reliable Air Duct Cleaning Company
Pre-Cleaning Requirements
- Can the Company Show Proof of Membership and Certification with the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA)?
- Will the contractor conduct a thorough inspection of your system prior to performing any work and alert you to any problems. (This is required by the NADCA ACR Standard.)
- Is the HVAC system fully operational prior to the cleaning?
Cleaning Process Requirements
- Clean Supply Ductwork
- Clean Return Ductwork
- For Metal Ductwork: Are interior ductwork surfaces free of visible debris (Select several sites at random in both the return and the supply sides of the system.)
- For Fiberglass, or Fiber-lined, Ductwork or Ductboard: Is all the fiberglass or lining material in good condition (i.e., free of tears and abrasions; well adhered to the interior of the duct?)
- Remove, Clean, and Reset:
- Clean Supply Ductwork
- Clean Return Ductwork
- Q: Are the registers, grilles, and diffusers visibly clean?
- Q: Are the registers, grilles, and diffusers properly reset?
- Access and Clean:
- Supply Air Plenum
- Return Air Plenum
- Q: Is the supply plenum (directly downstream of the air handling unit) free of moisture stains and contaminants?
- Q: Is the return air plenum free of visible dust and debris?
- Install Access Panels As Needed
- Q: Are access panels properly sealed according to the NADCA ACR Standard?
- Clean Airstream Side of The Heat Exchanger
- Clean Secondary Heat Exchanger
- Q: Was proper access made to the heat exchanger?
- Remove, Clean, and Reinstall:
- Blower Motor, Housing, and Assembly
- Q: Are the blower blades clean and free of oil and debris?
- Q: Is the blower compartment free of visible dust and debris?
- Clean Evaporator Coil, Drain and Pan *
- Q: Which Method Was Used?
- Type 1: Contact vacuum, brush, or air wash
- Type 2: Use coil cleaning chemicals and water
- Q: Are both sides of the cooling coil visibly clean?
- Q: If you point a flashlight into the cooling coil, does light shine through? It should if the coil is clean.
- Q: Are the coil fins straight and evenly spaces (as opposed to being bent over and smashed together).
- Q: Is the coil drain pan clean and draining properly?
- * Please note that the cleaning of the cooling coils is required by the NADCA Standard - Assessment, Cleaning & Restoration of HVAC Systems (ACR). However, some state regulations specify that only licensed HVAC mechanical contractors may clean cooling coils. Be certain to ask your NADCA member company representative if his/her company will clean coils of your HVAC system, and by which method.
- Replace Air Filter
- Q: Do filters fit properly and are they the proper efficiency as recommended by the HVAC system manufacturer?
- Wash Air Cleaner
Post-Cleaning Maintenance
Will the contractor conduct a thorough inspection of your system after performing any work and alert you to any problems. (This is required by the NADCA ACR Standard.)
Is the HVAC system fully operational after the cleaning?
Download the printable version of the Residential Cleaning Evaluation Checklist (PDF)