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| Duct Cleaning – Ducts
are Ducts… Or Are They? When an innocent project can potentially turn into a legal nightmare!
By: Nicholas Martello, CIE#01468 Who should ‘Really’ Perform Duct Cleaning? We live within a ‘free’ enterprise system and everyone has the right to earn an honest living… but are they really being honest? Do you know what a ‘Sanitizer’ is? I posed that question to 10 people and not one knew… in fact, most thought it was an air freshener or disinfectant of some kind. When I showed them the U.S. EPA’s definition that a Sanitizer was a Pesticide, they looked as if they had seen a ghost! While almost all of the Duct Cleaning Ads that we receive display catchy wording and phrases about; Indoor Air Quality, Sanitizing Available and EPA Approved Sanitizer, you will also find the BBB (Better Business Bureau) logo and even licensed/insured statements, but not one Ad (in over a dozen reviewed) showed any NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaning Association) certification, logo or mention. Also, not one Ad recommended or suggested an indoor air quality inspection or thorough HVAC inspection prior to doing the work. They did not state that a Sanitizer is a Pesticide, or mention that they would supply a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) to show the product’s content and if it could pose any health concerns. They do not offer information to show you how the product will be used nor offer a “Customer Consent Form” to be signed. That would be too honest and perhaps… too revealing! Their carefully selected and crafted wording did imply: Clean Air, Fresh Air, Have a Healthy House Environment, etc., and many innocent people will continue to be fooled into believing that these companies can simply clean out their HVAC-Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning system and ducts, use a sanitizer (pesticide that may not even be EPA registered for HVAC application) and they’ll immediately be able to live in a cleaner and healthier home! We live in a Fast-Food mentality society… by that I mean… “We want it now, and we want it cheap!” Few (if any) average American residents will choose to invest the necessary money for an Indoor Air Quality Inspection ($250 - $350 for an average home). They may have allergies, asthma, constant nasal congestion, musty odors, moisture, mold or mildew problems and believe that a thorough duct cleaning will eliminate these problems, because the advertisement implied it! And don’t forget that they also received the added Discount Coupon.
I live in a 75-unit condo complex and our Board of Managers “established” that it was “required” to have ALL of our ducts cleaned. I objected on several grounds. I’m a CIE (Certified Indoor Environmentalist) and wanted to know: 1. Who was going to perform the work? 2. What plan and/or standards of practice did they present? 3. What products (if any) were they going to use? When the manager showed me the colorful glossy Ad-sheet and two (very used late 1990s) copies of newspaper/magazine articles, I recommended that they STOP! I suggested that they first and foremost check the company’s credentials; after all, we’re talking about the indoor air quality of 75 residential units, which are mostly comprised of unsuspecting and very trusting senior citizens. Also the Ad showed; “EPA Approved Sanitizer.” I asked the manager if he knew what a sanitizer was? He said, “Not really, it’s a cleaner of some sort I suppose?” I said, “No, it’s a pesticide and the EPA does not endorse or approve any product as this Ad implies. The EPA reviews and monitors a product’s laboratory research results and labeling content to insure that it conforms to the strict compliance laws and regulations for registration purposes only.” Finally I noticed that the company was going to use a “Duct Whip” for the cleaning job. (Note: all of (our) duct systems are located on the inside of our floor/ceiling cavities, which make them virtually non-accessible and non-exposed, unless you cut a hole in the ceiling). I then asked “how were they going to thoroughly inspect each unit’s duct system for any cracks or separations, because the ‘Duct Whip’ produces an 85 to 100 mph whipping wind, and could easily spread dust, debris and/or contaminants into our ceiling, wall and floor cavities. The manager said, “So what’s the big deal? Besides, ducts are ducts and they all need to be cleaned!” I said, “No, all ducts are not all the same!” Dryer ducts (should) always vent directly to the outside of the property. Dryer ducts pose a potential fire hazard and need to be checked at least once a year, and if needed, they should be cleaned. This is especially important in larger multi-family residential complexes such as ours. HVAC ducts carry the air we breathe throughout the inside of the property. If any contamination is present or pesticides (sanitizers) used, they can travel immediately into our indoor breathing air space through these ducts. Ducts are not all the same! Last and most importantly, I mentioned that we have visible ‘suspect’ mold and moisture deposits within our building. We needed to have these suspect areas inspected in order to establish the identity and quantity present before any form of cleaning project should begin. To decide to forego any inspection could potentially change the entire legal liability for the Board of Managers and the Association’s Corporation. Anytime there is visible and/or ‘suspect’ mold or moisture deposits within a residential property, it is strongly recommended to inspect and identify not only ‘what’ is present, but also ‘what’ has caused it to occur. Once these issues have been identified, you can knowledgeably decide on the proper plan of action. If not, then any legal liability will quickly and surely include all parties involved. I highly recommend: Know Before You Go! Do not simply clean the ducts because it’s quick and profitable… and as our manager said, “What’s the big deal, everyone is doing it?” Well, in reality, just because “everyone” is doing something does not make it right! Do a thorough visual inspection of the system and the immediate surrounding area first. If you find anything that is present or suspect, recommend that it be professionally inspected. Recommend the use of a certified Indoor Air Quality professional to assist in performing these inspections. If the customer refuses to have this recommended procedure performed, then you should provide them with a [disclaimer form] to sign. By providing this form and having the customer sign it, you have greatly lowered your liability risk and exposure by your documentation. Legal liabilities are quickly escalating in our country, and they are positively including any and all parties involved with indoor air quality issues. Yes, that means it will include the well-intentioned duct-cleaning company too! Health and Safety issues must become the first concern for all HVAC professionals and, NADCA certification provides not only the essential training, but also the Standards of Practice to insure that a proper plan of action is followed prior to, during and after the duct-cleaning project. Just a side note: In our condominium complex, we have visible suspect mold, except, it has now been positively identified by a Certified Microbiological Lab as; Stachybotrys chartarum “Black Mold” and it is [unfortunately] present in high concentration. The non-NADCA certified duct-cleaning company was personally called and it was thoroughly explained regarding legal liability and the importance of implementing Standards of Practice. They are now in a high-risk position and can become implicated in the “lawsuit” that is underway! Remember; forewarned is forearmed! Decrease Your Liability: Know Before You Go… it’s the end of 2003 and soon to be 2004… the inspection technology is readily available, use it! Today, certain labs are capable of providing DNA identification of specific mold species and bacteria. Yes, we’ve come a long way and there’s always more to go, so do it right and use the best technology available. We may be a Fast-Food society, but we most certainly have high-tech capabilities!
Any questions or comments can be sent to: info@iaqms.com. |
