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Author: Amistee Air Duct Cleaning and Insulation

Mold In Your Ductwork – Air Duct Cleaning Livonia MI

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Many people wonder if their ductwork has mold inside of it.  This is a tricky questions because there is not a “golden” answer.  Ductwork is made out of metal which is non porous and mold can not “technically” grow on the metal itself.  If a duct system is dirty and contains layers of contaminants then mold could potentially grow on the debris inside of the ductwork.  You can see from the picture below that there is a significant amount of debris for mold spores to adhere to.

Proper cleaning of an air duct system and its vents can help reduce the amount of particulate coming out of the duct system and into your breathable living space.  Amistee Air Duct Cleaning specializes in whole house air duct cleaning.  If you are having a problem with indoor air quality or think you may have mildew or mold inside of your ductwork, get the cleaning done properly and do not waste your money with a company that could potentially make your problem worse.  Check with your local BBB and make sure the potential company is a member of NADCA.

Commercial Air Duct Cleaning – Commercial Duct Cleaners in MI

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Commercial air duct cleaning contractors are not the same as residential air duct cleaners.  It takes a special type of company to be able to properly clean hospital, schools and government buildings.  At Amistee Air Duct Cleaning we have a CVI (Commercial Ventilation Inspector) on staff and on every commercial job to make sure the cleanings are done right, the first time.  We specialize in large scale facilities air duct cleaning from start to finish.  There is a reason why dozens of school districts air duct cleaning , hospitals air duct cleaning and other large facilities air duct cleaning is performed by Amistee.    Call Amistee today to have your buildings system inspected to receive a diagnostic quote of what needs to be done to properly clean your system.  Amistee’s commercial service division will travel 1500 miles from its headquarters in Novi Michigan to service its commercial air duct cleaning clients.

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Amistee Commercial Duct Cleaning in Troy MI

Amistee and The National Air Duct Cleaners Association – NADCA – Rochester MI Air Duct Cleaning

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Amistee Air Duct Cleaning has been a member of NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association) for many years.  Its owners and employees have always had an active role in attending its conventions and technical trainings including the most recent 2012 expo.  Being a member of NADCA has always helped better the cleaning methods that Amistee uses in Michigan by continued education.  Would you get heart surgery from a doctor that is still using the same practices from the 80’s?  The same is true for the service industry.  New practices and techniques require training and great equipment.   When air duct cleaning is done correctly, it can have a positive effect on you and your families life.  If you are thinking about cleaning the air ducts or vents inside of your home in Michigan, make sure to check with NADCA at www.nadca.com to find an accredited company.

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Some local Michigan air duct cleaning companies are using the NADCA logo but are not even members. Unfortunately it is up to you the consumer to do your research and hire a qualified company that will not take advantage of you.  Amistee Air Duct Cleaning in Novi MI is a member of NADCA and is State Licensed to provide you with the highest quality service.  Call Amistee Duct Cleaning at 877-349-8877 or submit an online request and a service representative will contact you shortly.

Dexter Michigan Tornadoes – Insulation Removal in Michigan

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Amistee Air Duct Cleaning and Insulation has traveled to dozens of disasters both in state and out of state.  Amistee Air Duct Cleaning went to New York to help with the clean up process in many county buildings by cleaning the HVAC systems and ductwork.  The most recent and current project is the Dexter Michigan tornadoes which touched town on an unusually warm March 15th evening.  This storm ripped through the town tearing houses to pieces and leaving attic spaces exposed to rain.

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Amistee Insulation has gone to the area to help with the drying out process which starts with removing wet/damaged insulation.  Amistee has already removed the insulation out of dozens of homes and the work is just beginning for this small town.  Our hearts go out to all of the displaced homeowners and families.

Smell Coming From Ducts – Michigan Vent Cleaning

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Do you have a smell coming from your ductwork?  It is not that uncommon to have animals get into the duct system and get lost or trapped.  When living in Michigan the wildlife is always looking to stay warm, migrate, breed making your home a great place to try and make THEIR home.  You will not know when they are trapped but you sure will know once that have died because of the smell.  Recently a customer located in Troy Michigan called Amistee Air Duct Cleaning complaining of a “weird smell” coming from the ductwork.  Upon arrive we found a dead squirrel in the ductwork by the filter box/furnace.  This obviously would create a pungent odor.  After a full system cleaning the homeowner was back to living their normal life smell free.

 

Does Air Duct Cleaning Eliminate Dust? – Duct Cleaning Metro Detroit

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Does duct cleaning solve your dust problem?  Will you never have to dust your indoor living space after getting your ducts cleaned?  This seems like it would be a very simple answer but it is more complex than you may think.  There are local and national air duct cleaning companies “claiming” that if they use their service you will NEVER have to dust again.  Think again.  After having Amistee Air Duct Cleaning clean your duct system we can drastically reduce your indoor dust but we never like to say we can eliminate your dust.  This would be a false and uneducated statement if we said we could eliminate your dust problem.

We have found that the duct system can contribute to more than 70% of the indoor dust.   If you take a moment and think of indoor dust logically it makes more sense.  If your ductwork is loaded with debris (construction dust or a buildup over years) than this will probably be blowing into your home.  It is probably a good idea to get the ducts cleaned.  This is a great way to reduce the amount of dust.  We have some customers that say after we clean their home they instantly saw a reduction in the amount of household dust.

What is household dust?  Dust is made up of many things in a home.  Here is a list of possible sources of dust for you to consider.

  • Dirty Ductwork
  • Pet Dander or Hair
  • Old Carpet That Is Breaking Down
  • Skin Cells From Dry Skin (Think about adding a humidifier in your home)
  • Outdoor Air (Many people open windows and call it “fresh air” but is it really FRESH??)
  • Dirt Roads
  • Construction Sites
  • Disconnected Dryer Vent Pipe
  • Folding Clothes That Have Been Washed
  • Toilet Paper (When you rip it fibers become air born)
  • Any Indoor Remodeling Project
  • Clean Up Clutter

If you do choose to get your air ducts cleaned to help with a dust problem it MUST be done correctly in order to provide you with any results.  The entire duct system must be cleaned, not a portion, not half, not just the vent but ALL the ducts.

Fiberglass Attic Insulation – Michigan Insulation Contractor

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Saving money from attic insulation is the real deal.  When you increase your attics R-Value (resistance to hot or cold) you are directly impacting the amount of gas your furnace uses.  This will impact how much money you spend on your heating bills every month.  The current code for attic insulation in Michigan is R-49 which is 17.5 inches of fiberglass insulation.  Only 5-10% of Michigan homes have this amount in their attics.

Until March 31st 2012 Consumers Energy of Michigan is offering a $300 rebate check to anyone who upgrades their insulation to R-49.   Call Amistee Insulation at 877-349-8877 for a free estimate and have an attic specialist come to your home and explain what you have and what you need for free!

 

How To Install a Furnace Filter – Duct Cleaning in MI

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After cleaning an air duct system it is very important to maintain the filtration system of your heating and cooling unit (furnace).  At Amistee we always recommend replacing and “starting fresh” after any duct cleaning .  Part of maintaining the filtration system is installing the air filter correctly.  We see time and time again homeowners installing their air filter the improper way or inserting the filter backwards.  Here are some simple tips for you to maintain a healthy duct system.

  • Clean your air ducts once every 3-5 years as recommended by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association.
  • Change your furnace filter on a regular basis, some filters are 30 days (mostly the 1 inch filters) and some are 6-12 months (mostly the 5 inch filters)
  • Make sure the filter is “tight” in the housing forcing the air to go through the filter and not around the filter through any gaps.
  • Insert the filter with the arrow pointing TOWARDS the furnace.  The arrow always goes with the airflow.  An easy way to remember this is to keep in mind the furnace is sucking air in (air flow going into furnace) and pushing air out.  If you can not remember this use a marker to put an arrow on your ductwork.
One Inch Filter

Call Amistee Air Duct Cleaning in Michigan today for a free estimate or for help improving your indoor air quality.  877-349-8877

How Long Does Air Duct Cleaning Take? Michigan Duct Cleaning

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Many people wonder how long air duct cleaning should take.  This depends on a number of factors such as the size of your home, accessibility of the ductwork, equipment of the company you hire and the experience of the technicians.  In Michigan the average sized home is roughly 1800 sq feet containing one furnace.  This size home (if cleaned by Amistee) should take roughly 2-3 hours to clean with two technicians.  It is important to know that if you hire Amistee to clean your ductwork, you will get the best equipment and highest trained employees.  We offer a real guarantee on all the work we do.  It is simple,  we care.

Duct cleaning is an industry where scams unfortunately are everywhere.  Companies may say they are using powerful equipment but are they using a vacuum truck?  Inferior equipment such as a shop vac or portable equipment mounted in a trailer or van may add to the cleaning time.  Training is key to the proper cleaning.  At Amistee we are serious about air duct cleaning and that is why training and experience are crucial.  If you hire a company that does not have the proper training this may also add to the cleaning time.

Air Duct Cleaning in Michigan and NADCA

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Air Duct Cleaning is a large breeding ground for companies who take advantage of homeowners both young and old.  It is an industry where you can not really see what has been done, or can you?  As a homeowner you own the ducts and it is YOUR home,  so you deserve to see what is being done or not done when you hire a contractor.  At Amistee we will show you before and after pictures of your ductwork.  This will prove to you what we have done.  We will invite you into the work area and show you exactly what was done and provide you with any recommendations.  We will show you pictures of any area of your duct system, not just one if you wish.

The National Air Duct Cleaners Association is a nonprofit trade association dedicated to setting standards and guidelines within the air duct cleaning industry.  When a system is maintained properly, most homes duct systems only need cleaning every 3-5 years.  If you decide that it is time to hire a contractor, RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH.

Once you find a contractor make sure that they are going to clean the entire heating and cooling system.  This is not just the visible ducts,  this is ALL of the components which is from each register back through the furnace.  Many companies do not touch/clean the furnace.  They will also only clean a portion of the ducts.  Please, if you are going to spend any amount of money make sure it is done properly and by a reputable company.