Glossary of Terms for Duct Cleaning in Freehold

Duct cleaning in Freehold is a topic that many homeowners know nothing about. Most people have never scheduled a duct cleaning for their home. One reason for this is that it’s impossible to see inside of your ductwork so it’s out of sight, out of mind. Plus, you can never know when your ducts are dirty or not. Whether you’ve had duct service before or are just learning about it here, we hope this list of terms helps demystify this home service.

Access Doors

A panel or hatch that needs to be opened in order to gain entry to another portion of a system. In true duct cleaning, all access doors and panels should be opened to service all parts of an HVAC system.

Air Filter

Located in your furnace, an air filter is the first line of defense against contamination of your duct work. This filter should be changed every three months on average in order to reduce contaminants in the air. When you schedule duct cleaning in Freehold, the technician should check and change the air filter when applicable. Some filters are even washable and reusable.

Air Handler

The main piece of equipment that forces air through the cooling system. It includes the blower and air filter. In heating and cooling systems, a furnace takes care of this function.

Air Whip

A type of cleaning tool commonly used to dislodge particles of dust and debris that are attached to the inside of ducts so that the high-powered vacuum can remove it. Duct service technicians use brushes like these to scrub the inside of ductwork.

Blower

Physically circulates air throughout the ductwork and therefore, the home. There is a blower motor that should be included in all duct service and cleaning in order to make sure an HVAC system is functioning efficiently.

Compressor

The part of a cooling system that controls how much pressure is applied to the refrigerant in order to heat or cool the air inside your home. Found in the condenser, the condenser compresses the refrigerant, raising its temperature and turning it into a liquid in order to flow through the system.

Damper

Something used to control the flow of air. Most people are familiar with a damper in a fireplace or wood burning stove, but dampers are also found within ductwork. All dampers should be checked during duct cleaning in Freehold to ensure they are functioning properly.

Ductwork

Ductwork is a system of tubes that travel throughout a building in order to deliver treated air to all parts. Most commonly made of sheet metal, but can also be made in a flexible form or of fiberglass.

Evaporator Coil

Found in the interior portion of a split-system, this coil is where the refrigerant is pulled into and where heat is absorbed. The refrigerant goes from the compressor which turns it into a liquid, the evaporator coil then transforms it into a gas, and then it travels back to the condenser.

Filtered Negative Air Machine

A type of vacuum that duct service companies use in order to eliminate dust and debris from the inside of ducts. Technicians will close off all vents and registers and use the vacuum to suck all the dirt out of the ductwork.

HVAC

The acronym for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.

Plenum

The part of an HVAC system that allows air to be distributed evenly through a building. It connects ductwork to the furnace or air handler.

Registers

A register is a hole in a wall, floor, or ceiling that supplies treated air to a room. They include their own damper systems in order to control air flow in a room.

Vents

A generic term that covers all return and supply registers. Vents are permanent fixtures unlike registers and do not have a damper.

This is Just the Tip of the Duct Cleaning in Freehold Iceberg

Although this is just a small percentage of duct cleaning vocabulary, we hope it helped to introduce the service to those who didn’t know anything about it. No matter what, if you decide to hire a company to perform duct cleaning in Freehold, be sure to do your research. Don’t fall for scams, and refer to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association for more information. The EPA also has a very informative page regarding duct servicing and is a great resource for homeowners.

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