Tag Archive for: air quality indoors

Certified air duct cleaning matters

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What is NADCA?

NADCA is the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. It is the professional organization for companies engaged in the inspection, cleaning, and restoration of HVAC systems. It provides advocacy, education, certification, standards, and marketing for its members. It maintains an anti-fraud division to uncover and root out both those who falsely claim to be HVAC technicians or vent cleaners, and those vent cleaners who are only pretending to do work.

Why Is That Important?

When done correctly and thoroughly, cleaning and maintaining your HVAC system can be beneficial to your health and to the efficiency of your system. However, there are a lot of scammers who will pretend to do something and leave your system in a mess, or even damage it. When you think about choosing an air vent cleaning company, it is important to find one that is conscientious. But if you are like most people, this is not an area in which you have a lot of experience. How do you find a good provider of cleaning services? That is where NADCA comes in.

Members of NADCA are required to agree with and adhere to professional standards and ethics. Companies that are members of NADCA are required to have at least one NADCA certified Air Systems Cleaning Specialist (someone who has passed the NADCA Certification Examination) on staff, to maintain liability insurance, and to agree to clean according to NADCA standards and comply with the NADCA Code of Ethics.

The Code of Ethics includes requirements such as being honest and forthright in advertising, providing only necessary and desired services to their customer and not trying to sell them unnecessary services, staying up to date with equipment and training, and doing thorough work.

The United States Department of Labor’s Division of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS) recommends using NADCA-certified HVAC professionals.

How Do I Find A Certified Company?

The best way to find out if the vent cleaning agency you are considering is a member of NADCA is to go to their website and use the “Find A Professional” tool. Current members in good standing within a particular distance of your search will be listed.

Alpine Specialty Cleaning is NADCA certified and qualified to provide you with excellent care for your HVAC system.

The Dangers of Residual Animal Urine in Carpets

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If you have ever had a puppy, then you understand that housebreaking can certainly take some time and work. Unfortunately, animals can and will have accidents on floors from time to time, but it is essential that you clean the urine from your carpets immediately in order to avoid some potentially serious effects on your health. Below, you can discover some of the potential damage that animal urine in carpets can cause.

#1 – The Ammonia Odor

The most noticeable effect of animal urine in carpets is the strong smell of ammonia. Although all urine contains some amount of ammonia, it is especially concentrated in cat urine. What’s more, once a pet urinates on the carpet, if it is not cleaned thoroughly – and immediately – the water in the urine evaporates, leaving behind even more concentrated ammonia. This can have a tremendous negative effect on people who have COPD, asthma, or emphysema, and it may even cause allergies.

#2 – The Growth of Bacteria and Other Microorganisms

Most of the bacteria that grows in old pet stains is not particularly dangerous to anyone who has a healthy immune system, but it can become quite bothersome. In otherwise healthy people, the bacteria and microorganisms found in old urine stains may cause sinusitis, watery eyes, allergies, and inflammation of the airways. However, in people who have compromised immune systems, such as very young children, the elderly, or people with immune systems weakened by illness or medication, these bacteria can cause significant health issues.

#3 – The Potential for Dangerous Mold

Although one or two accidents that are cleaned up quickly and efficiently are often not a reason for concern, repeated pet stains or urine that is not immediately and thoroughly cleaned can soak through your carpet into the padding below. The components of the urine attract moisture, and over time, several varieties of mold can begin to grow underneath your carpet. Some of these mold varieties, like penicillium, can cause respiratory symptoms, and a few, such as aspergillus, can cause long-term lung conditions with prolonged exposure.

#4 – The Expense of Replacing a Rotting Subfloor

Finally, it is important to consider the financial expense that animal urine can create. Your carpet padding likely sits directly on your subfloor, which is generally made of wood. Over time, the urine soaks through your carpet and the padding below, and into the subfloor. With repeated pet accidents, the wood becomes more and more saturated and may even begin to rot. As such, it may be necessary to completely remove your carpeting and replace sections of your subfloor in order to combat structural damage to your floors.

Although pets are an important part of millions of lives, cleaning up after them is a responsibility that should never be neglected. Over time, animal urine can cause allergy-like symptoms, strong odors, mold growth, and even structural damage to your home. Aside from immediately cleaning up after your pet, it is important to contact http://www.alpineclean.com at least twice per year to not only clean your carpets, but also evaluate your risks.  You can also TEXT us at 206-339-5684 for more information on pet urine!

Why does my house stink?

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The title of this post is a question we are regularly asked. Quite frequently the answer to pic dust pollen moldthe question actually lies underneath of the home. Something many people don’t realize is that approximately fifty percent of the air you breathe on the main floor of your house comes from the crawlspace. This is because of something known as stack effect (a great picture and explanation is available here), which basically means that as the heated air in your home rises and escapes, a vacuum is created that sucks cold air through the crawlspace. (It can also contribute to cold floor syndrome.) As that air circulates into your living area, any odors from rodents, moisture or garbage below could be to blame for your house’s unpleasant aroma.

pic ratAnother source of a home’s bad odor can be the result of crawlspace pest infiltration. Once inside the space, rodents love to nest and tunnel through the home’s insulation. Not only do they destroy the insulation’s R-value by compressing it, but they also soak it in waste creating a very strong odor. If you look underneath your home and see droppings on the vapor barrier, it is a good indicator of infestation and a very likely source of malodor. Removing the soiled insulation and sanitizing the space as part of a crawlspace cleaning job would greatly improve the home’s scent. It should also be noted that rodents sometimes carry dangerous diseases like Hantavirus and King County Public Health Department has indicated that exposure to rodent waste can trigger asthma attacks. If your crawlspace needs cleaning, confirm that the professionals you hire can do the job in a safe and sanitary manner and ensure that they offer rodent exclusion to prevent the rodents from returning to your newly cleaned crawlspace.

In a previous post about insulating for warmth, we explained how most crawlspaces in the Pacific Northwest are vented to the outside of the home. The purpose of the vents is to move air in and out of the crawlspace, however temperature fluctuations can create moisture causing mold, fungus, and other toxins to grow, none of which contributes to a great smell indoors. The moisture can also be particularly problematic for people with mold allergies.

Finally, garbage and debris are often found in crawlspaces and are leftover from the structure’s original construction. This is problematic because it can collect mold and fungus creating its own aromas. Further, garbage and debris are attractive to rodents and wood destroying insects.

Obviously, not all odorous homes can look to the crawl space as the source of the problem. Our homes become unclean from daily activities like cooking, bathing, breathing, washing clothes, pets, trash, and bringing in toxins from outdoors (read about how your shoes could be making you sick in this post). Without regular cleaning and proper ventilation, your home is likely to be a honk. Regularly airing out your home as part of your cleaning routine can help get rid of stale air. Some green cleaning tips for common household smells is available on This Old House.