Burton Enterprises - commercial cleaning Charlottesville Burton Enterprises - commercial cleaning Charlottesville Burton Enterprises - commercial cleaning Charlottesville
Burton Enterprises - commercial cleaning Charlottesville Burton Enterprises - commercial cleaning Charlottesville

Rotobrush Air Duct Cleaning
Video Inspection, Fogging of Air Ducts, Dryer and Dryer Vent Cleaning
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  • Indoor Air Quaility
  • 10 Reasons To Have Air Ducts Cleaned
  • 10 Signs of a Quality Air Duct Cleaner
  • Air Duct Facts

Indoor Air Quality Severely Lacking in 97% of Homes

A recent study shows over 97% of homes were found to have lower than acceptable levels of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).*  These findings were recorded based upon over 49,000 individual tests performed over a two year period.

Why is this important?
During each minute the nearly 21 hours we spend indoors each day, we take in between one and two gallons of air.  This air contains not only the oxygen we need to survive, but air pollutant levels that are usually 2 to 5 times higher than outdoors, and can get up to 100 times higher.  These air pollutants include the following:

  • Particle Allergens
  • Chemical Pollutants
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Excessive Temperatures
  • Excess Humidity
  • Carbon Monoxide

 

What problems can poor IAQ cause?
Poor IAQ is one of the top 5 most urgent environmental risks to public health. Despite this fact, many consumers are unaware that it could even potentially be a problem, much less that it can cause problems associated with the following conditions:

  • Asthma
  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Cancer
  • Lead Exposure
  • Birth Defects
  • Neurobehavioral Disorders

 

Does this affect me?
Each year 342,000 lives are lost because of lung disease: 20 million people have allergy problems, and spending on allergy and asthma symptoms stands at over $5 billion per year.  Over 97% of the homes surveyed showed unacceptable levels of at least one type of pollutant.  So, chances are, it is affecting you right now.

What can I do?
While poor IAQ is a significant problem, there are actions each homeowner can take to improve it.  For example, limiting smoking indoors, using exhaust fans while cooking, and properly maintaining your air conditioning and heating systems are all simple steps you can take to improve IAQ. 

One common place where allergens build up in the home is in the duct work of your air/heating systems.  In order to properly maintain these systems, the air ducts should be properly cleaned.  Using advanced cleaning techniques and technology like the Rotobrush aiR+® air duct cleaning system and video inspection, contractors can help reduce pollutants in your home.

 

 





Top 10 Reasons to Have Air Ducts Cleaned

90% of homes have shown indoor air quality issues*, and the EPA ranks indoor air pollution as one of the top 5 health risks. In addition, there are 55 million allergy and asthma sufferers in the U.S. With growing concerns about the air we breathe indoors, more and more homeowners and building managers are looking to make improvements by having air duct cleaning done.

People get their air ducts cleaned for a variety of reasons, including the following:

  1. Installation of a new high efficiency heating and cooling system—you don’t want to blow dirt and debris through new coils
  2. Allergy and/or asthma symptoms are aggravated
  3. Pets dander accumulation
  4. Reduction of interior dust
  5. Ducts and furnace have been inactive for two or more years.
  6. Rodent and other pest infiltration.
  7. Microbial growth inside: mold, fungus, algae, bacteria, etc.
  8. Odors from ducts and/or furnace.
  9. A video inspection shows dirt and debris in ducts
  10. Routine maintenance to improve indoor air quality

10 signs of a Quality Air Duct Cleaner

With increasing allergy and asthma sufferers, and concerns about indoor air quality, homeowners, and building maintenance managers alike, are looking to improve their environments with air duct cleaning. But not all air duct cleaners are alike. How can you tell if a service provider is high quality?

  1. They can provide positive references/testimonials.
  2. They don’t have any complaints with the Better Business Bureau.
  3. They return calls promptly.
  4. They provide a quote upfront and explain the fees.
  5. They offer video inspection.
  6. They have attended a certified training course.
  7. They explain the process they will use, the steps and what you can expect.
  8. They use a method of both agitation and vacuuming at the point of contact.
  9. They appear professional and are respectful of your home and property.
  10. They provide a satisfaction guarantee.

 

 

 

 

 

Air Duct Facts

  • All across our nation, people live, work and learn in indoor environments. On average, people spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, where many pollutant levels are often two to five times higher than outdoors. The EPA and its Science Advisory Board have ranked indoor air pollution among the top five
    environmental risks to public health. (U.S. EPA, 1987; re-concluded U.S. EPA, 1990)

  • "The average 6 room house collect's 40 pounds of dust each year. " (Discover Magazine)

  • "Common harmful molds can be found in air conditioning systems including Aspergillus, penicillium and cladosporium." The Center for Disease Control (CDC)

  • "Typical fiberglass furnace filters are less than 7% efficient " (ASHRAE)

  • "There is no practical means to limit exposure to pollens outdoors. However, at least half of a 24 hour day is spent indoors, and air conditioning with high- efficiency air filtration can markedly decrease indoor exposure. " (Environmental Control Measures for Asthma, Miles Weinberger M.D.; Professor of Pediatrics Director, Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonary Division)

  • "Children are more likely than adults to be affected by polluted indoor air." (Dept. of Consumer Affairs. )

  • "Because new houses are built to a high level of energy efficiency and older homes are being updated, the amount of outside air exchanged with inside air is dropping dramatically in homes throughout the United States. The upside is that you're being energy- efficient. The downside is you're breathing the same air over and over, and allergens do build up in the house. " (Nat'l Jewish Medical and Research Center).


    What Are Dust Mites?

  • Genus: /Dermatophagoides/; Mites are Arachnids (member of the spider family)

  • Species: Dermatophagoides Farinae (DF)- commonly found in North America

  • Size: About 250 to 300 microns (um) in length

  • Adult Mite Lifespan: Up to 3 months; (3 larval stages)

  • Reproduction: Female mites lay about 25- 50 eggs.

  • Habitat: Mites live in carpet, fabric upholstery, mattresses and inside air ducts. (Essentially mites live anywhere, where there is a source of household dust and some humidity)

  • Diet: Human skin scale, animal dander and trace nutrients. Mites need to absorb humidity, they cannot drink water.

  • Allergen: Dust mite fecal matter.

  • Body Color: Translucent

  • Average Threshold before Developing Allergies: 100 mites/gm of dust.

  • Allergic Reactions: asthma, rhinitis

  • Living conditions: Temp. Range: approximately 59 F to 95 F (15 C to 35 C)

  • Relative Humidity Range: approximately 55% to 85%
    * NOTE: The survival of adult dust mites is limited to 4-11 days in relative humidity’s below 50%, however dust mites in the protonymph stage can survive in this dormant larval stage for several months waiting for the right humidity level.

  • Number of People in the United States suffering from Allergies: 50 million and rising.

Burton Enterprises Inc. PO Box 1737 • Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 • 434.242.7200