3 Tips on how to find a great commercial cleaning company

Finding a commercial cleaning company is not a hard job. However, hiring a good commercial cleaning company that is high quality, reliable and reasonable priced won’t be an easy task. Here are some tips that would help you to identify if you are in great hands.

Check the References

Yes, old fashion way still works. By picking up your phone and call the companies who have hired them before is the most effective way to find out how good they were. However, in nowadays everything could be made up, their references might be a friend of theirs pretend to be a manager of some company and going to say a lot of great words to you and make you believe they are doing a good job even they are not. How to avoid that? It’s easy, the solution is when you calling the reference, don’t call the number they gave you. Put the reference’s company name in Google, and find out their website, and call their business land line and ask to speak to the reference person. In that way, it’s nearly impossible to fake a reference.

Ask for Free Trial Service

Many great cleaning companies provide a free trial service. Like Eco Commercial Cleaning in Brisbane, they provide a totally free service for maximum of 2 hours. When you call their booking centre, the operator actually offers the free trial service on the greetings. You book a time, the cleaners will come and give your office a really good clean and they just left. Yes, they won’t even ask one question they just leave all the decision power totally to you. You like them; you will definitely call them again and arrange a regular cleaning. If you don’t like their service they don’t want to push or beg you to hire them. I think a good office cleaning company should have this kind of confident. As they know you don’t have time to mark around, you need to find a stable and high quality cleaning company, and here they are to show you what they have got. However, be careful when you acquiring free trial service, many companies provide free trial service, but on a condition. For example you have to decide to hire them before you can have the free trial. Just ask them if their free trial service got any condition attached to it.

Cleaning Plan

After you had a few quotes from a few different companies, you have checked their references; their prices are on the same level. Now, which company you should go ahead with? Ask one simple question, let them provide and explain the cleaning plan. A good cleaning company should have their cleaning plan ready when they give you the price, because different plan of cleaning can and will effect cleaning time entirely. We once had a cleaning company quote twice as expensive as the other one. We were trying to find out how come the price was so different. So we asked them to provide the cleaning plan, and found out two companies are charging a similar hourly rate, however, the lower priced company planed the cleaning process very carefully and smartly, and they have maximized their work efficiency, so that saved them nearly 50% of the time, so they their pricing became so competitive but still has a healthy profit margin in it.

With the above insider tips, you now can find or identify whether a cleaning company is good or bad much more easily. It’s never too late to change your current contractor who can give you a health and affordable working environment.

Dryer Vent Fires and Regular Maintenance

Dryer vent fires have been ranked the top cause of household fire accidents in the United States, outdoing chimney fires. Dryer vents are among the hidden stuff that people often ignore when it comes to cleaning and maintaining appliances around the home. It is important to clean the lint trap at least once every dry cycle and even more if you dry a lot of clothes on any given day. This is the only way to avoid costly maintenance repairs as well as preventing fire accidents. Additionally, it is a way to ensure your appliances last long. Air flow is limited, your drier works more difficult and the motor over heats. With excessive heat on the lint, your drier becomes a right candidate for a drier fire which will spread to the house fast.


Dryer Care and Assessment Tips

• First of all it is important to ensure that the lint trap is not ripped at all and it should be cleaned in advance of each drying cycle. In any case if you notice that the lint trap is wet it means the dryer vents are clogged and must therefore be stopped and cleaned by a professional. The lint screen is another term for lint trap and requires cleaning at least once on the day you are drying clothes.
• It is important to carry out external visual inspection of the dryer exhaust vent while the dryer is working. You should see the flaps moving and feel the air flow. If the dryer has no airflow or the flaps are not moving, then it is time to have the dryer exhaust cleaned. If installed correctly, the exhaust vent is found outdoors.
• Conduct a lint inspection. Scrutinize around your drier for lint on the ground. It is a warning signal that the dryer exhaust should be cleaned. If the lint is damp in your lint trap, it could imply that it's time for you to clear your dryer ducts.
• If at any time the clothes call for many drying cycles, you basically have to work on the dryer exhaust.
• Finally, clothes soaked n flammable fabric conditioners or detergents must never be dried on a drier, because it can trigger an explosive scenario in your drier.

 Dryer Vent Repairs

Medically, prevention is better than cure and the saying applies here as well. It is cheaper to maintain your dryer than to buy a new home after a fire accident. The best way to have the dryer vent cleaned is to seek professional personnel. Generally, they are called duct cleaners and they are skilled and will ensure your system is running smoothly and efficiently. Although you can do it the cleaning, it is important to call an experienced dryer mechanic. A few of the fixes which could be desired might contain: repairing or altering the dryer vent exhaust ductwork, including the altering a port hood, clean-up in the furthest part of the run, beginning from where the duct leaves the clothes dryer and on towards the exterior wall. We are prepared to tear into the wall or ceiling to fix a clogged duct, or one that's come free. We will do whatever it takes to keep you and your family safe.

It's important to remember tha in order to avoid dryer vent fires in your house, get your dryer exhaust cleaned once annually. If you reside in a condo complex be sure that your property manager understands the need for drier vent cleaning and maintenance. Apartment owners also needs to make clothes dryer vent cleaning within their units a top priority to keep their tennants safe.

What To Do When Buying a Furnace and Air Conditioner

Heating and air conditioning is the new technology, which involves indoor and also automotive comfort in any given environment. The two machines are designed to be used in various many places, the two are inventions based on physics. The heating and air conditioning industry is growing and has become a worldwide enterprise, with many functions such as the system design, construction and also researching. There are tips on how to buy a furnace and air conditioner.

The heating and air conditioning contractors have many air conditioning systems; therefore, it is of importance to get the right size. Getting a system with low tonnage uses too much electricity, while one with high tonnage makes the room become clammy. In terms of heating, buying a too large makes one pay more as well as there involves too much of wearing out. Buying a furnace and air conditioning also involves selecting the right company for both these goods and also choosing the right equipment with the most effective ratings and features so as to meet all the needs.

Comparing the prices between various different providers of this equipment makes it possible to know whether to buy the furnace and air conditioner or not. Knowing the efficiency rebate available makes it easier for one to be able to specify on the ratings that are required. Making sure that the ductwork is properly examined and repaired, this is to allow the systems to work appropriately once installed.

The ratings of all the equipment is given; hence paying attention of these ratings saves much more money since less money is used to maintain them. There are many types of models in the markets; therefore, one should consider buying a furnace and air conditioning of the latest models that has many features, is the right size and of your preferred rating. Ensuring annual maintenance is of prudence, reason being prevention of repair bills and also enhancing safeness in such an area. Installation of the systems should be done in a recommendable manner, so as to avoid unhealthy conditions.

Additional Resources:
CleanMyFurnace - 5 Things Every Homeowner Should Know About Their Furnace
 

BuyingAFurnace.com - Buy Home Furnace

4 Reasons to Call a Furnace Repair Company

Keeping your home warm during the winter is not just a matter of comfort. In areas where the temperatures can fall well below freezing, your furnace keeps the building warm enough to keep water pipes from freezing and bursting. With the importance of your furnace, you should always have a licensed professional furnace repair and installation company do the majority of your work. There are a number of reasons that you will want to call in furnace repair and installation professionals.

1. Furnace Maintenance: Routine maintenance is essential to the efficient operation of your home's furnace. Efficient systems save you money because they do not have to run as long to keep the building warm. This saves money and places less strain on your furnace. Maintenance is more than simply changing out filters. A full system check should be performed annually. Furnace cleaning and an overall system check should include all electrical systems, motors, blowers, vents and fuel lines. These annual tune-ups should be done prior to the colder weather. This provides you plenty of time to assess your home's heating system and decide if repairs or replacement is needed. Furnace repair professionals can go over the entire system, from furnace to duct work, to find any potential problems.
2. Furnace Repair: Sometimes maintenance is not enough and a system breaks down. It is times like this that you will be glad that you have built a relationship with your furnace repair professionals. Most people do not have the skills or training to properly troubleshoot a furnace. If you are using a gas furnace, your lack of knowledge may do more than cost you extra time. Faulty repairs to gas furnaces could result in fire or worse. Many home owners do not think about how extensive a furnace really is. You have electrical systems, blowers, motors, fans, humidifiers, thermostats and duct work that could be the cause of a heating problem. Without proper training you can waste days trying to isolate the cause of the problem.
3. Furnace Installation: If you are adding onto your building, you will want to contact a furnace installation/repair company. They will be able to assist you determine if you need to have a larger heating unit installed. Involving heating professionals early on in the process can help make sure that you do not have cold spots in your addition. Most home owners do not realize just how much more a furnace must work to heat one additional room. When you have an underpowered heating unit, you will end up spending much more on repairs and operational costs.
4. Inefficient Furnace: If your operational costs keep going up, you should call in a professional furnace repair company to investigate the cause. Fuel costs go up and older systems are not as efficient as newer models. There is a point where the inefficiency of the furnace will cost more in fuel than it would to just have the unit replaced. Only a furnace installation professional should attempt this type of job. There are local safety regulations that must be carefully followed, and you may find your home owners insurance will not cover a furnace that was not installed by a licensed professional. Heating professionals will also be able to go over your different options to take advantage of the latest technology options.

The Importance of Regular Chimney Cleaning

Every homeowner needs to do specific maintenance on their home annually. Duct cleaning is one important part, and having your ducts cleaned regularly ensures that your furnace runs smoothly. It also helps to clear out allergens and prevent impurities from being circulated throughout your home.

Chimney cleaning is another very important procedure in your home’s maintenance schedule. Most insurance companies require an annual inspection and/or cleaning of your chimney, and it is definitely worth spending the minimal amount to have your chimney professionally cleaned. A clean chimney is much more efficient and safe than a dirty one. As you burn wood in your chimney, the soot and other impurities build up within the flue and create a blockage, which can cause a dangerous chimney fire. In addition, the build up of deposits in your chimney can cause dangerous carbon monoxide to build up in your home. If you use a fireplace, you should definitely consider installing a carbon monoxide detector for safety reasons.

Another important reason to have your chimney cleaned, and one that many people do not consider is that during the summer months when you are not using your fireplace, birds and animals can enter your chimney. Bird nests or animals in your chimney can cause dangerous blockages and prevent efficient operation of your fireplace.

The entire procedure to have your chimney cleaned is very quick, and should be completed in under an hour. The chimney sweeper will climb up on your roof with the use of a ladder and then proceed to clean the chimney from the top down with a series of brushes. The brushes are inserted into the top of the chimney and these serve to loosen and then clear the build up from the inside of the chimney. All of the debris brushed from the inside of the chimney will fall down into your fireplace in a pile, so it is very important that the door is closed on your fireplace before the process begins. Once the sweeping has been completed, the chimney sweeper will need to enter your home and clean the firebox. Usually, a shop vac is used to remove all of the debris that has dropped down from inside of the chimney.

Annual maintenance is crucial to the performance of your fireplace. If your chimney is dirty and not venting properly, then you will not have an efficient source of heat. Wood is and has always been one of the best heat sources, because it gives off a nice comfortable and most importantly, very warm heat. It is also very important to ensure that the wood that your burn is thoroughly dried out. Burning wet wood, or wood that is not completely dried out causes build up much more quickly within your chimney than dry wood.

One of the most important aspects of chimney cleaning performed by your chimney sweeper is the inspection of your chimney. They should be able to report to you on the condition of your chimney as well as if anything needs to be replaced or repaired.

Improving your home’s HVAC, utility bills and saving the planet

Believe it or not there could be something in your home literally draining the air and money out of it. No, not your kids (well maybe them too), but most homeowners, home improvement novices , and even renters don’t realize they could be wasting money and losing comfort by allowing their home to pump its air and heat out into the open world. Lets look at how this could be happening.

Half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. Making smart decisions about your home's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can produce big effects. Some good practices are to check your filter at least every 3 months; although, its a good idea to check more during seasons that require heavier use like summer and winter.

“I’ve done everything and have kept up with the maintenance on my HVAC system, but I still feel like it’s not as efficient as it should be”
Regular maintenance can extend the life and performance, though there’s really no set time limit to replace a HVAC system. As a good rule of thumb, if it’s more then 10 years old and not meeting you needs it may be a good idea to have it inspected, and if needed,replaced. Replacing an old unit could drastically improve the task of keeping your home at a comfortable temperature all throughout.

My unit works fine, what else could it be?
Ducts are used to distribute conditioned air throughout the house. In a typical house, however, about 20 percent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts.This loss causes the unit to work even harder to attain the desired household temperature. Unsealed ducts can pose health risks due to remaining vapor from gas appliances and cleaning products with no way to quickly and efficiently exit the home. Also, how long has it been since your house received a thorough duct cleaning? Over time, you ductwork can become clogged with dust, dirt, pet dander, and other nasty things which can restrict airflow. Oftentimes air duct cleaning will help distribute the "climatized" air throughout the house in the manner your HVAC system was originally designed.

what can i do?
If you have reason to believe your ducts are leaking due to:

• Rooms that are difficult to keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter
• Utility bills unreasonably high
• Lack of air flow in a room that makes it feel just plain stuffy

then sorry, you courageous Do-It-Yourselves, it’s probably best to leave sealing those leaks to the professionals. Failing to find and seal every leak properly can make major pressure imbalances, which could make matters that much worse. In addition, contractors have on their arsenal big expensive tools that just wouldn't be worth buying yourself, or storing yourself for that matter (yay! No more over sized microwaves or doohickeys to fit in your closet.)

Let’s review,

• There are a number of important parts that work together, so your problem could be caused by any combination of mechanical and/or duct failure; which is why second opinions are always a good idea!

• Even if you did everything you could for your HVAC unit, sometimes it’s just too old and needs to be replaced

• Most people whose air ducts leak have no idea that there is a problem, nor how to tell. (Now you’re no longer one of them!)

Thanks for reading,
Brought to you by our friends at Maryland home improvement and Duct Cleaning Twin Cities, 260 Clarence St, St Paul, MN 55106 - (612) 412-1867

Dryer Vent Cleaning

Dryer Vent Cleaning Prevents House Fires

Technology can be your omnipotent servant but it can literally put your house on fire if you don’t know how to use it. Statistics tell us that there are more than 15 thousand cases of fires, over 300 injuries and about 30 casualties – dryer vent being the culprit behind and to be more specific negligence in cleaning dryer vents! This is the reason why dryer safety measures should be the priority of every house owner while planning the maintenance activities of home appliances and systems.

A dryer vent can burn your house into ashes can be believed by understanding how a dryer works. Drying clothes is a two step process; heat is applied to the air inside the dryer and then air circulated through the clothes. The clothes drying process produces heat, moisture and also lint – a highly combustible material. Of course there are lint filters and traps in the dryer but unfortunately they can’t trap all the lint and it keeps accumulating into the dryer not only in the pipe but also the heating device inside the dryer. This accumulated lint blocks the venting and is responsible for lowering the airflow into the vent. It leads to rise of temperature manifolds inside the dryer and lint catches fire by friction of heated air inside the dryer.

Traditional dryer units with long paths and many bends make the situation more complicated as they provide many corners for the lint to accumulate and hence block the passage. A regular dryer vent cleaning is the solution to this serious problem. Vent cleaning saves you and your device by removing the accumulated lint. Also it increases the efficiency and life span of the system.

When your system is taking more than usual time to dry the clothes or the dried clothes are hot or not dried well or your electricity bill is soaring every month, perhaps it is the indication that you should immediately schedule a dryer vent cleaning process. Usually a cleaning session every six months to a year is what is recommended for a safety reasons. Many apartments and townhome associations are required to clean their dryer vents annually.

You can take the help of a professional also to clean your venting pipes and can also do it on your own with the help of tools easily available at the hardware and maintenance store in the market. However, it is advisable to hire a professional duct cleaning company if you are overdue and need to have dryer vent cleaning done at your home. Here are three duct cleaning websites where you can learn more about dryer vent fires and how to prevent it from happening at your home: Dryer Vent Cleaning Tips, Twin Cities Dryer Vent Cleaning & Minneapolis Dryer Vent Cleaning.

Why Duct Cleaning in Minneapolis is Important

Duct Cleaning in Minneapolis is Important

There are three important systems at our homes that keep it running; the heating system, the cooling system and the ventilation system. All these systems are forced air systems and are made up of ducts. These ducts draw the air from all corners of the home, heat it or cool it and circulate it throughout the home again.

Routine Heating and Cooling System Maintenance

There are homeowners who still believe that a good system which is properly installed and working well is the end of their responsibility. Like all other machinery though, these systems also depreciate over time, making it crucial to make the necessary call to a professional Minneapolis duct cleaning company who is ready to provide the services at minimal costs. They are right, all machinery is depreciated but it is true that it is in our own control to increase the time over which it depreciates fully. A well maintained system is the key to a healthy and pure indoor environment. That is the reason duct cleaning is such an important task that should be at the top of the list of every wise homeowner. A dirty duct system is inefficient as well as a threat to your health and well being. Importance of cleaning ducts increases more if the climate of the region you reside in is severe and that is what it is so important if you are living in a city like Minneapolis.

Ever Changing Seasons in Minneapolis

Minneapolis is located in the Northern most part of the US with a severe climate and unpredictable weather. During summers it is hot and humid with temperatures rising to even 108F sometimes, whereas during winter months snowfall is all to common. Spring and fall are characterized by thunderstorms and heavy rains. The area is windier than all the windy cities in USA with recurring tornadoes, floods and droughts. With such unpredictable climate and weather, there are more chances that the forced air systems will get dirty more than usual and need cleaning on more frequent basis.

Increased Need for Duct Cleaning in Minneapolis

For example hot and humid climate is an ideal condition for molds to grow. Wind will carry pollutants with it and cause to pollute your indoors as these pollutants will enter your heating, cooling and ventilation systems thus contaminating your systems. Routine duct cleaning is all you need if you are living in Minneapolis and all you want is efficient functioning of your home's Minneapolis heating and cooling systems, a pocket friendly energy bill and good quality air to breathe in! Call 612-234-4117 to schedule your Minneapolis duct cleaning.

Minneapolis Chimney Cleaning

Soot, oil and debris, which forms inside your chimney, creates serious hazards including carbon monoxide poisoning and chimney fires. Fortunately, dangers like carbon monoxide poisoning and chimney fires can easily be avoided by routine maintenance and inspection of your furnace chimney and fireplace chimney. An annual inspection by the professionals at Twin Cities Air Duct Cleaning. will give you peace of mind knowing that your chimney has been thoroughly cleaned and is in proper working order. For the low price of $65, chimney cleaning has never been more affordable.

The experienced chimney sweeps from CleanMyFurnace will examine every aspect of your chimney system including the flue, chimney cap, liner, smoke chamber, smoke shelf, fireplace, ash pit, lintel, mantel, crown, thimble/breech, and cleanout door, and they will detect any problems that may require repair. Our inspection will identify any existing or potential problems with your chimney that could cause chimney fires, premature structural failure, and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Our Chimney Cleaning Service includes:

• Chimney Inspection
• Chimney Cleaning
• Chimney Cap Installation
• And more

When you call on Duct-911.com you can be guaranteed high-quality, professional results. Our customer service is first rate and safety is our top priority. It's easy to see why chimney inspections from Duct-911 are a real bargain! Few home maintenance activities cost so little and yet prevent such serious problems. As an informed homeowner, make Minneapolis duct cleaning and chimney cleaning and inspection part of your annual routine. To schedule chimney cleaning today:

• In Minneapolis call: (612) 234-4117
• In St. Paul call: (651) 653-4704 or (612) 412-1867
• In Eden Prairie call: (952) 513-4353

for even more information, check out our Duct Cleaning Blog.

Minneapolis Duct Cleaning MN

Does Duct Cleaning Help

A Twin Cities homeowner doesn’t have to go far to learn the benefits of duct cleaning. When suffering from allergies, a trip to the local allergy clinic and they discover that, among other things (like mattress cleaning, and freezing pillows, etc), duct cleaning ranks high on the list of allergy proofing a house. A conversation with any HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) technician and a Minneapolis homeowner will also discover that the furnace needs to be cleaned on an annual basis. Annual furnace cleaning is recommended by all manufacturers.

House Getting Dusty Faster - Try Duct Cleaning

One of the most common complaints we hear is; 'my house is getting dustier faster than it used too'. It only stands to reason that if it has been more than a couple years since you last had your air ducts cleaned, your duct work is loaded with dust. When your furnace (or a/c) fan kicks on, the dust that is in your air ducts will get blown around the house.

If you live in the Minneapolis MN area and would like to schedule duct cleaning for your Twin Cities home, please give us a call. Generally, we can get you on the next days route. Schedule your duct cleaning online or call 651-653-4704.