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.

Is Routine Duct Cleaning a Good Choice?

Is Routine Duct Cleaning a Good Choice?

Your home is undoubtedly one of your most valuable assets, so keeping it clean is part of the routine chores that you should perform to keep the structure and it's appliances in optimal condition.

Hire Only Professional Air Duct Cleaners

Professional air duct cleaners provide you with services that include duct cleaning, dryer vent cleaning, furnace cleaning, a/c cleaning, chimney cleaning, and many other services related to your home's furnace and air conditioning system.

Most duct cleaning companies in the Twin Cities also include the cleaning services of furnaces, air conditioning systems, ductwork, chimneys, water heaters and other routine household maintenance chores. They may also offer transit duct cleaning, vent cleaning, air duct sanitizing, etc.

Continue reading here>> Is Regular Duct Cleaning a Good Choice?

Duct Cleaning Twin Cities - Cities We Service Part2

Twin Cities Duct Cleaning - Service Areas

As promised, here are some of the other major towns across the Twin Cities listed where we provide duct cleaning services. Again, please bear in mind that this is just a partial list. If your town is not listed, look for other towns around you. If they are listed, then we most likely clean air ducts there too.

Duct cleaning, furnace cleaning and dryer vent cleaning services provided here:

Lakeville, Lino Lakes, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Mpls, New Brighton, New Hope, North Field, Oakdale, Plymouth, Prior Lake, Ramsey, Richfield, Robbinsdale, Rosemount, Roseville, Saint Louis Park, Saint Paul, Savage, Shakopee, Shoreview, So St. Paul, Stillwater, Twin Cities, West St. Paul, Wayzata, WBL, White Bear Lake, Woodbury

In case you missed it, here is yesterdays post titled; "Twin Cities Duct Cleaning Part 1"

Twin Cities Duct Cleaning - Cities We Service Part1

Duct Cleaning Twin Cities - Service Areas

We are often asked what areas we service and what our boundries are for duct cleaning, so we decided to publish this short list of areas where we work. We have listed some of the bigger metro areas around the Twin Cities also known as the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota area.

Duct cleaning, dryer vent cleaning and furnace cleaning services provided here:

Andover, Anoka, Apple Valley, Austin, Blaine, Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Burnsville, Champlin, Chanhassen, Chaska, Columbia Heights, Coon Rapids, Cottage Grove, Crystal, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina, Elk River, Farmington, Forest Lake, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hastings, Hopkins, Inver Grove Heights

Tomorrow or the day after I will try to post the other half of the towns in which we provide our duct cleaning service.

Twin Cities Duct Cleaning Testimonials

Air Duct Cleaning, Furnace Cleaning and Dryer Vent Cleaning Testimonials from Satisfied Customers Around the Twin Cities

More Twin Cities Duct Cleaning Testimonials Added

We have just completed posting even more testimonials, we have recently received from people all across the Twin Cities metro. You can locate these testimonials on the sidebar of our blog. Remember, this is just a sampling of the 100's of testimonials which Hoffman Heating and Cooling has acquired over the years. Not to brag or anything, but we literally have stacks of testimonials in our office and while we are always excited with each and every duct cleaning testimonial as well as each heating and cooling testimonial we get, it would be impossible to post them all here. A heartfelt thanks goes out to all of you that have taken the time to call or write to let us know how we are doing.

Please Call Our Duct Cleaning Customers!

As mentioned, some of these people have called in their furnace and air conditioning testimonial, while others have written and then mailed in a duct cleaning testimonial or even a dryer vent cleaning testimonial. These kind folks, from all around the Twin Cities, have agreed to let you contact them about their experience with Twin Cities Air Duct Cleaning (aka Hoffman Heating) so, if you would like to speak to any of these people please call us and we will give you their phone numbers.

Have Your Own Testimonial to Add?

If you recently had your duct work cleaned by Twin Cities Air Duct Cleaning or perhaps you had us out for furnace cleaning and would like to add your testimonial, pleasee give us a call. Our technicians love to hear people brag about their high quality duct cleaning! So Please give us a call at 612-412-1867 and we will do our best to add your testimonial to the list.