​When you think about home safety, you might think of having an alarm system, locking your doors and windows, keeping cleaning solutions in a safe place, and having working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.  Along those lines, chimney cleaning is a key safety issue in your home.  Educating yourself and understanding more about the process can go a long way to prevent any serious fire risks in the future.
 
Dapper Ducts, Inc., like any professional chimney cleaning company, strives to keep your home as clean as possible when cleaning your chimney.  We want to ensure your home is as clean when we leave as when we arrived.  We use drop cloths to cover flooring and any nearby furniture to catch the falling creosote, debris, and soot while cleaning the flue and the passageway.
 
When cleaning your chimney, Dapper Ducts’ technicians always start at the top with the flue and then work their way down.  This is the recommended procedure since the creosote that accumulates starts hardening on the flue walls and your chimney’s inner surface.
 
After the top-to-bottom cleaning is completed, our chimney cleaning professionals will usually reverse the process and clean from the bottom to the top.  This ensures a thorough cleaning and no area throughout the entire passageway will go un-brushed and un-cleaned.  It also lowers the risk of combustion that can result from a creosote build-up.
 
The last step involves a thorough cleaning of the entire fireplace area.  In most cases, the technician will clean any existing debris that has fallen during the chimney cleaning process.
 
Whenever you consider hiring a professional for chimney sweep/chimney cleaning, be sure that you inquire about the steps above.  The safety of your home is worth it!

Most Americans do not realize how the quality of their indoor air can affect them and their family members.  When you consider that we spend anywhere from 60% to 90% of our time indoors, this can become a critical issue.  The HVAC system in your home affects that air quality and over time, a number of different contaminants build up within the air ducts.  This includes bacteria, chemical residues, construction debris, dirt, dust, dust mites, fungi, hair, and pet dander.  Hence the need for regular air duct cleaning bears great importance when indoor air quality is being discussed.
 
There are a few things you may not realize where indoor air quality is concerned.  The American College of Allergists states that 50% of all illnesses that individuals suffer from is attributed to poor indoor air quality.  Furthermore, the bacteria and fungi that can build up in your air duct system are responsible for the allergies that 1 out of every 6 Americans suffer from.  In addition to these statistics, asthmatics, the elderly, and individuals with respiratory issues will most likely be sensitive to any contaminants and pollutants inside their homes.
 
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) claims that 40 pounds of debris can build up in your duct system over a 12-month period.  So it is clear to see why proper air duct cleaning is so important.  As the indoor air moves through the ducts, some of that debris is going to get picked up and circulated back into the areas that you occupy inside your home.  The result is an increase in allergic reactions and asthmatic symptoms which may compound health miseries in the long run.
 
It is impossible to try and clean the air ducts on your own as it requires specialized equipment and experience. Call Dapper Ducts, Inc, an expert air duct cleaning company certified by the National Air Duct Cleaner’s Association, NADCA in DC, MD and VA to get the job done right.