Carly

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Indoor Air Quality and Everyday Household Items

Do you know that a variety of your everyday household items are affecting your indoor air quality? Do you use air fresheners? Burn scented candles? Use cleaning products? These products create VOCs. What is that exactly? Volatile organic compounds. VOCs are gases from a variety of different solids and liquids. They usually contain fluorine, chlorine, bromine, benzene, formaldehyde, and toluene according to the EPA.

Now, do you know how these are affecting your overall health? It may just start off as a headache. It may be eye irritation, skin reaction, dizziness or many other symptoms. Long term, it may even lead to asthma or other health issues.

Helping rid your home of these harmful chemicals can improve your air quality. You can start with improving ventilation and researching what ingredients are in the products you use. Air duct cleaning is one more step you can take! According to NADCA, “the air in your home is typically pulled into the HVAC system and recirculated 5 to 7 times per day.” Having your air ducts cleaned can remove many pollutants hiding inside your ductwork.

Indoor Air Quality

For more information, visit EPA.gov or NADCA.com:

https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/interactive-tour-indoor-air-quality-demo-house

https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/volatile-organic-compounds-impact-indoor-air-quality

https://nadca.com/resources/blog/how-everyday-household-items-affect-your-indoor-air-quality

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Indoor Air Quality: Dangers of Mold

Americlean Mold Water Leak
Americlean Mold Attic
Americlean Hidden Mold

What is the quality of air you are breathing at home? Your health is important and poor indoor air quality can have major affects on that! Have your allergies been bothersome? Does someone in your home have asthma? Is there a musty odor? Have you had any recent water damage? There are many signs that your home may have mold and we are here to help!

Understanding Mold:

  • Mold is everywhere: outdoors and indoors
  • Water feeds mold
  • Excessive moisture: dry wet materials within 24-48 hours
  • Humidity: keep relative humidity indoors between 30-60%
  • There are many different kinds of mold

Mold Prevention:

  • Vent all moisture sources: bathrooms, dryers, etc.
  • Keep your gutters clean and clear
  • Direct water away from your home
  • Start drying and cleanup immediately if water damage has occurred

If you have concerns of mold in your home, you may want to start with an inspection and sampling. This will determine if there is mold, the type of mold present and the severity of the problem. If it is determined that there is a problem in your home, professional remediation will be the recommendation. Our staff is certified and will help you every step of the way! Don’t risk your health, call Americlean today!

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Do You Know the Signs You Need Air Duct Cleaning?

Before and After Duct Cleaning Americlean

After a long winter of spending time indoors and having your home sealed up, it is time to open up those windows and breath fresh air in! But, do you know what has been circulating throughout your ductwork all winter? Winter allows dirt, debris, and moisture to settle in your ductwork from continuous damp weather. Once this has settled, you may start to notice respiratory issues, allergies, and much more. So, are you thinking you need your air ducts cleaned now? We have some helpful signs that will help you decide!

Woah! A spike in your energy bill! – This may be from a clogged duct or possibly even a leak. Debris and dirt can block airways, making it more difficult for air to flow.

Dirt and debris build up – Everyday you create dust, dander, and dirt that is lingering in your ductwork. If you are starting to notice dust on furniture you just cleaned, it may be a sign to have your air ducts cleaned. You can also check your register vents to see if there is any visible build up.

Respiratory problems – Are you having allergies, asthma, or sinus issues? Excessive dirt and debris that is circulating through your air ducts just may be the problem. Your indoor air quality is highly impacted by your heating and cooling system.

Mold growth – Humidity will cause condensation, which may cause mold growth inside of your ductwork. Mold can be difficult to detect when it is hidden in your ductwork, but you may notice a musty odor. Call us to have your air ducts inspected for mold growth.

Rodent or insects – Are you noticing evidence of an insect or rodent infestation? They may be living in your air ducts. Breathing in contaminants like droppings may cause sickness and create poor indoor air quality.

Taking care of your air ducts can help save you money and create a better environment for you, your family, and guests. When you hire a NADCA certified company to clean your ductwork, you are ensuring the job is done correctly the first time. Read online reviews, ask for proof of insurance and certifications, and even ask for references! If you are thinking you need your air ducts cleaned, give us a call with any questions.

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Spring Cleaning Checklist

Spring is finally here! After this long, cold, snowy, wet winter; what are your spring plans? How does spring cleaning sound? It is easy to forget some of the not so everyday items that should really be done once a year! Here are a few helpful items you may want to consider adding to your checklist:

  1. Dust: furniture, baseboards, ceiling fans, shelving, and light fixtures.
  2. Wash: walls, doors, windows, and cabinets.
  3. Organize: cabinets, closets, and storage.
  4. Out with the Old: donate items that you haven’t used in a year.
  5. Change Out: light bulbs, batteries in smoke detectors, and air/furnace filters.
  6. Schedule with Americlean: deep carpet cleaning and floor cleaning, air duct cleaning, dryer/bathroom vent cleaning, exterior pressure washing, and much more!

After a long winter, there is no better way to start spring than with a nice clean home. We know you can’t tackle all the necessary cleaning, so Americlean is here to help! Call today to schedule your spring cleaning!

Americlean Carpet Cleaning
Americlean Air Duct Cleaning

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Freezing Pipes and Melting Snow=Water Damage

What is every home owner’s worst nightmare? We’d say water damage ranks high up there! Even a small amount of water can cause serious damage. If water damage strikes your home, you want to get a professional clean-up started right away.

Read these helpful tips to be more prepared if you unfortunately have this happen in your home:

  • Locate your main water shut-off valve: This is important if you have a pipe burst. The faster you can get this turned off, the less water damage!
  • Turn off electrical power to affected areas: You don’t need a risk of electrocution!
  • Contact a professional water restoration company: Do you know what to expect when we arrive? Here are a few steps that will have you prepared for what is about to happen in your home.
  1. Inspection and Assessment: Identification of the type of loss and extent of damage
  2. Content Moving: Moving or disposal of content items and furniture to prevent more damage/loss
  3. Removal of Water: Extract excess water with truck-mounted equipment and/or use of pumps
  4. Drying: Moisture meter affected building materials, install commercial dehumidifiers and air-movers
  5. Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of drying process
  6. Completion: Final cleaning of contents, flooring, walls, etc.
  7. Repairs/Reconstruction: We can handle the rebuild of your home for you!

Be prepared for a worst-case scenario by using our helpful tips. When water damage strikes your home, call the company you’ve trusted to get the job done right and to prevent worse damage in the future!

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Maryann Dennis

Maryann Dennis

Iowa City

We were overwhelmed upon discovering the damage to our home when the upstairs toilet intake valve popped and ran continuously all day. The Americlean team arrived within one hour and got right to work. Everything was explained to us and we knew we were in good hands because of their professionalism and calming influence.

The scope of work to us was huge – drying out ceilings, floors, furniture and contents and carpeting and walls, etc. etc.

The entire staff exhibited professionalism during the entire process. All calls were promptly answered with courtesy and many were initiated by the Americlean team. Their knowledge of how to negotiate with insurance adjusters and claims reps was impressive and brought a great deal of relief. Americlean even handled all subs to complete additional improvements to our very old house. We now have a much more beautiful home. Americlean is the best. They are the right folks to call when you need them the most. Thank you!

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Ruth Rogers

Ruth Rogers

Iowa City

The morning Americlean had the appointment with us to clean the HVAC ducts; I unfortunately ended up in the ER about one hour prior to the appointment. We made contact with Americlean to let them know we would not be home, but asked that they access our home without us present with the instructions we provided. When we returned home a few hours later, we noticed that the work was complete and the ducts cleaned as promised. Our sincere thanks go out to Americlean for getting the job done under the circumstances that occurred at the last minute. This allowed us to maintain our schedule with the HVAC contractor to install our new system first thing the following morning. The staff at Americlean was polite and very helpful to us from the time we set up our appointment throughout the end of our project. In the future, Americlean will be our first contact for any of the many services that they provide.

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Doris M.

Doris M.

Davenport

We have used Americlean for many years. We have a small dog and Americlean does a good job of cleaning any such spots. I like the way the floor is raked after cleaning. The nap stays up nicely for some time. The lady on the phone is very nice. She called to say the guys were running late and they would be at our house at an approximate time. Several years ago we had a water problem in the basement. They came and brought fans and saw the project until all was dry. I do recommend Americlean!

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Dorothy Bach

Dorothy Bach

Center Point

It is with pleasure that i give this testimonial for Americlean. I have used them for 20 years to clean carpets in my home. Not only have they cleaned our carpets, but they have also cleaned our furniture a few times and I have used them to clean our air ducts in our home and a rental property.

The office personnel have always been able to fit me in their busy schedule on a timely basis. The service technicians, they sent, have done an excellent job in all cases; and they have been courteous, friendly, efficient, and proficient.

I would highly recommend them to anyone.

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Mark Broghammer

Mark Broghammer

Lisbon

Mike cleaned my ductwork – we counted vents together. He was prompt, stayed on track, completed at the time estimated. Did not need to be followed up on. Careful, neat and clean. Very happy with the results, what a difference. Will use this service again! Furnace heats a lot better, not any dust at all.

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