A couple years ago, Robert Pizarek’s wife and daughter were away on spring-break vacation. While they were gone, he thought he would get their home’s air ducts cleaned.
‘I’d long been interested in indoor air quality, and the way it affects our health,? Pizarek said. ‘I’d put it off long enough.?
But when the cleaning crew arrived, he was not impressed with their equipment.
‘It looked like a big leaf blower,? he said. ‘They were going to blow the dust out. Where would the dust go? How would they keep it out of the house??
When all they could say was the ducts would be sealed with chemicals and tape, he sent them away ? he knew there had to be a better way.
With his Home Guy, Inc., Real Estate business, founded in 2000, he receives plenty of information from potential vendors.
One caught his eye.
Pizarek was so impressed with the Rotobrush Air Duct Cleaning System, he bought a set, assembled a crew, took the training, and now offers cleaning services himself.
‘It’s like a shop vac on steroids,? he said. ‘It scrubs the inside of the ducts. No sealers, no chemicals. It brushes and vacuums at the point of contact.?
The system is self contained, and doesn’t require a dusty hose running through the house outside to a truck-mounted motor.
He tried the new equipment on his own home.
‘After it was cleaned, the house smelled cleaner, fresher,? he said.
He also bought a Roto-Vision fiber-optic camera system, which can be attached to the vacuum head, even during cleaning.
Cleaners and customers can see what needs to be done. Even in new homes, the air system may need cleaning ? contaminants can include drywall and sawdust, fiberglass from insulation, insects, and even cigarette butts.
‘Where do the cigarettes come from? The workers throw them in the vents,? Pizarek said.
In older ducts, he has found thousands of Japanese beetles, dead mice, mounds of pet fur, and lots and lots of dust.
‘I was flabbergasted by how much dust can be in the vents,? he said.
Consequences range from an unpleasant odor to allergic reactions to lung cancer.
‘You shouldn’t breath air with dry wall dust in it,? he said. ‘It could take a few years, but it could cause problems.?
He offers the best in technology and service. State-of-the-art, heavy-gauge aluminum air filters come with lifetime guarantees.
‘You take them out, wash them off, and put them back in,? he said. ‘People need to have them. They’ll keep the house cleaner.?
When finished, they reseal duct work with screws at no extra charge, to provide easier access for future cleaning.
They sanitize the system with hospital-grade cleaners that can be fogged into the ductwork.
‘If you care about the customer, everything else takes care of itself,? he said.
He recommends cleaning every 5-6 years, with sanitizing every year. Cleaning takes about 3-5 hours, depending on the size of the house. They work from the top down, ending up at the furnace.
‘The closer to the furnace, the dirtier it is,? he said.
Cost is about 15-20 cents per square foot, a few hundred dollars for an average home.
‘Any less and you can’t do the job properly,? he said. ‘Every house is different. We don’t leave until the job is done right.?
Pizarek has lived in the Clarkston area with his wife, Jean, and daughter, Ashley, for 10 years.
‘It’s great living here,? he said. ‘We enjoy the community, and all the parks and recreation opportunities.?
For more information or to schedule a free inspection, call 248-394-2181.