Is The Air In Your Household Making You Sick, Allergic Or Worse?

Coughing? Sneezing? Trouble breathing? Might be a cold, but what’s that stench?

The problem might be the duct work in your house, condo or apartment, says Angel Zelaya, owner of Angel’s Duct Cleaning, which has been in business for more than a decade, cleaning out the dust, mold and debris that accumulate in heating and cooling systems and make life miserable for people with allergies, asthma and other breathing challenges.

“People call us because they have issues with breathing, or they’re moving into a new place and want it clean, or they’re undergoing chemo,” Zelaya said. “We inspect and then clean.

“People want to breathe clean air.”

Zelaya, a father of three daughters, moved to Chicago from New Jersey.

Zelaya said 70% of the places he inspects are “really bad,” and the worst cases involve people who try to do the cleaning themselves before calling for help. One of his customers wound up in the hospital after attempting DIY. In another instance at Trump Tower, an artist who had really bad allergies called him to clean and sanitize.

“Most customers say they really feel a difference,” he said.

One of Zelaya’s customers suffered an enormous amount of smoke in their lakefront condo unit. This was particularly noxious and dangerous to this client because of a heightened sensitivity to any type of smoke, which burned his lungs, putting him at risk for multiple health issues.

“Angel and his team swooped into my condo and attacked the issue with all hands on deck! They were knowledgeable, friendly, professional and truly went the extra mile-in a word: Lifesavers. Angel’s services proved to be invaluable to my family’s health and the health of our living space,” the customer said.

Zelaya said the worst case he ever encountered involved a pet day care center.

“They were having a viral infection that had to be cleaned up. We did a deep cleaning and installed an ultraviolet light to sterilize the duct work,” he said.

Zelaya recommends deep cleaning every three to five years, and lighter maintenance sessions annually, along with attention to dryer vents to prevent fires and reduce energy consumption.

“We use three processes to remove accumulated dirt and dust,” Zelaya said, depending in the situation. The first is negative air pressure, which involves a commercial vacuum connected to the main duct. The second is a 25-foot rotor brush that rotates and scrubs dirt and heavy debris stuck to surfaces. And the third involves air whips that blasts air through the ducts at 175 psi.

Sometimes, however, ducts cannot be saved. That’s why, Zalaya said, he recommends annual checkups.

Zelaya got into the business after moving to Chicago. He would stand with other day laborers, and one day a guy came along looking for a helper and chose him. He said it took him about 18 months to learn the business, and in 2015, he established his own company. Now, during the busy season Angel’s Duct Cleaning employs as many as eight people, all of whom are certified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association.

Zelaya holds Environmental Protection Association HVAC technician certification as well as an air system cleaning specialist certification from the NADCA. He also mentors two other companies, one in Chicago and the other in Texas.

Angel’s Duct Cleaning charges $129 for dryer vents, and between $139 and $600 depending on the size of the system for apartments, condos and houses. The company is reachable at (312) 785-4129. The website is angelsductcleaning.com/.

“We do commercial work, too,” Zelaya said. “I am committed to providing exceptional duct cleaning services and assisting individuals in need, regardless of their professional or personal circumstances.”