In recent years, new factories, gymnasiums, indoor pools, and other large open-ceiling venues have decided to forego traditional sheet metal ductwork for their HVAC systems in favor of fabric-lined ductwork.
In this blog, we explain what a duct sock is, when and how to clean it, and where you can get professional help ensuring the health of your air, people, and products.
Fabric ductwork, also known as air-conditioned socks or duct socks, is an affordable, aesthetically pleasing, and flexible way to deliver fresh air in open-ceiling buildings.
Duct socks are made of durable fabric, are incredibly flexible, and can be installed in a variety of colors. They come in sections, connect with zippers, and are suspended from the ceiling with a system of rods and rings.
Facility managers love duct socks because they’re easy to install, maintain, and deliver air more efficiently than conventional sheet metal ductwork.
The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) recommends the annual inspection of air duct systems.
However, duct socks should be cleaned and inspected yearly. Since this ductwork is made of fabric and exposed, it gets dirtier far more quickly than traditional sheet metal ductwork.
Just like any window seal or ceiling fan builds up dust over the course of the year, so will your fabric ductwork. Since this fabric is usually colored, this buildup becomes easy to spot as the material begins to discolor.
Additionally, this type of ductwork is more susceptible to gathering mold than traditional ductwork, so regular cleaning is vital for building and occupant health.
To clean your duct socks, you’ll need a team to reach up to your ductwork using personnel lifts and other scaling equipment to carefully unzip and uninstall them.
Duct socks are too large to be cleaned in a standard washing machine. Additionally, many can not be cleaned with hot water without damaging the material.
Instead, you’ll need to wash your fabric ductwork with an industrial washing machine using cold water and specialized cleaning agents.
Remember, this isn’t like washing a shirt that’s been used for just a day. You’re cleaning up the accumulation of dust, grease, and bacteria built up over an entire year.
Additionally, due to their material and size, many fabric duct socks cannot laundered in an industrial dryer (due to the heat) but need to be air-dried in a clean and open space.
When in doubt, follow the manufacturer's cleaning recommendation and the NADCA standard.
Sometimes, facility managers take shortcuts or even skip the cleaning process altogether for their duct socks. Whether this is because having the capacity to clean the duct socks properly is complicated or they simply don’t have the space or equipment to do so, this is a mistake.
For example, some facility managers merely vacuum their fabric duct sheets instead of properly washing them, but neglected or improper cleaning can only lead to damaging your ducts and marking your workspace less healthy:
Risks include:
If you want your fabric-lined ducts adequately cleaned with the proper handling, process, and chemicals, look no further than your fast and professional friends at Service-Tech.
We’ve been handling ducts, including duct socks, for over 30 years.
We clean your ducts by sending our professional team on lifts to carefully uninstall the fabric and move it to our industrial cleaning facilities. Here, we apply manufacturer-recommended cleaning agents to ensure your ducts are clean and free of mold or discoloration. Finally, we have a hygienic open space to air dry your ducts. Once dried, we return to your facilities and properly reinstall them.
This process can be completed within a work week or faster, so it’s recommended you schedule a time for us to come out during standard factory shutdown times.
Reach out to us today for a free quote and professional service.