Home Cleaning and Restoration Services
Home cleaning and restoration services are preventative home services that protect your property, save money and reduce stress.
Homeowners who look after their properties minimize the chances that small problems will become worse. Fortunately, numerous home cleaning and restoration services are available to help ease the burden of looking after a property.
COVID-19 has demonstrated the importance of regular home cleaning services, as routine cleaning can help kill coronavirus and limit its spread. Homeowners and caregivers are responsible for ensuring their spaces are adequately cleaned and maintained and should plan for routine cleaning and restoration work.
Types of Home Cleaning and Restoration Services
Homeowners need many types of cleaning services during the maintenance and restoration of their home.
Types of home cleaning services include:
- Air duct cleaning
- Leak detection
- Water heater repair
- Carpet cleaning
- Drain cleaning
While most of these services should be performed regularly, others may be required in an emergency. Fortunately, many cleaning and restoration companies offer 24/7 emergency services to help during unpredicted events.
Air Duct Cleaning Services
Air duct cleaning services remove the pollen, dust, dirt and debris that build up in a building or home’s heating and cooling systems. If left unattended, these contaminants can reduce air quality and become a breeding ground for mold and other microbiological growth.
Air duct cleaning is typically performed on forced air systems and includes a thorough cleaning of all the system’s components, including air ducts, fans, heating and cooling coils and more. Air ducts should be cleaned every 5 to 7 years or if the air system is not performing as efficiently as it once was.
Cost of Air Duct Cleaning
The typical cost of air duct cleaning ranges from $275 to $500 and averages about $35 per vent. However, many factors can impact the price, including the number of vents and ducts, unexpected pest control, mold or mildew removal and accessibility.
Benefits of Air Duct Cleaning
Air duct cleaning is highly beneficial to the health and wellness of individuals living or working nearby. Air duct cleaning improves indoor air quality, making it easier to breathe. High-quality air is especially important for children, seniors and people with chronic illnesses or allergies.
Routine air duct cleaning can also increase the energy efficiency of the space. This improved efficiency allows your heating and air conditioning systems to work more effectively and can reduce the cost of power bills. Air duct cleaning can also reduce the need for future air conditioner or HVAC repair.
Leak Detection Services
Most homes have leaks without homeowners realizing. According to the EPA, 10% of all American houses leak 90 gallons or more of water every single day. These leaks add up to 32,850 gallons of water in a year.
While drips may seem like no big deal, a leaky home could lead to water damage and mold growth and wastes money on water costs. Leak detection services can help homeowners identify leaks in their home and put a stop to this water waste.
If your water bill is higher than usual or you see evidence of moisture build-up in your home, you need leak detection services. Homeowners should also consider installing leak detectors in areas that are prone to leaks, such as the bathroom and under the kitchen sink, to notify them if a leak has occurred.
Cost of Leak Detection
Leak detection services can be performed by a plumber or handyman with the appropriate equipment and typically cost $179 to $216. Keep in mind that there will likely be additional costs to repair the leak.
Benefits of Leak Detection Services
Leak detection services can identify leaks in a home and provide an action plan for repairing them. These services are highly beneficial as they put a stop to water waste, prevent costly water damage, and help keep occupants safe by preventing dangerous mold growth.
Water Heater Repair Services
Water heater repair services are required when the water heater stops performing optimally. Many water heater repair services can be performed by homeowners, while more severe issues will need professional repair services.
The most common signs that an electric water heater needs to be repaired include:
- Water leaking from the water heater
- No hot water
- Not enough hot water
- Water that’s too hot
- Water doesn’t reheat quickly
- Low water pressure
- Dirty water
- Water with a sulphuric smell
- Strange noises from the water heater
Gas water heaters can experience the same symptoms when they need repair, but may also have issues with the pilot light or burner flame. If your gas or electric water heater has any of these problems, it needs to be repaired.
Cost of Water Heater Repair
The cost of water heater repair averages $575 but ranges significantly, from $100 to $1,500. These water heater repair services still tend to be less expensive than replacing the water heater entirely. Purchasing and installing a new, basic water heater typically costs $1,300 to $2,000.
Tankless water heaters are more costly, ranging from $1,200 to $5,000, and averaging $3,500, to purchase and install.
Carpet Cleaning Services
Carpet cleaning services help keep carpets clean, beautiful and functional. Professional carpet cleaning services use specialized equipment and chemical cleaners to remove contaminants from the carpet and return it to its best possible state.
Most professionals perform wet cleaning services, which injects chemicals and hot water into the carpet and then removes the solution with an industrial vacuum.
Alternative carpet cleaning options include:
- Dry cleaning
- Foam cleaning
- Absorbent pad cleaning
These methods may be required in office environments or on specialty carpets. However, these methods don’t provide the same deep clean at wet cleaning.
How Often Should I Have My Carpets Cleaned?
Carpets should be cleaned every 12 to 18 months to help eliminate dust and dirt before it causes permanent damage. Timelines aside, any carpet should be cleaned when there are visible stains or signs of general wear from traffic.
Carpets also need to be cleaned after water damage or fire. Even without visible staining, water and smoke contaminants can cause permanent carpet damage if they aren’t adequately removed.
Cost of Carpet Cleaning
Carpet cleaning typically costs $25 to $75 per room, although large areas may be considered the equivalent of two rooms. The cost may increase depending on the type of carpet, extent of staining, number of stairs, and whether protective coatings are used.
Benefits of Carpet Cleaning Services
Carpet cleaning services improve indoor health by eliminating bacteria, dirt, food particles and other common contaminants. These services extend the lifespan of rugs and carpets while beautifying the home, removing odors and preventing microbiological growth.
Drain Cleaning Services
Drain cleaning services remove contaminants that clog drains, including soap, hair, fats, oils and food particles.
Drains should be cleaned if:
- Water drains slowly
- Water doesn’t drain at all
- Water backs up
- Foul odors seep into the room
- Water bubbles in the sink or toilet
- Pests, mold or mildew are present
While some homeowners take a DIY approach to cleaning drains, the results are often temporary. It can be relatively simple to remove part of a blockage using plungers, chemicals or drain snakes but the problem is likely to reoccur, as clumps of foreign material remain in the drains.
Professional drain cleaning services are typically performed by plumbers who use specialized equipment and methods to clean drains. Their work tends to be thorough, removing as much of the contaminating material as possible. In some cases, they may make invaluable recommendations on how to prevent the problem from recurring in the future.
Cost of Drain Cleaning
Drain cleaning services typically cost $136 to $306, although pricing varies per project. Most plumbers charge a flat fee to clean drains, but hourly rates of approximately $200 may be charged if the problem is complicated.
Hiring Home Cleaning and Restoration Services
Home cleaning and restoration services are available to help homeowners tackle challenging or time-consuming projects throughout the home. From air ducts to carpet, hot water tanks to drains, professionals can help with cleaning and restoration tasks that keep homes safe, healthy and beautiful.
Anyone who owns real estate, whether lived in or rented, can also hire home inspection experts every few years to help identify common problems. These professionals can spot potential trouble areas in new homes and old homes, and make maintenance recommendations.
Hiring professionals to stay on top of home maintenance, through periodic cleaning and restoration work, will provide peace of mind, reduce unexpected expenses and keep the whole family happy and healthy.