Newtown resident Jason Besse, who owns and operates New England Duct Care, approaches every job with two things in mind - improving the health of his customers, along with the operational health of their heating and air conditioning systems.

"We spend 70 percent of our time breathing indoor air," Mr Besse told The Newtown Bee. "So having heating and air ducts cleaned regularly will ensure indoor air is free or nearly free of pollen, mold, pet dander, dirt and other particulate matter that can affect your breathing."

Just a short time after Mr Besse decided to invest in his state-of-the-art duct cleaning machine, he saw the results with his own eyes.

"Right after I started the company, a became aware of a family member and her child who were both experiencing chronic respiratory problems. One was on prescription medication and the other used an inhaler regularly," he said. "So I visited their house and noticed a lot of dirt around the register above their beds and asked when the last time they had their ducts cleaned, and they said never."

So Mr Besse ran his duct cleaning machine through their entire duct system.

"Just a few weeks later, their family doctor was able to take them off their meds and the inhaler," he said. "Since then I've gone to many homes where I'm pumping huge amounts of pollen and dust from their HVAC systems."

Since he started his small business, Mr Besse said he spends a lot of time looking up, to try and determine whether the home or business he is in is pumping clean air.

"Every time I go out - especially when I'm going into places to eat - I want to be sure their system isn't pumping all kinds of dirt out onto my food," Mr Besse said. He said from commercial kitchens to private homes, registers, returns and ducts situated near cooking sources need special attention, because grease and other cooking particles act like glue attracting particulates that are much harder to dislodge and clean.

He said "average residential homes" should expect to undergo duct cleaning every two to three years, while commercial facilities may need him to visit annually. Likewise homes with pets - which Mr Besse said should also be cleaned annually.

"I remember a first-time job at a home that had one single cat," he recalled. "That register had to be scooped out. The dust, cat hair and dander filled two garbage bags."

He said that much buildup "chokes" a typical heating or air conditioning system, increasing wear and tear, hastening mechanical problems, cutting its effectiveness and making it draw significantly more power to perform.

"I learned a lot about making these systems run a lot longer, and a lot less expensively by working with various HVAC companies in the area on jobs," Mr Besse said.

By the same token, New England Duct Care is not going to recommend any kind of cleaning prematurely.

"If you don't need it, you don't need it. That's why we offer a free initial inspection to every client," he said. "Don't forget, to maximize efficiency, HVAC systems also need good and clean filters, which we can also take care of in the scope of our work."

His cleaning device operates with various sized brushes that are attached to a motor and high powered vacuum system, plus two HEPA filers that strain even microscopic particulate matter into a non-permiable bag.

"It's got attachments for soft and hard ducting, and it works through existing registers, so there's no cutting holes to access the inside of ducting," Mr Besse said. "And no matter how dirty - the cost is the same."

He said an average residential home can take around three to four hours to clean, while a condo or townhouse can take as little as two hours.

"I price the job by the number of registers, supply and returns, and I'm happy to extend a senior discount to qualifying clients," he said.

That said, Mr Besse's largest client base is commercial offices, where there are a lot of people and traffic bringing in and circulating dust and dirt through the air.

"And most of my commercial clients are very concerned about indoor air quality," he said.

Duct cleaning can be done 12 months a year, and there is no optimal season to perform the chore, Mr Besse said. And he also offers clothes dryer duct cleaning, which 90 percent of his residential clients request.

"With 16,000 dryer fires in the US annually, it's a very important service," he said. "A dryer has no way to warn its owners if there is extensive buildup in the vent ducting."

New England Duct care also stays busy working with local Realtors, who utilize the company's duct cleaning services in houses up for sale, or who refer Mr Besse to new homeowners.

For more information, contact Mr Besse at 203-313-7481, or visit his website: newenglandductcare.com.