Poor indoor air quality can lead to a wide range of health issues, from a simple cough to a full-blown asthma attack. Fortunately, there are a number of measures you can take to make sure the air in your home stays clean.
Many people will tell you that HVAC duct cleaning isn’t necessary. This is completely false.
While it may not be necessary to have them cleaned frequently, different types of debris will eventually build up in your ducts and start causing problems.
Do you know when your ducts were last cleaned? If you just moved into a new home, do you have access to maintenance records? It may be time for a cleaning.
Let’s look at why HVAC duct cleaning is absolutely necessary. It may be time to schedule an appointment.
Signs You Need to Have Your Ducts Cleaned
Like any major component of your home, you need to keep your HVAC unit in good repair. Neglecting routine service may shorten the lifespan of your system and cause poor functionality.
While air ducts aren’t actually part of the unit itself, they may cause your system to function differently. It’s important to have a cleaning performed at least every three years.
However, there are some red flags you should look for that indicate a need for an HVAC duct cleaning sooner than later.
Animal Infestation
If you become aware of animal or insect infestation in your ducts, they need to get removed immediately. This is extremely unhealthy. And it’s just plain gross.
After they’re removed, have your ducts cleaned.
The Presence of Mold
Mold can present a number of health issues if sent into the air of your home. If you notice any type of mold growth in or around your ductwork, have them cleaned.
Has Your Home Been Renovated?
Many homes go through a renovation before they’re sold. During some renovations, asbestos or dust gets removed along with other dangerous contaminants like lead paint.
If the ducts weren’t sealed off during a renovation, they need to get cleaned to ensure these poisonous contaminants aren’t hanging around.
Unexplained Illness
If a family member starts suffering an unexplained illness, especially allergy-related, you may need to look into having your ductwork professionally cleaned.
The Benefits of an HVAC Duct Cleaning
When you have your ducts cleaned by a professional, they’ll use special equipment to ensure the job gets done right. Vacuums, special brushes, and blowers work to clear out the intake, supply, and return ducts.
A professional technician will also clean other components of your HVAC system such as the coils, registers, fans, and air handler.
A thorough cleaning means you and your family enjoy a number of benefits
Better Air Quality
You may not realize it, but the air quality in your home has a tremendous effect on your health. Your “seasonal allergy symptoms” could actually be directly related to the air circulating through your HVAC unit.
Bad air quality causes itchy and irritated eyes, sneezing, coughing, and even fatigue. If you have a pre-existing health condition, poor air quality may worsen the symptoms.
When you get an HVAC duct cleaning, all debris including dust, pollen, pet hair, and dander is removed. These are the pollutants that get recirculated every time your unit is turned on.
If it’s been awhile since your last service, or you suddenly start experiencing the symptoms above, it’s probably time to call a professional.
Improve the Efficiency of Your Unit
When the return ducts in your system start to accumulate debris, it begins to clog the air filter and evaporator coil. This makes it harder for your system to properly maintain the desired temperature.
If this accumulation of dust and debris builds up over time inside the ducting, it restricts airflow. Having this debris cleared out will ensure proper airflow so your unit runs at maximum efficiency.
Even if you replace your air filter regularly, over time a build-up of contaminants forces the unit to work harder. Not only does this affect the unit’s ability to cool and heat your home, it decreases its lifespan. Having your ducts cleaned helps the longevity of your unit so you don’t have to pay for a premature replacement.
Keeping your unit from working too hard also helps keep energy bills down. Consider adding an HVAC duct cleaning to your next routine maintenance and get the most out of your unit.
Improve Your Overall Living Environment
We all know how easily dust accumulates on everything in our homes. When you have your duct system professionally cleaned, you eliminate dust particles that would inevitably end up on furniture, countertops, and the floor.
This makes for a much cleaner home and also reduces the need to dust so frequently. Overall, your living space is made more hygienic by maintaining the cleanliness of your HVAC system.
Think about all the odors that circulate through your home on a regular basis. Everything from cleaning products, to pet odors to cooking food creates different smells almost daily. Not to mention if you smoke in your home.
All of the odors will end up working their way into your air ducts. And if you have an accumulation of dust already in the ductwork, you may start to notice a musty or stale smell.
The problem here is that you’re probably used to it and don’t notice. You may be surprised at how fresh your home smells after a professional cleaning.
Enjoy the Benefits of HVAC Duct Cleaning
The condition of your HVAC ductwork probably isn’t something that’s been on your mind. It easy for dirty ducts to go unnoticed for years. However, investing in professional cleaning services will increase the quality of life for you and your family.
Remember to keep tabs on all the maintenance done to your HVAC unit. If you don’t know when your ducts were last cleaned, have a technician come out and perform an inspection. You may be way overdue.
We provide residential and commercial air duct cleaning services throughout the Los Angeles area. Contact us today to make an appointment.
