What some people may not realize is that air ducts are incredibly vital to your HVAC system. They’re responsible for distributing heated or cooled air to your rooms and essentially keeping your home comfortable. It’s only natural to want this air to be as clean as it can be. This is why air duct cleaning is an essential part of HVAC maintenance that shouldn’t be neglected.
It’s important to start cleaning and maintaining your HVAC system instead of waiting before it becomes a serious problem. If you’re not yet convinced, this article will emphasize the benefits of regular air duct cleaning for your HVAC system.
How Air Duct Cleaning Improves Air Quality
When you clean the air ducts of your HVAC system, you end up removing the buildup of dust and grime that stick to the inside of your air ducts. These same particles are what will end up in your indoor air and cause harmful effects on your health.
With regular air duct cleaning, you’ll be able to improve your air quality indoors, and these are the reasons why:
Reduces Allergens in the Air
Dirty air ducts not only have a dust buildup but also harbor other potential irritants that tend to stick to their internal surfaces such as pet dander, pollen, and mold spores.
People with allergies, in particular, are at the most risk here since they are more sensitive to those particles than anyone else. They can trigger symptoms ranging from sinus congestion to an asthma attack.
Having your HVAC system’s air ducts cleaned professionally helps reduce these allergy symptoms and prevent ill health for those who are most vulnerable.
Improves the Efficiency of Your HVAC System
When dirt and other particles build up in your HVAC system’s air ducts, they will still be circulated throughout the system and end up distributing dirt to other parts of your HVAC unit. They could also potentially clog the air ducts, which in turn, restricts airflow.
This could result in your HVAC system struggling to keep the house at the desired temperature. Your HVAC unit would have to work even more to produce a constant output level, causing it to consume even more energy, leading to a consequent rise in utility bills.
Not only is it cheaper to have your air ducts cleaned in the long run, but it also prevents other parts from getting dirty and allows the HVAC system to work as efficiently as it should.
Removes any Bad Odor
There are all sorts of smell that ends up circulating in your home’s ductwork that will then produce a bad smell. It’s usually a combination of food, cleaning materials, and mold smells. The buildup of dust and other particles in the air ducts can also lead to a house smelling musty over time.
Cleaning your air ducts can remove those bad smells and bring your house back to smelling fresh and clean.
Prevents Equipment Failure
The dirt and particles in your air ducts don’t have to enter the air to be a hazard. If you have excessive dust and debris in your HVAC system, then it’s only inevitable for some type of equipment failure to occur.
Regularly cleaning the ductwork in your HVAC system is essential to make sure your home stays comfortable.
Fewer Needs for AC Repairs
This is closely related to the ones mentioned before, but having dust, dirt, and other particles accumulate in your air ducts can most likely lead to clogging. Your filter becomes dirty a lot quicker than normal and can cause other clogging issues in other parts of the HVAC system such as through the vents or even in the motorized parts.
Clogged air ducts can result in your system breaking down and having to need repair. This is also dangerous because the HVAC unit will still continue to try and push air through the clogged parts of the system, which would lead to more damage.
This is why regular maintenance of your HVAC system, which includes duct cleaning, is important because it also helps you cut down on repair and maintenance costs.
Keeps AC System Free from Rodents
Homes, particularly attics and basements, are popular breeding grounds for rodents. This gives them access to your home’s air conditioning and ventilation systems.
Even if you have fended off all the rodents from your house, there’s still a huge chance that they have left behind some of their living conditions, feces, or urine in the ductwork of your house. When they get circulated into your air supply, they can be dangerous to your health.
Regular cleaning of the air ducts of your HVAC system can help remove any debris left by the rodents.
Signs You Might Need to Clean Your Air Ducts
If you don’t have a regular maintenance schedule and are not sure how to determine whether your air ducts are in need of cleaning, one thing to note is that if your HVAC system is a few years old and you’ve never scheduled an air duct cleaning service before, then now is the time to do so.
Otherwise, these are the signs you should look out for:
- There is a decrease in the airflow coming out of your vents, which could signify that your air ducts or vent have been clogged.
- There are significant problems with the air quality of your homes, triggering reactions such as stuffiness, itchy and watery eyes, and other overactive allergic reactions.
- The outer edges of your vents or air ducts have dirt around them.
The Bottom Line
Dirty ductwork can become a serious health hazard for your family or any friends that might be visiting your home. If you’ve noticed any of the signs mentioned above, then it’s time to call a local HVAC specialist and have your HVAC system’s air ducts checked. You might be surprised at the amount of dirt, dust, and grime preventing you from fully enjoying the comfort of your home.
