How Important Is Air Duct Cleaning?
Air ducts allow cool air to circulate throughout the home, but the air conditioning system cannot maintain a consistent indoor temperature if the ducts are dirty. Without clean air ducts, homeowners can experience higher bills and higher temperatures.
The Benefits of Duct Cleaning
When air-conditioned air circulates a room, it pushes the original hot air into separate ducts. These ducts are then able to direct the air outside. If the air ducts are dirty, air conditioning cannot remove warm air with the same efficiency. This ends up costing homeowners significantly more in terms of their energy bills.
Depending on the size of the home, clean air ducts can save homeowners 20% every month. This is in addition to the savings acquired from reducing repair needs. Further, clean air ducts can keep the HVAC system running for a longer period.
Aside from saving money, clean ducts have other benefits, such as keeping indoor air quality clean. Dirty air ducts will cause dust particles, pollen, and dander to disperse throughout each room, which is particularly hazardous during the summer when viruses are likely to spread. Home air quality should remain stable if the air filters are changed approximately once every three months.
If the ducts are dirty, it may be due to mold or mildew. Getting rid of bacterial growth cuts down on unpleasant smells and potential health problems. Mold is known to cause dizziness, nausea, and headaches for both adults and children.
The Air Ducts Need to Be Cleaned If…
All air ducts will need to be cleaned at some point, but certain issues become apparent when time is of the essence. The presence of mold, strange smells, and dust is just one sign.If indoor temperatures are uneven, this could be due to a blockage. This is also true if the air conditioning is frequently running, but the indoor temperature feels warmer than it should. Long or frequent AC cycles cause bills to rise when the system is no longer energy efficient.
The air conditioning unit should be working correctly and unnoticeable. If there are loud, creaking sounds, this issue needs to be examined sooner to check what causes these problems. Sometimes, this happens because the unit is older than seven years, but other times, it can be a problem with the air ducts. Cleaning the ducts more than once yearly will help homeowners understand why this issue may occur.
How to Maintain the Air Ducts
Keeping the home clean is one way to reduce particles in the air ducts. This means sweeping and vacuuming once every two or three weeks and wiping down counters. When dirty particles circulate in the air ducts, they often come from indoors.Air filters also play a significant role and changing them helps remove particles before they spread from room to room. The average household should change their air filters once every three months unless they also own pets. Households with dogs and cats may need to change their filters once per month.
Annual AC maintenance includes ductwork so technicians can clean the ducts while examining the insulation for potential damage. An AC tune-up can be scheduled anytime so the entire unit can start fresh.
Colonial Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc.
Colonial Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc. specializes in ductwork cleaning and AC and heating maintenance. Call Colonial Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc. today for NATE-certified air duct cleaning and repair services in Colonial Heights, VA.
