4 Benefits of HVAC Duct Cleaning
April 07, 2020
If you have been researching indoor air quality or HVAC system maintenance, you may be wondering if a professional duct cleaning is worth it. Here are four benefits of having your home's ducts cleaned.
1. Improved Indoor Air Quality
Concern about reduced indoor air quality is the primary reason that most homeowners are interested in duct cleaning. Pollen, pet dander, and other airborne allergens in your home can trigger frequent allergic reactions, while bacterial pollutants in the air can lead to respiratory illness.
While your furnace filter will remove many pollutants from the air before it is blown into your ductwork, no filter is 100 percent effective. Over a period of months or years, the inside of your ducts can become coated with dust, mold, and other contaminants, some of which may be blowing into your home every time you use your air conditioner or furnace.
If you have your ducts professionally cleaned and also clean or replace your filter regularly, you can ensure that your home gets the cleanest air possible from your HVAC system.
2. Cleaner Home
Every time you use your furnace or air conditioner, more and more of the dust and dirt in your ducts will be blown into your home. This dust has to settle somewhere, and it will eventually find a place to rest on furniture, floors, or hard surfaces in your home. Regular duct cleaning will reduce how often you have to dust and clean the rest of your home.
Additionally, if you have recently noticed an unpleasant smell in your home, duct cleaning may provide a solution. Sometimes musty or smoky odors can cling to the dust in your ducts and linger long after the source of the odor was removed. Cleaning your ducts will get rid of particles that could be holding odor and ensure that the freshest air possible is circulated.
3. Increased HVAC System Efficiency
Airborne contaminants are not only hard on your family and your belongings. A heavy buildup of dust in your ductwork will also force your HVAC system to work harder to deliver the same amount of air throughout your home. This reduction in efficiency will lead to an upward creep in your energy bill as dust continues to build up in your ducts.
It is important to remember that your HVAC system does not only blow air in one direction. Air from inside your home is circulated back into the system through return ducts to be heated or cooled again as long as your system is running.
If dust builds up in the return ducts, the system can pull it back in as air is circulated. Internal components such as bearings, coils, and the blower motor can become damaged as they are coated with dust, shortening the lifespan of your system.
4. Greater Warning for Bigger Problems
Matted hair, dirt, and dust in your ducts does more than weaken your HVAC system. If you don’t deal with large clumps of debris, they can become a fire hazard. These soft materials also make excellent places for pests to nest in your ducts.
During a duct cleaning, your technician will remove this debris, and they will often inspect the rest of your HVAC system as well. Maintaining a routine of duct cleanings is a good way to get a heads-up on the health of the rest of your system. This way, you can take actions to repair the problem before you are stuck without heat or air.
If you are unhappy with the air quality in your home or the performance of your HVAC system, contact Service 1 Plumbing, Heating & A/C Inc., so our duct-cleaning professionals can help you breathe happy again.