Air ducts are part of a housing system designed to circulate air in the interior areas. The ducts move cold and warm air around, as well as expel some. Hence, air ducts also known as conduits must be clean at all times to ensure quality and healthy airflow. Proper maintenance is, therefore necessary to keep the air healthy and HVAC (Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system running smoothly.
How then can you deduce when your air ducts need to be cleaned? Below are helpful and simple tips to help you.
Discover the Signs Your Home Is Begging for an Air Duct Cleaning
It may be difficult to schedule routine cleaning of your air ducts, but you can learn to detect signs that may indicate when your air ducts need to be thoroughly cleaned. Knowing this reduces the chances of contaminated or poor-quality air. You also get to prevent possible financially draining repairs. And you may be able to prevent premature replacement of an air duct system.
Now, let’s examine four indicators that can help you know when to clean the HVAC system thoroughly.
Poor Air Quality
Poor air quality which occurs when the HVAC system is filled with dirt, is a sign that the conduits need cleaning. You can feel it when you breathe as dust or allergens accompany the airflow causing respiratory irritation and allergies. As a result, your eyes may itch, you may tend to
cough, and experience other respiratory disturbances. People with health conditions like asthma may also feel a level of discomfort.
The drop in air quality happens gradually over a long period of using the air ducts. Pollutants such as dust, molds, and pet dander build over time and slowly start to affect the quality of airflow within the conduits. Hence, if you begin to sense that your room is stuffy, you might consider cleaning the ducts. Additionally, it’s best to look at the air duct openings to check for dust or mold build-up to confirm your suspicions.
Increased Energy Bills
Dirty air ducts can increase energy consumption since the HVAC system may need to work a little harder to circulate air. You may wonder why dirty ducts are linked with increased energy bills. Well, it’s quite easy to connect.
Your HVAC system uses electricity to transfer airflow across the house. When the ducts are clogged with dirt, molds, or debris of any kind, the smooth flow of air is hindered. This means the system has to work harder to move air around. When this happens, the HVAC system consumes more energy to ventilate a place effectively. In the process, the energy consumed increases and you have to pay more than usual.
When you examine your energy bill and notice an increase, chances are your air system may be consuming more to function. This may be a sign that your air ducts need thorough cleaning.
Rodent Presence
Pests and rodents can gain entry into air ducts. Two things can happen when they enter the ventilation system. First, they can pass smelly waste that affects the smell of your home. In some cases they may die; causing an intense foul smell.
Secondly, they may also make disturbing noise, and their movement can affect the smooth flow of air especially if they are present in numbers.
When you detect noise in ducts or foul smells, you may need to take care of the air ducts to get the atmosphere back to normal.
Inconsistent Airflow
Another sign to look at is inconsistent airflow. This might require you to monitor the temperature across the rooms within the house. Often than not, a blocked air duct affects only a section of a house rather than the entire house. Airflow might be distributed unevenly. For example, a room may not be as chilled or warm as others when the temperature is supposed to be uniform.
When you take note of this sort of discrepancy, you should arrange to have the air ducts cleaned.
Why Watch Out for These Signs
Your health and efficiency of an HVAC system are at risk if you don’t pay close attention to these signs. You can keep the air in your house or a space healthy if you pay close attention to these signs. The HVAC system will also remain effective and efficient for a longer period.
Other perks are reduced expenses on repair, preventing excess energy bills, and increased durability for the air system.
Needless to say, always have a professional cleanse your air duct. Do not attempt to do the job yourself as you may not be able to clean it appropriately and thoroughly. Besides, only trained personnel can thoroughly clean your HVAC system using the proper tools.
Conclusion
These common signs are important to help you decide when to engage the service of an air duct cleaning company or professional to avoid health and financial consequences. Always endeavor to pay attention to the air quality, smell, and visible dust particles in the air. You may also want to inspect the ducts for mold and debris. While you do this, also watch for irregular temperatures across the rooms in the house to help you tell when a thorough cleaning is necessary.
Remember that early detection will help you prevent further problems. So, when you see or notice any of these signs, do not hesitate to get your air ducts cleansed.
