Air ducts are essential components of your HVAC system responsible for alternating cool and warm air throughout your house or business premises. However, the ducts accumulate debris, pollen, dust, mold, and insect droppings, reducing indoor quality. While it can be hard to know if your air ducts need to be cleaned, in this article, we will explore the benefits of cleaning air ducts, signs your air ducts need cleaning, and how often you should do it.
How to Tell if Your Air Ducts Need Cleaning
Complete HVAC maintenance includes air duct cleaning. While maintenance should be a regular occurrence, these are the five signs your air ducts may need cleaning:
Unexplained Energy Bills
Clogged air ducts make the air conditioner and heater work under pressure to attain the expected air standards. This makes it use more energy than when functioning normally. Check whether the rates have changed to certain the bills are being caused by excessive energy consumption. If the rates are unchanged, clogged air ducts might be the issue.
Recent Construction or Major Renovation
Even with the most professional contractors, construction sites are a mess. If your home or business premises have just been constructed, dust and debris are common in the air ducts. Whether it has just been constructed or undergone a major makeover, it is not safe for occupation if the air ducts have not been cleaned.
Vermin droppings in the Air Duct
Pests such as rodents and insects carry bacteria and allergens that cause diseases when inhaled. Droppings in the air duct are a clear sign that it is inhabited by pests. The pests may be gone, but their appendages, fur, and nests may still be stuck in the ducts. Professional cleaning removes all this pest-related dirt and will improve your air quality.
Presence of Mold
You don’t need to see the mold itself with many symptoms of mold exposure. Mold spreads rapidly around the house, so you should not rule out any sight of mold. Although humid conditions mostly cause mold, your air ducts might have condensation and moisture build-up.
Rapid Dust Build-up
Cleaning is tiresome, and the HVAC system ensures you don’t have to do it more frequently. If you realize that dust is accumulating more quickly than normal when you clean, the air ducts might be blowing clogged dust through the vents. A professional cleaner is an ideal rescuer in this case.
Benefits of Cleaning Air Ducts
Clean air ducts help achieve good indoor air quality, which is the goal of anyone prioritizing health standards. A regular air duct cleaning
- Boosts your HVAC system’s efficiency
- Promotes professional image
- Reduces allergens in the air
- Helps to avoid unnecessary repairs
- Prevents health problems
- Calms your mind and worries
- Eliminates awful odors
- Saves energy by reducing consumption
- Lower maintenance costs
- Achieves cleaner rooms
How Often Should Air Ducts Be Cleaned?
Any of the five signs above shows your air ducts need cleaning. However, the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) recommends annual air duct cleaning. However, some facilities require quarterly, or even semi-annually duct cleaning. These facilities include, but are not limited to:
- Hospitals
- Restaurants
- Food Manufactures
- Commercial Buildings
- Manufacturing Operations that create combustible dust hazards
Protect and Preserve Your Home with Professional Duct Cleaning from A-Z Air Duct
The risks of bad air quality may be damaging, and the benefits of good air quality are invaluable. HVAC system maintenance is not one of the DIY items you should have on your list. A-Z Air Duct offers the right professionals for the task. Our family-owned, operated air duct cleaning company offers commercial and residential air cleaning services.
Contact us for an estimate or schedule HVAC maintenance services in Phoenix and the surrounding areas.
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