Your home has a nice HVAC system in place that is going to help handle the air through your home on a daily basis. It can keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter and can even filter out the air so that it does not get stale as time goes on. and with that air, there can be a number of pollutants that go through as well such as dander, hair, mites, spiderwebs, dust, and debris. If you do not get the air ducts cleaned on a regular basis, then you may find that the HVAC system will not work as well as before and you can run into a number of other problems too.
How Often Do My Air Ducts Need Cleaned
Air ducts are a bit different than some of the other options that you will find in your home, such as checking the furnace or the air conditioner. You do not have to follow a routine schedule to get this done. You should clean out the air ducts only when it is needed. There are a few conditions that you can watch for to help you determine whether it is time to clean the ducts or not including dirt in the system or visible mold. If you have a lot of allergies to worry about, then you may want to clean the air ducts more often.
It is hard to know how dirty the air ducts are. Homeowners should only be able to see a few feet into the system at a time and they will need to have a video inspection done by the right professionals to ensure that they are taking care of the area and to see whether the system will need to be cleaned out or not.
When Should I Clean My Air Ducts?
It is important for you to know the signs that tell you it is time to clean out your air ducts. Some of the primary signs to look for that determine the air ducts are getting dirty and need a little bit of care and attention include:
- There is visible amounts of mold growth
- You are able to see that there is a good amount of dust inside the air ducts.
- You notice there are insects and rodents that are inside the ducts
- You have someone in the home who is more prone to allergies and asthma or who suffers from a number of illnesses that could benefit from clean air ducts.
There are also some secondary conditions that you should consider when it comes to cleaning out your air ducts or not. Some of these include:
- If you have people who smoke in the home. This can make the smell go around the home and cause more smoke to go into the air ducts, so it is better to get them cleaned out.
- Pets that tend to shed often with a lot of hair or who struggle with the dander.
- If there is some sort of water contamination in the air ducts and you want to avoid mold from spreading all around.
- There is some kind of damage that occurs in the ducts.
- You have recently done some renovations in the home, including drywall work.
Dust in the first few feet of your air duct doesn’t always mean that you need to call in the professionals to do the work for you. Return ducts do tend to be dirtier because they will pull room air back into the system. You can often clean these out with a vacuum and its extension and be good to go again.
Benefit of Cleaning Your Air Ducts
There are a lot of benefits that you will get to enjoy when you take the time to clean out your air ducts. The main benefit to most homeowners is that it allows them to remove the growth of mold from the area. Contaminated air ducts can become a big breeding round for microbe growth, even under normal circumstances, which can make the homeowner sick and not feel all that good.
Whenever the HVAC system works to push air through the ductwork, mold spores will be distributed throughout the whole home as well. If there is some water that will enter the ductwork and the moisture does not have a chance to dry up, then it can cause mildew or mold to grow as well. It is a good idea to clean up the air vents to ensure that the water is not going to end up causing mold and a lot of illness at the same time.
Another thing to consider is getting the cleaning done after a major renovation around the home. This is especially true if you did something that makes a big mess like drywall work or floor sanding. It is helpful to have the ducts cleaned ahead of time before you turn the HVAC system back on. This can keep the dust and other items out of the ducts and will give you a healthier and happier home.
When it is time to clean out your air ducts, it makes sense to call in the professionals to come and do the work. They can get all of the ductwork done and will make sure that everything is removed with nothing left behind. But it can be expensive to have the professionals come and do it rather than completing it yourself. You will have to decide how thoroughly you would like the work done for he best results.
When you are looking to get your air ducts or dryer vents cleaned out, it is a good idea to work with the right professionals to ensure that the work is done the right way each time. Our dryer vent tech will be able to come to your home or commercial property and look around, determining what needs to be done and how much time it will take. No matter the size of the property or how long it has been since you got the ducts cleaned, trust our team of professionals to be there to help you out!
