Homeowners depend on their HVAC systems to cool and heat their homes, often through extensive ducts which transport air throughout the rooms and different floors of the house. All the air in the home comes in contact with these ducts, both depositing and picking up particles within the ducts. Although most HVAC systems have filters to protect the air quality, after the air is filtered it can still pick up dust and other allergens in dirty air ducts before reentering the home. The question you should be asking yourself is when was the last time you had your air ducts cleaned or inspected?
Are Your Ducts Contaminating Your Air?
There are many ways in which air ducts can become less than clean over the years. Accumulation of skin, hair, pet dander and many other particles is common within the ducts of an HVAC system. In addition, more hazardous debris is often found inside these ducts, including dead pests, along with their feces and urine, and harmful mold growth. While dirty ducts can add particles to the air which are irritating to those with allergies, the real risk is when toxins that can affect everyone’s health are being circulated into the home through dirty ductwork.
In addition, your duct system can lose some of its efficiency due to dirty ductwork, poorly sealed ductwork, or poorly insulated ducts.
The easiest solution to protect your family from possible allergens and toxins from dirty air ducts and to maximize system efficiency is to have them cleaned and inspected on an annual basis. A system efficiency analysis can ensure the air flowing through your home is not being contaminated by your ducts, as well as making sure your ducts are properly sealed and not losing the cooled or warmed air into walls or crawlspaces. If it has been over a year since your ducts have been inspected or cleaned, call your local HVAC service provider to schedule an appointment for a system efficiency analysis or duct cleaning.
Posted on behalf of James Smith, ClimateSmith LLC
