When your ductwork becomes caked with debris and contaminated with mold, it has a negative effect on indoor air quality. Dirty ducts can even affect how efficiently your HVAC system runs. Don’t let it be a case of out of sight, out of mind. Instead, invest in a good duct cleaning so you can enjoy a healthy home and more comfortable, energy efficient air conditioning.
Schedule Preventive Maintenance
Dirty HVAC equipment has a direct impact on the system’s ductwork, so it makes sense that system maintenance helps. HVAC equipment should be professionally tuned up once a year. Contact your trusted heating and cooling professional to maintain the furnace in the fall and the air conditioner in the spring.
Preventive maintenance also includes regular changes of the air filter. A clean air filter traps dust and debris more effectively so it doesn’t wind up circulating through and sticking to duct walls. Plan to check the air filter monthly and replace it when dust begins accumulating. Don’t wait for a formal visit from your HVAC technician.
Other preventive maintenance steps include removing dust from the coils and checking for carbon monoxide leaks, all of which contribute to cleaner ducts and better indoor air quality.
Seal Ducts During Renovation Projects
Home renovation is an exciting time, but don’t forget to make preventing dirty ductwork a priority. To do this, have your building contractor cover return and supply registers with plastic to block saw dust, drywall particles and other debris and keep them from circulating through the ductwork. Keep the heating and cooling system turned off until the plastic covers have been removed.
Keep the Home Clean
Dirt, dust and mold have the potential to end up coating ductwork walls if you don’t keep your home clean. In fact, assuming ductwork is properly sealed, the debris settled around your home is the only source of duct contamination.
By dusting, vacuuming and cleaning once a week, you decrease the amount of dust, mold spores and other particles in the air that travel through the ductwork. In turn, when the ducts remain unsoiled, less debris circulates back into your home and it’s easier to keep clean.
Clean New Ducts Prior to Installation
Whether you’re building a new home and installing ductwork or renovating your existing home, make sure the installer cleans all ductwork surfaces before installing them. New ducts are often coated with oil or debris from the manufacturing and construction processes. If this contamination isn’t removed before heated or cooled air flows through them, the oil or debris could circulate through your home and possibly contaminate the HVAC equipment itself.
Place Return Registers Carefully
Any time you install new return registers, whether in a retrofit project or a newly built home, make sure no return registers end up in the bathroom or kitchen. These areas are prone to moisture build-up, odors and grease production. It’s acceptable to place supply registers in the kitchen and bathroom for adequate heating and cooling, but you don’t want to draw air back into the HVAC system from these pollution-generating rooms.
Seek a Professional Ductwork Inspection
Have you been suffering from unexplained allergies or asthma attacks? Did you spot mold on the HVAC equipment? Do you suspect the strange noises coming from the ducts are the sound of scurrying rodents? These are all situations that can benefit from professional duct cleaning. Before deciding to have the ductwork cleaned, you should have it inspected to verify your suspicions.
In addition to assessing the level of contamination, a ductwork inspection is also useful for seeing how well the ducts have held up since their initial installation. If joints have separated or duct sealing products have come loose, an inspection identifies these problems and gives you the opportunity to fix them. Sealed, insulated ducts save energy, contribute to cleaner indoor air and keep you more comfortable.
Benefits of Duct Cleaning
- The first major benefit of preventing duct cleaning is the chance to enjoy cleaner indoor air, which results in better health and fewer respiratory problems such as allergies and asthma.
- Then, your preventive measures save you time and money by avoiding the need for professional duct cleanings in many instances.
- Finally, you appreciate better HVAC efficiency, since clean ductwork walls facilitate better airflow and keep the blower motor from working as hard to deliver heated and cooled air.
For more tips on preventing dirty ductwork, or to schedule any HVAC services, please call Bodine Scott Air Conditioning Company at (361) 883-9900 today.
