Homeowners are regularly told to change their air filter for their HVAC, which has a powerful preventative effect on the longevity of the system. There’s no question that the air filter helps, trapping and removing materials that otherwise make it harder for the system to work right, as well as avoiding those same materials from being breathed in the house. And, a filter change-out allows the system to work easier instead of trying to force air through a clogged filter over time. However, this is not the only aspect of an air system that needs maintenance. The ducts ultimately trap dust and material which needs to be cleaned out too.
Ducting in a Home
The means by which hot and cold air from an HVAC system gets distributed through a home is the ductwork. This is a network of hoses and pipes connected to the heating furnace and the air conditioner that are networked throughout the house and exit via vents, usually in the walls or ceilings of every room. When these ducts are working correctly, they deliver the warmed or cooled air, depending on the thermostat setting and environmental temperature level a homeowner wants. However, just like anything else with a channel for delivery, ducts build up dust, gunk and residue over time. With a regular duct cleaning every few years, this same material is removed and doesn’t continue to be recirculated through the home, affecting how people breathe during the day and when sleeping.
Contaminants Build Up From Living
Much of what we know as dust comes from people and pets, as well as from the outside. External contaminants occur due to pollen, mold, fungi, smoke and pollutants outside. Inside, pet dander and hair, similar for humans, and general miscellaneous microscopic material with air flow all build up. This material doesn’t suddenly appear; it takes years to get to a level that is visible, but it does collect in the ducts because they are the primary feed of much of the air flow in a home.
While air filters catch a good amount of the above, they are not perfect. Plenty of air gets moved around and recirculated through the house system by the HVAC alone, and that picks up a good amount of the material from inside sources too. Filters primarily block much of what comes from the outside, and if looked at closely the contaminants will look familiar in the form of pollen, seeds, bugs and other things light enough to float versus fall to the earth with gravity.
What a Duct Cleaning Provides
Air duct cleaning services go through the entire duct system of a home and, with the use of vacuuming that penetrates the channels deep beyond the vents, the ducts are cleaned out. The service also makes a point to inspect ducts at the same time, making any repairs or replacements if needed and agreed to by the homeowner. This helps prevent costly HVAC leaks as well as outside pests getting into the ductwork. The results end up being a higher quality air flow in the home as well as a healthier internal environment. And that can be a critical issue for homeowners suffering from breathing conditions like asthma or similar.
Common signs of a duct problem tend to come in smells, low air flow, problems with equipment not working right and clumps of material blowing out of the vents into the room. When these issues are noticed, it’s definitely time for a duct work cleaning service to be applied. Remember an air filter only captures some of the contaminants that get into an HVAC system. While these need to be regularly changed to protect the system, it is not the total capture of all material. A duct cleaning service helps resolve the remainder of the problem, especially after a number of years of living in a home.
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