Your HVAC system is made up of several different components. One of the most important of these components is the ducts. Ducts move the conditioned air where it’s most needed to help heat and cool your home. One problem with ducts is that they can accumulate dust and debris over time. This can result in health problems, increased energy usage, and other issues. Fortunately, a professional duct cleaning can restore the proper performance of your home’s ducts. Understanding when to schedule your duct cleaning can help make the most of this important procedure.
Understanding Ducts
The duct system starts with a return duct. This duct pulls in air from your home to send through the mechanical components of your HVAC system. After the system changes the temperature of the air, it sends the conditioned air through the supply ducts. These ducts terminate at vents located in various rooms in your home. Some ducts are made from rigid aluminum or sheet metal, while others are made from a flexible metal coil covered in plastic. Any type of duct at any location can become clogged with dust at any given time.
Why Clean Ducts?
If all ducts were perfectly straight and correctly installed, air duct cleaning might not be necessary. However, because ducts have twists and turns and tend to have installation defects, it’s easy for dust and debris to collect in your ducts. While a little dust isn’t a problem, a lot of dust can make it difficult for your system to heat and cool your home evenly. Cleaning your ducts will help your HVAC system more easily deliver air where it’s needed. This can help lower your utility costs and lengthen the life of your system. Plus, cleaning your ducts can help reduce allergy systems caused by mold and mildew growth in your ducts.
Signs It’s Time for a Duct Cleaning
If you’re unsure whether or not your ducts are dirty, here are a few signs to look for. First, if you notice dust accumulating on your vents, there may be excess dust in your ducts that is blowing out while your system is operating. You may also notice that your furniture is exceptionally dusty, even if you dust frequently. If you or your family members have unexplained allergy symptoms, that’s another sign that there could be dirty ducts in your home.
Best Season for Duct Cleaning
If you notice any symptoms of dirty ducts, the time to clean your ducts is right now. The sooner you clean your home’s ducts, the sooner you can improve your home’s indoor air quality and reduce your energy usage. However, if you don’t have an urgent need to clean your ducts, it’s important to think through scheduling your duct cleaning. Spring and fall are the best seasons to schedule your duct cleaning for a few reasons.
The big reason is that you tend to use your HVAC system less during these seasons, meaning that you won’t have to worry about too much discomfort when your system is off during the cleaning process. Fall ultimately wins as the best season because you can get your ducts clean before winter moves in. During the winter, most people tend to have their homes closed up to keep cold air out. If your ducts are dirty, a closed house will exacerbate the problems created by dirty ducts, meaning that clean ducts are a must.
Risks of Ignoring Your Home’s Ducts
Long-term neglect of your home’s ducts can have serious consequences. If dust accumulates for a long time, it becomes easier for water vapor to condense and settle in the dust. This creates a fertile breeding ground for mold and mildew. Left unchecked, mold and mildew growth can cause a variety of chronic illnesses that can land you or your family members in the hospital. Additionally, ignored ducts can make an attractive environment for pests like squirrels, rats, roaches, and more. That’s why it’s a good idea to have your ducts professionally inspected at least once every two years.
What Takes Place During Duct Cleaning?
Duct cleaning is a simple, non-invasive process that typically only takes a couple of hours. The technician will block off all the vents in your home so that dust can’t escape during the cleaning process. They will insert the hose of a high-powered vacuum cleaner through a large return vent to allow them to access all the ducts in your home. The vacuum cleaner sends all the dust and debris to a collection system outside so that nothing can escape into the air in your home. After the cleaning process is complete, the technician will put a remote camera in your ducts so that you can confirm that the ducts are clean.
Protecting Your Home’s Ducts
After a duct cleaning, it’s important to protect your home’s ducts to reduce the amount of dust that accumulates in them. The most important thing you can do is to make sure that your air filter is always clean and properly installed. Additionally, if the post-cleaning inspection shows that there are gaps or holes in your ducts, it’s a good idea to have your ducts sealed so that dust can’t find its way through those gaps and holes.
Schedule Your Duct Cleaning Today
Cleaning your home’s ducts has a host of benefits that can transform the performance of your HVAC system. Contact Monster Vac to schedule a cleaning appointment at your earliest convenience. After the cleaning is complete, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the incredible quality of your home’s indoor air.
