If you don't take the time to clean your air conditioner and air ducts, you may be putting your health and home at risk. Dust and other external particles can accumulate inside the air ducts, leading to difficulty breathing, chest pain, and other common symptoms of an asthma attack. Not only can this be detrimental to your health, but it can also cause problems with the heating and cooling unit. The unit may have to work harder and for longer periods of time due to the additional strain associated with the movement of air through those dirty ducts.
This can lead to more frequent repairs and an increase in energy bills. The EPA does not recommend that air ducts be cleaned routinely, but only when necessary. However, they do suggest that if you have a furnace, stove, or fireplace that burns fuel, they be inspected for proper functioning and maintained before each heating season to protect them from carbon monoxide poisoning. Mold can quickly cause ugly stains and produce an unpleasant odor, and if left untreated, mold infestations can corrode carpets, wallpaper, drywall, furniture upholstery, floorboards, and other household materials.
The accumulation of dust and dandruff is unsightly and can damage the finishes of the house. It is also possible that your home will get an unpleasant smell everywhere because the particles from the duct system are distributed through the air conditioning system. If your goal is for indoor air to be as fresh and healthy as possible, you may want to consider hiring a company to clean your home's air ducts. There are several reasons why it's critical that you clean dirty air ducts, one of which is the additional expense on your energy bills over time. The longer time passes without air ducts being thoroughly and properly cleaned, the more attractive they will be to a variety of pests, such as rats, mice, and cockroaches. Pollutants that enter the home from outdoor or indoor activities, such as cooking, cleaning, smoking, or just moving, can cause greater exposure to pollutants than dirty air ducts.
In addition to cleaning the ducts themselves, it is also necessary to clean the fan and other parts of the system that introduce air into the ducts. They can also propose the application of a sealant to prevent dust and dirt particles from going out into the air or to seal air leaks. According to the National Association of Air Duct Cleaners (NADCA), these scammers may falsely claim to be members of the NADCA or a professional HVAC association. In addition, there is no evidence that a small amount of household dust or other particulate matter in air ducts poses any health risk. As long as forced air is still coming out of the vents, it doesn't seem to make sense to think about the duct system. If your air conditioner has had better times and you're ready to replace it with a new one, you can trust that Hutchinson's team of trained advisors will be dedicated to studying your home's cooling needs and your personal preferences to find the perfect air conditioner for you and your family.
However, there is little evidence to indicate that simply cleaning the duct system increases system efficiency. If you think duct cleaning might be a good idea for your home but you're not sure, talk to a professional. If there seems to be no other reason for the increase in energy bills or other problems with your heating or cooling unit, ask a professional to inspect the ducts and see if they need to be cleaned.
