7 Benefits of Air Duct Cleaning

If air circulates throughout your home with the help of ducts, you should have them cleaned regularly. The ductwork in your home is responsible for maintaining interior comfort, no matter the time of year. However, air circulates through ducts several times per day. If there’s a lot of dust or pollutants in your ducts, the air that enters your home will carry these contaminants. This guide explores the many benefits of air duct cleaning.

Understanding Air Duct Cleaning

When you schedule duct cleaning services, the process will involve many components within your HVAC system. The parts that should be cleaned include return and supply air ducts, heating and cooling coils, the interior air handling unit, condensate drain pans, and the fan motor.

If the air ducts in your home aren’t properly maintained, the components within may eventually become contaminated with everything from pollen to dust. If the moisture level within the air ducts is high, mold could grow and release spores. These contaminants can lead to allergic reactions and other health issues.

During duct cleaning services, specialized tools are used to remove dirt and larger debris from various surfaces. The ducts can then be vacuumed out. Depending on the number of contaminants within your air ducts, chemical biocides could be applied to effectively eliminate microbiological pollutants.

Benefits of Air Duct Cleaning

From better efficiency to healthier air, there are many reasons why you should have your ducts cleaned regularly. To keep airborne contaminants to a minimum, consider requesting air duct cleaning services once per year.

1. Improves Airflow Efficiency

If the ducts and registers that make up your system consist of high levels of grime and dust, the airflow throughout your home could be restricted. When this occurs, airflow efficiency will be low, which means that your system won’t run as well. When a system is clean and free from these contaminants, it should run at peak efficiency, which can help you save money on your monthly energy bills.

2. Reduces Contaminants and Allergens

Along with dust, many different allergens and contaminants can get into ducts and cause health issues. These contaminants include everything from mold and mildew to pet dander and bacteria. During the spring and early summer months, pollen might also accumulate. If you suffer from asthma or allergies, you may be sensitive to these particles. Respiratory problems can get worse if the air inside your home isn’t clean. Air duct cleaning can remove nearly all these contaminants.

3. Makes It Easier to Breathe

Even if you don’t have a respiratory condition, duct cleaning should make it easier for you to breathe the air in your home. When dust and other indoor contaminants get into your nose or mouth, you’re more likely to cough and sneeze. Sinus congestion can also occur. With air duct cleaning services, you should be able to breathe in without coughing.

4. Prevents Mildew and Mold

If condensation accumulates in your Riverside, CA, home’s air ducts, mold and mildew can grow. If you don’t have the mold removed immediately, spores could get into your air and cause numerous health problems. Mold can be found in almost anything. From dry leaves to food, you can spot mold in numerous locations. While mold can help the environment by breaking down dead materials, it can cause allergic symptoms if it gets into your home.

If you’re exposed to mold spores, you might experience symptoms like:

• Difficulty breathing
• Itching
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Runny nose
• Watery eyes

Duct cleaning keeps these pathogens out of your air, removes any built-up moisture, and prevents serious health concerns.

5. Eliminates Strange Odors and Smells

From food preparation to household cleaning agents, many things can cause bad odors to get into your air ducts. Whenever your air conditioner or furnace is running, these smells will flow throughout your home. By properly cleaning your air ducts, you can remove all particles that are trapping odors, which should leave your home smelling cleaner and fresher.

6. Reduces the Need for Costly Repairs

If your home’s ductwork is dirty, it will need to run more often, which causes additional wear and tear. In this situation, your HVAC system is more likely to malfunction at an inconvenient time of the year. If your HVAC unit breaks down during the hot summer months, you would need to use fans or open your windows just to get a breeze going. Over time, the important components within your unit could fail altogether. Repairing or replacing major system components can be costly, which is why you should have your air ducts cleaned routinely.

7. Boosts System Lifespan

If dirt and dust accumulate too much, you may notice that the air doesn’t circulate through your home properly. For example, you’re more likely to experience hot and cold spots in certain rooms. While this issue hurts your airflow efficiency, it can also damage your system. When an HVAC unit needs to work harder, there’s a higher chance that it will eventually shut down completely. Regular air duct cleaning could be the difference between the HVAC unit lasting 20 years or needing to be replaced after just 10.

Preventing Duct Contamination

The most effective way to keep your ducts in good condition is to prevent contamination in the first place. Preventive maintenance allows you to identify issues before they worsen and cause more damage. For example, using a highly efficient air filter can prevent dirt and dust from entering your system. However, all filters need to be replaced regularly. The typical time frame for filter changes is once every two to three months, depending on the type of filter that you’re using. If you find that your filter becomes clogged quickly, replace it more often. The frequency may also be affected by pets in the home or times of the year when there is a lot of pollen in the air.

When you have your HVAC system maintained, make sure your service provider cleans the drain pans and cooling coils. It’s a good idea to vacuum and dust once every week. A high-efficiency vacuum cleaner should provide better results. However, vacuuming will also kick up dust, which could get into your air ducts.

It’s highly recommended that you prevent moisture from getting into your ducts as well. This preventive measure will help keep biological growth at bay. Moisture can get into the ducts from leaks or because the system was poorly installed. If condensation reaches the cooling coils, the nearby ducts could become contaminated. There are several things you can do to control moisture, which include everything from checking the insulation near the cooling coils to keeping your ducts properly sealed.

If you’re looking to clean the air ducts in your home, request assistance from our team at Sheldon's Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. We provide Riverside homeowners with air duct cleaning as well as heating and cooling installation, repair, and maintenance services. Our team can inspect high-efficiency furnaces, mini-split heat pumps, geothermal air conditioners, and all other types of HVAC units to determine if additional repairs are necessary. Our suite of residential services includes indoor air quality, HVAC rejuvenation, drain cleaning, and water heater replacement. Call Sheldon's Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing today to learn more!