Now that the New Year is upon us, many homeowners are taking the time to line up home improvement projects and gear up for the annual “Spring Cleaning” event that is soon to take place. If you are reading this, it is quite likely that you are doing the same.
The difference between you and most is that you are taking into account one of the most important appliances of your home – the air and heating unit. This is a very smart move on your part! Even better is the fact that you are considering maintenance and duct cleaning.
This is a very important task and should be completed at the start of each New Year – at the minimum. In this guide, you will learn why this is critical for your health and your home.
Why is Duct Cleaning Essential?
The answer – in short – is because they are dirty. In each and every home – regardless of the details that go into cleaning – there is a natural accumulation of dirt, dust, and other types of debris. These are considered contaminants. They detrimentally impact the structure of your home, as well as your health.
There are several factors that may lead to an increase in dirt, dust, and debris. These include the amount of people residing in the structure, if pets are present, cleaning supplies used on the inside of the home, cooking, the use of air freshener products, and humidity levels – just to name a few.
As dirt, dust, and debris accumulates, it can result in sensitivity, breathing difficulties, low immunity, and other health problems and sicknesses. Additionally, these substances may negatively impact the overall integrity of your home.
How Do I Know That My Ducts and HVAC System Need to be Cleaned and Maintenance Needs Performed?
You should carefully evaluate your vents, ducts, and other components of your HVAC system – such as the filter. If these appear to be dirty, it is quite likely that your HVAC system needs to be cleaned immediately and standard maintenance needs to be performed.
At the minimum, these activities should be performed at the start of each New Year. Depending on the number of contaminants that make their way into your home, the size of your home, the age of the structure and the HVAC system, as well as the amount of people in and out, it may need to be done two to four times, annually.
Additionally, the following circumstances are an indication that maintenance and cleaning is necessary:
- If you observe the presence of mildew and/or mold, it is time for cleaning and maintenance.
- The ducts are infested with any type of pest – be it insects or rodents.
- When your HVAC system turns on, you notice that debris is blown out from your vents/registers.
- You notice that you have to change the filter that is part of your HVAC system more often.
- If you start to see an unforeseen increase in your electric or gas bill (depending on what your HVAC system uses) and cannot pinpoint the additional energy usage to any other appliance or factor in your home.
Professional Duct Cleaning and HVAC Maintenance
When a professional performs duct cleaning, they also perform standard HVAC maintenance that will enhance the overall efficiency of your system, and increase the operating life of the unit. Furthermore, the steps taken will aid in ensuring lower energy costs and avoiding costly repairs to your home.
The professional will clean the components of the systems that force air into your home. This includes the supply ducts, return ducts, vents/registers, any grille that is in place, the diffuser, heat exchangers, coils utilized for cooling, drain/drip pans, the housing unit for the fan, the motor of the fan, as well as the housing for the air handling.
Failure to obtain professional HVAC maintenance and duct cleaning could result in damage to your home. Depending on where your registers/vents are, this could include issues with the ceiling and roof, walls, or even the flooring. A system running inefficiently could result in hundreds of dollars or more each year in energy costs.
Furthermore, a dirty system that is not working appropriately because of dirt, dust, and debris could result in the onset of illnesses. Examples include allergies, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and more severe complications.
To avoid all of the issues associated with a dirty system, contact us today for air duct cleaning in Lithia Springs, GA: 770-766-9212