Five Signs Your Air Ducts Need Cleaning

4/3/2019 (Permalink)

What's Living In Your Air Ducts?

Keeping All of Your Ducts in a Row.

Do you notice little wisps of dust puffing out from an air duct every time you turn on your home's heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system? Can you see dust and pet hair trapped in the vent? Is there a layer of dust coating the grill on the return air registers? Any one of these signs may be indications that the duct work in your home or business is due for a cleaning.

Dust regularly collects inside your HVAC system on air duct surfaces, vents, motors, and coils. Flakes of dead skin, hair, and pet dander catch onto the dust, creating a build-up, and before long this process causes a dense, mat-like environment where bacteria, mold, dust mites, allergens and other toxins flourish. Air filters remove most of these from the air stream, but not all parts of the HVAC system. That's why it's important to periodically check the condition of your air ducts to see if they could use duct cleaning services

The Top 5 Indicators That You Have Dirty Ducts

1. Open one of your vent covers and look inside. Check to see if it contains any dirt, debris, or matted dust.

2. Examine the return air registers for dust buildup, particularly if you see thick, fuzzy coatings of dust. 

3. Pull out the air filter. If the air filter is clogged with dust, the air flow is being choked off. This allows more dust to settle and build up in the return ductwork.

4. Open the furnace compartment. Examine the blower fan and motor for signs of dust as well as the furnace controls. The more dust you see, the bigger the problem you have.

5. Look at the air conditioning coil. (You may need to remove a panel.) If the coil is dusty or has dust clinging to the housing walls, this is an indication that the air filter hasn't been working properly.

Any of these red flags show that your HVAC system and ductwork is being adversely affected by too much dust and dirt.

Top 5 Dirty Consequences

So what’s the trouble with a little dirt, you might ask? There are a number of problems resulting from dirty ducts, ranging from increased energy costs to health problems:

1. Dirt and dust restrict your HVAC system's heating and cooling. In winter, dirt-clogged heat exchangers cannot warm the air as efficiently. In summer, dirt-clogged condensing coils are unable to cool the air as well. These both increase the HVAC systems run time, requiring it to use more fuel and energy to heat and cool your property.

2. Dirt and dust restrict air flow. Let's say your system is doing a fine job of heating and cooling the air. If the blower fan or motor can't turn because of dirt, or the air filter is clogged with dust, then the system can't effectively circulate that warmed or cooled air throughout your property. It's going to run longer and use more energy.

3. The longer your HVAC system operates, the more wear and tear it undergoes. Long run times can shorten the overall lifetime of HVAC systems, from AC compressors to hydro pumps, burners, and motor bearings. You will wear out your home's HVAC system sooner.

4. Besides dirt, dust contains dead skin, pet dander, microorganisms from cat litter (toxoplasmosis), and other particles including: pollen, mold spores, fungi, and even rodent feces. Left to contaminate your HVAC system, it may become a breeding ground for bacteria, mites, and other pests. This greatly affects the quality of the air you are breathing, and ultimately affects your health.

5. Dirt and dust spread quicker in a home with dirty ducts. No matter how diligent you may dust and clean your home, fine particulate contaminates, including dangerous allergens, quickly flow from one room to the next covering tables, smart phones, and children's toys.

Top 5 Benefits of Air Duct Cleaning

SERVPRO of The East End recommends having your ducts cleaned every 3 to 5 years to prevent maintenance and health problems before they start. Doing so will save money on your heating and cooling bills. Additional benefits include:

1. Better and reliable over-all performance from your HVAC system

2. Fewer repairs from wear and tear and longer HVAC system life

3. More energy efficiency, reducing your energy bills

4. Lower likelihood of respiratory and allergy problems.

5. Less dust makes it easier to clean and maintain your home's living space

We do not recommend you tackle this job yourself. This is not a do-it-yourself project you will be able to do with an inexpensive machine from your local hardware store. To get the job done right, you need to hire a professional Company that does this on a regular basis.

At SERVPRO of The East End, we have been cleaning air ducts for residential and commercial properties for over 40 years. Our team of professionals are IICRC trained and certified and we have all of the latest state-of-the-art machinery to get the job done quickly and efficiently so you can get back to the business of your life.

Call SERVPRO of The East End at 631-653-9595 with any questions or to schedule an appointment. We look forward to working with you!