Homeowners who invest in the necessary care for their HVAC system might find it works more efficiently and less costly. Maintenance could extend behind the “obvious” part of the furnace and to the air ducts. Air ducts provide the pathway for the hot air to travel into the various rooms in the home.
Homeowners might know they need to change the filter and keep an eye on soot in the system. Without the filter, things might get dirty, dusty, and, possibly, moldy in time. Routine cleanings and inspections may keep the burners in good shape. The air ducts might benefit from someone putting the same level of care.
Dirt and dust will likely find their way into air ducts even from “merely normal” furnace use. Other factors could add to impurities and unwanted contaminants. So, cleaning the ducts seems wise. How often should someone come to clean the ducts?
Waiting too long between cleaning could do more than make the eventual job harder. Dirt in the air ducts could find its way into the home, so why take risks allowing it to collect? Following a recommended cleaning schedule might keep dirt and worse from collecting excessively and getting rid of what is already collected.
A Recommendation for Air Duct Cleaning Frequency
Some may speculate about how much time should reasonably pass between air duct cleaning. A credible recommendation comes from an organization that might carry influence with homeowners and HVAC professionals alike. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) suggests that air duct cleaning occurs every three to five years.
Moving the time table up may become necessary when problems arise or if there are special considerations. If the air ducts have not undergone a cleaning in several years, then perhaps contacting a professional team to perform the cleaning right seems worthwhile. When the air ducts recently saw a cleaning, but the home interior appears strangely dusty, a check of the air ducts and filter may become necessary. That brings up another point: a dirty filter could cause dirt and dust problems in the ducts and home, among other issues.
The Environmental Protection Agency points out that using the best filters may help reduce dirt buildup in the air ducts. The EPA also suggests performing regular vacuuming and dust removal. After all, a filter might suffer from limitations.
Following a routine schedule could cut down on problems, but homeowners may benefit from keeping tabs on the ducts.
Another Benefit to Routine Cleaning
Requesting someone with a “professional eye” take a look at the air ducts might reveal problems otherwise missed. Case in point, a technician may start cleaning out the ducts and discover the seals became loose. Loose seals may present a significant number of problems. Among the issues could be the loss of air. Losing air presents the risk of losing money. Homeowners set the thermostat to a specific temperature, and then the furnace runs to meet that demand. If air escapes from the air ducts, expect the furnace to work harder.
Are the heating bills going up with seemingly no explanation? Something has to be the root cause of the odd increase. Problems with the ducts might be the issue, so requesting someone to check the ducts could lead to an answer.
Air duct cleanings aren’t about cleanings exclusively. The cleanings give a technician a chance to inspect things and make recommendations about necessary repairs. Without someone taking a look, improvements may never occur.
San Antonio and nearby homeowners may contact Beyer Air Conditioning & Heating for information about air duct cleaning. Our team handles duct cleaning and repair work. We also service ductless aid conditioning systems.
Other things may prompt getting the air ducts inspected and cleaned ahead of schedule. Sometimes, things a homeowner might not believe to be much of a problem cause chaos in the ducts. Some signs may be a bit ambiguous, such as an odd or outright foul smell coming from the ducts. Regardless of how obvious or not-so-obvious a red flag is, investigating further could be worth the effort.
Recent Construction or Remodeling on the Property
Putting an addition on the house or remodeling an entire room means contractors might perform some demolition work before putting in new walls, floors, and other things related to the job. Even if the contractor cleans the interior spotlessly, who knows what happened inside of the air ducts. Maybe construction dust and other things may find their way into the ducts. Worse, the ducts might become loose due to the work performed.
Perhaps checking out the ducts once the job ends seems prudent. If the ducts need cleaning, contacting an HVAC professional to do the job might become an immediate priority.
Pest Infestations
Seeing any pests inside the home could aggravate homeowners. Rodents, insects, and other creatures might give people more than a scare when discovered. They could cause damage to the property while giving homeowners concerns about possible health hazards.
The property potentially damaged might be the ducts. Also, hair and waste from the pests could collect inside the vents. Spiders may spin webs to catch other insects. And then air travels through the web and into the home, not a pleasant image.
Upon seeing pests, calling an exterminator might be the immediate step to take. The next step might involve contacting some to clean the air ducts.
Mold Growing
Mold could grow in any number of places inside a home. No matter where mold grows, its presence comes with no positives and, possibly, some health risks. Yes, mold could grow inside the air ducts, and the mold infestation might become worse. If the signs of mold appear near the ducts, then the ducts may benefit from an immediate inspection and mold cleanup.
The Vents and Accumulated Dirt
Keeping an eye on the vents could do some good. Dirt and dust may collect on the vent grids, which is more than unsightly. Air coming through the vents may pick up the dirt and dust, then bring the impurities into a room. Cleaning the vents isn’t too challenging, and homeowners would likely notice the refuse collecting. Or rather, things become noticeable when nothing is obstructing the view. Often, furniture and other items block a clear path to seeing the vents. Periodically moving things around to see what’s going on with the grids might help with routine cleaning.
Ultimately, cleaning the furnace, the vents, and the air ducts might be the right plan. Going comprehensive with cleaning seems advisable.
And sticking with a thorough routine cleaning every three to five years might be another worthwhile plan.
[Company_name] awaits customer inquiries about duct cleaning, as well as heating repair, indoor air quality work, and air conditioner installation jobs. We remain a family-owned business and are one of the biggest HVAC companies in the San Antonio region. Call our office today to discuss ductwork or other service requests.
