Tips

Air duct cleaning tips & tricks

Here is some handy advice and tips from our professionals at "Air Duct Cleaning Sunnyvale" to help you understand more about the importance of keeping your air ducts and vents properly clean. Regular cleaning is an important part of taking good care of your systems, and you can only benefit from it. Read on to learn how.

Dirty ducts are bad for your health

Neglecting to clean air vents can lead to higher levels of contaminants such as dust, fur, mold and lint in the air. These contaminants damage the air quality indoors quite drastically, and over time can damage your health as well. Those people who are sensitive to allergens in the air can find that they have bad reactions to these contaminants, and so it is important to keep your ducts properly cleaned.

Clean your vents annually

The question often comes up of how often one should have their air vents cleaned. This depends on the conditions under which it operates. For instance, those that work in dustier climates, near a building or renovation site, or in areas with odors caused by pets or smokers, may need more regular cleaning. But the general rule is that an average system needs to be cleaned once a year.

Save money on electric bills with cleaner ducts

When your air vents get clogged up with dirt on their interiors, it can definitely affect how efficiently they operate. To counteract the debris, vents that need cleaning have to work twice as hard to effectively regulate and circulate air. This means that they will need to use more power which will see a rise in your electricity bills.

Test the air quality in your home

Testing the indoor air quality is a crucial first step in determining whether or not the ventilation system needs to be cleaned. Sometimes you can tell just from the clamminess of the air, but more often than not, low air quality is not immediately evident. This is why it is important to have a professional conduct an air quality test before, and sometimes even after a cleaning.

Duct cleaning should not take more than a day

A lot of people prefer to avoid having their air ducts cleaned because they believe that it will take too long and disrupt their day to day business. This is not a great way to go about things. Firstly, the process only needs to take place about once a year, so there is no excuse. But it should also never take more than a day, except in very serious cases. So get yours done when it needs it. Remember, it is always recommended to use a professional service to save you time and ensure the process was effective.

Gritty vents are bad for your health

A dirty vent is not just bad for the system itself, if left to get severe enough it can have a serious effect on your health as well. This is because a dirty air vent adds to the amount of contaminants in the air, lowering its overall quality. These contaminants can cause mild or serious ailments, allergies and breathing problems for anyone who lives in the house. So it is best to keep them clean.

Use a professional when cleaning

When doing any kind of maintenance the temptation is always there to cut out the middle man and go DIY, but this is not always the best option. Air vent cleaning can be complicated to do properly. Sure you could wipe it up and attempt to vacuum yourself, but you won’t do it as well as is needed. This is because it requires specific skills and specialized equipment which you likely don’t have (and would cost a fortune to buy). So for this reason, it is always best to use a professional.

Take measures to prevent mold growth inside the air ducts

The ducts must be properly sealed and insulated so that moisture cannot get inside. In case of damage, they must be fixed in a timely manner. It is equally important for water from the HVAC system units to be drained properly. A more modern solution is coating the duct walls with a special material for preventing mold growth.

Families with pets will benefit from more frequent air duct cleaning

This is because pets shed a good amount of dead skin cells on a daily basis. They produce serious air contaminants primarily due to the fact that they are potent allergens. With air duct cleaning, you will prevent the circulation of these contaminants around the house. Of course, you should also replace the HVAC air duct filters and vacuum the floor and upholstery regularly.