Why is Air Duct Cleaning Significant and How to Get your Air Ducts Clean?

Air pollution has become an issue of growing concern in recent decades. Poor indoor air quality is one of the top five environmental risks to public health, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

A lot of products have been introduced in the market to improve indoor air quality. The demand for such products shows how concerned we are about the quality of the air we breathe in.

For anyone who is bothered about the air quality of the home, air duct cleaning becomes very important. Duct cleaning refers to the cleaning of various components in the heating and cooling system. It may include supply and return air ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers, heat exchangers, heating and cooling coils, condensate drain pans, fan motor, and fan housing, air handling unit housing, etc.

These components become accumulated with debris, dust, bacteria, pollen, etc. if it is not thoroughly installed and well-maintained. On the other hand, a duct system that is properly sealed and insulated can make your home more comfortable.

If you have an HVAC system installed in your home, then you should be well-informed about clean air ducts. It should be never skipped out of your home maintenance routine. Read here a detailed blog on air duct cleaning.

Why is Clean Air Ducts Important?

The major function of the HVAC system in your home is to circulate air. This circulation of air makes the air comfortable in the interiors, regardless of scorching summer or chilling winter outside.

When the air is unclean, it affects the physical and emotional health of inmates in the house. Here we have listed out the various reasons that make air duct cleaning important.

1. A Cleaner Home:

The primary reason to conduct air duct cleaning regularly is that it improves indoor air quality. The air ducts act as a collection center for various items such as pollen, debris, mold, rodent droppings, etc. These particles are getting released into the air inside when ducts are left unclean.

The minute dust particles float freely inside the home and lands on the furniture, food, carpet, bed, and everywhere. If you are concerned about the cleanliness of your home, make sure the air ducts are clean always.

2. Durability:

Did you know that nine out of ten HVAC systems fail or breakdown because it is not properly maintained? The air ducts get filled with dirt and debris which will gradually lead to malfunctioning of the system.

Replacements of the components in the HVAC systems are more or less expensive. To increase the longevity of your HVAC system, you should clean ducts and vents.

3. Risk of Allergens:

The air ducts are pathways for various harmful contaminants and micro-organisms to enter your home. Pet dander, bacteria, and other similar toxins are often found inside homes if the air ducts are not thoroughly cleaned.

The contaminated air keeps circulating over and over leading to allergic reactions for inmates of the house. As per the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), the dirty air ducts circulate air pollutants and contaminants throughout the home five to seven times a day.

If anyone in the house is diagnosed with allergic reactions, air duct cleaning becomes an inevitable task. People who suffer from allergies need a healthy environment. Air vent cleaning is one way to reduce the number of allergens inside the home.

4. Remove Odors:

If the ducts are messy, it contributes to stale smell in the rooms. The accumulation of dust and dirt in the ducts will lead to a musty smell in the indoors.

Even after using strong air fresheners and aromatic candles, if a bad smell persists in the home you should check the air ducts. For a fresh-smelling home, you should conduct a detailed clean-up of the ducts frequently. You can also check out these tips to deodorize your house.

5. Efficiency:

Air duct cleaning improves the efficiency of airflow. When the duct is blocked with dust and other particles, the system will have to work with the extra power to heat/cool the home.

This leads to decreased efficiency of the unit. By cleaning the ducts on time, the system will work at its peak efficiency.

How Often Should you Clean the Air Vents?

For most homeowners, air duct cleaning becomes part of home maintenance when they welcome the spring season. During winter, the air ducts collect a lot of dust, debris, and other contaminants and it gets trapped inside. The early spring is one of the best times to conduct air duct cleaning.

So how often should you do air duct cleaning? Let us put it straight. There is no definite timeframe to clean the air ducts. But remember that the geographical location and air quality level of your locality also plays a role in determining the frequency of air duct cleaning.

You can look for the following signs to hire a company that provides duct and vent cleaning services.

1. Dusty Air

When you switch on the HVAC system, if you see a small initial puff of dust from the air registers, it is a clear sign that dust has accumulated in the ducts. Generally, these specks of dust are not easily visible. The dust accumulated in the air registers also causes dusty air.

Hence, you can try cleaning the air registers inside and out. If you still find dust in the airflow, it is better to get the ducts checked by an expert technician for residential air duct cleaning.

2. Musty Odor

If you sense a bad smell in the room of which the reason is unknown, it is a telltale sign that the air ducts need cleaning. The debris that lurks inside the duct system releases a bad odor and it will be severe when you sniff around the air registers.

The reason behind the smell could also be mold formation inside the air ducts. Check out these household items that easily absorb bad odors.

3. Irregular Airflow

Another good reason to conduct an HVAC inspection in your home is when you observe an uneven pattern in the airflow. Some air registers will have smooth airflow and function normally. But there will be a lack of pressure in the airflow in some other rooms.

This could be due to the blockage inside the air ducts. Another reason for uneven airflow is the leaky ducts. The takeaway is if you find uneven airflow inside the home, hire HVAC technicians to find the reason behind it.

4. Rodent or Insect Infestation

If you get any evidence of rodents or insects existing inside the ducts, it is a clear warning sign that you need to clean the ducts. You may also get an unpleasant smell of rodent droppings in the air.

When you inhale the air that is contaminated with shells, husks, droppings, etc. of insects or rodents, it may make you fall sick. Therefore make sure you act proactively when you sense unpleasant smell from the air registers.

5. Respiratory Problems

If any of the family members in the home get allergic symptoms like wheezing, sneezing or coughing frequently, it could be due to excessive dirt and debris that is accumulated in the ducts.

When indoor air quality is low, it leads to constant respiratory problems. If you haven’t cleaned the ducts for long, make sure you clean it to avoid respiratory allergies.

6. Mold Growth

Visible mold growth is another warning sign to get in touch with a company offering air duct cleaning services. Sometimes you may find mold growth around the air registers which may be in black of grey color. If you find mold formation, make sure to contact mold removal specialists to prevent its growth later.

7. Debris Growth

If you notice dirt or debris around the vents of your HVAC system, it is a sign to get it checked by a professional air duct cleaning company.

There is a good chance that the debris has developed blocks in the passage of the air leading to decreased indoor air quality. The debris accumulated in the ducts will cause a stinky smell in the rooms.

8. Clogged Air Filter

Clogging in the air filter is an indication that the air ducts have to be cleaned. The clogging of the filter could be the tip of the iceberg. The ducts may have started to accumulated dirt and debris inside. Make it a habit to clean the air filters frequently so that you can prevent the accumulation of debris in the ducts.

Can You Clean Air Vents Yourself?

The cleaning of the ducts will be at its best if it is done by professional technicians. However, you can use a damp cloth and wipe out the dust on the surface of the unit while you do the weekly cleaning at your home.

You can use a powerful vacuum cleaner as well to whisk away the dust accumulated in the ducts. This has to be done with extra caution because it may damage the ducts and the repairing could become an expensive affair.

When you leave the job to a professional air duct cleaning services company, they have the right tools and knowledge to do the cleaning efficiently.

Tips to Know While you Choose an Air Duct Cleaning Company

There are various benefits of getting the air ducts cleaned by professionals. Professionals understand the best ways to do the task. They leave the air ducts just as new after a thorough cleaning. Moreover, they ensure the system functions at its optimum.

In case of any minor errors or malfunctioning of the system, they can easily identify and get it resolved at the earliest. This will prevent a future breakdown.

However, if you are hiring an unprofessional serviceman, it may turn up to a disaster. The following tips will help you find the right company for duct and vent cleaning services.

1. Research:

Make sure you do the necessary background check of the company. Do ask how long they are into the business. In case the company is recently formed, ask the experience of its servicemen. Sometimes people hire quickly available servicemen without checking their expertise and knowledge in the profession.

The risk is that the AC system may not be thoroughly cleaned and you may still have the same signs of unclean air ducts. Or they may do a faulty repair which will increase the chance of breakdowns.

Spend some time in researching over the history and reviews of the company you choose and make sure you are hiring an experienced contractor for air duct cleaning services.

2. Check the Reviews:

The easy way to find a reliable duct cleaning company is to take references from friends, relatives or neighbors who have recently hired their service. Choose the company that has given the first-rate service to them so that you can be ensured of a similar kind of service.

3. Licensed & Insured:

Another major factor is to check the authenticity of the company. Make sure you ask whether they hold the license and the relevant accreditations to do the task. Also, check whether the technician’s insurance is up to date or not.

4. Pricing:

Not to mention, go with a company that offers the service at reasonable rates. There is no dearth of fake technicians in air duct cleaning who may quote high and give inefficient clean-up.

Get in Touch With Us Now!

Is it time for air duct cleaning in your home? Have you observed any visible signs of dirt accumulation in the ducts? Worry not if you are in Cincinnati. Dry Effect is one of the top-rated companies for residential air duct cleaning in Cincinnati.

Having decades of experience in air duct cleaning, we have proven proficiency in working with all types of HVAC systems. Our well-trained technicians ensure the ducts are properly cleaned and the air flows smoothly to the rooms. We do mold cleanup as well.

If you have any queries, feel free to call us or drop a message! We make sure your queries are replied at the earliest.