Air Duct Cleaning and How it Benefits You

Having clean duct work is vital to maintain the air inside your home is clean and free of contaminants. In this video we’ll discuss why duct cleaning is important and the effects dirty ducts have on your HVAC system and your health.

Hi, my name is Isaac and I am one of the Indoor Air Quality technicians here at Fire & Ice. Over the years we’ve met with hundreds of Central Ohio homeowners with poor air quality in their home. And time and time again we found the reason to be due to dirty ductwork. In this video we’ll talk about the importance of having your ductwork cleaned, how often they should be cleaned, and its effects on your HVAC system and health.

Why Do Air Ducts Need to Be Cleaned?

Our homes are inundated with airborne particles every single day. Skin cells, pet hair, dust, dirt, the list goes on. Over the years that dirt and debris will accumulate inside your ductwork. It can enter in through the vents, holes inside your ductwork, or even from your furnace. It’s amazing just how much junk can get into your ductwork. As the dirt starts to build up your HVAC system can begin to suffer and it can even affect your family’s health.

What Effect Does Dust Have on Your HVAC System?

Ever turn on the heat for the first time for a heating season and smell something burning? That’s dust. While normal amounts of dust are to be expected, too much accumulation can start to negatively affect your system’s performance. The biggest issue is excess buildup on the blower wheel and evaporator coil which can increase static pressure. This can rob your system of performance resulting in wasted energy and even cause premature breakdowns. Some signs of high static pressure include:

• reduction in airflow
• hot or cold spots between rooms
• longer run times or short cycling causing higher energy bills
• noisier operation
• and more

Bottom line, the dustier it is, the harder your system will have to work.

What Are the Health Concerns of Dirty Air Ducts?

While dirty ductwork can negatively affect your HVAC system, it can also be harmful to you and your family’s health. People with allergies or breathing problems can especially be susceptible and not even realize that their issues could be caused by their ductwork. According to the EPA, indoor air pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than what’s outside. In some cases even 100 times higher. There are a number of known health issues that can be linked to dirty ducts.

Dust mite allergy is an allergic reaction to tiny bugs that live and breed in house dust. Symptoms of a dust mite allergy mirror hay fever symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, itchy, watery eyes, and others. Vacuum, general cleaning, and changing your filter can help reduce the amount of dust and dust mites in the house but in some cases additional measures like duct cleaning are needed.

Another issue with dirty ductwork is the presence of mold. Mold needs a cold dark place to grow. If your ductwork runs through a damp crawl space or underneath a house, or if your ductwork isn’t sealed there’s an opportunity for mold to get in and grow. Once inside your ductwork, mold spores can become airborne and spread throughout the rest of the house.

How Often Should Air Ducts Be Cleaned?

It’s recommended to have your ducts cleaned every 3 to 5 years. But the frequency may change on a number of factors such as:

• the style of house you have
• how tight your ductwork is
• amount of moisture in the air
• presence of mold
• frequent dirty air filter
• noticeable amounts of dust in the air or on surfaces

How do I schedule a duct cleaning for my home?

I hope by now you have a better understanding of why duct cleanings are important and how dirty ducts can impact your overall health and HVAC system’s performance. If you live in Central Ohio and would like to schedule a time for your ducts to be cleaned visit our duct cleaning page on our website. We’d love to come out and clean your ducts as soon as we can. Thank you for watching and we look forward to making your day better.