The air ducts in your home perform a vital function. They are responsible for circulating the air from the HVAC system into and outside every room. This helps improve the comfort levels in the indoor spaces of your home no matter what the season is.
In fact, all the air within your property circulates through these ducts several times a day. Since this is the air that you and your family breathe, it becomes important to ensure it’s as clean as possible. The one way to do this is to get the air ducts in your home cleaned on a regular basis.
What is air duct cleaning?
Air duct cleaning is the removal of contaminants and dust within the ducting network that includes the return & supply air ducts, the diffusers and registers in every room. Royal Cleaning will use commercial-grade vacuums to clear away all the debris and dust, which prevents it from getting re-circulated in your home.
When is air duct cleaning required?
While it’s a good idea to get the ducting cleaned every few years, if you have noticed any of these signs, it’s important that you call a air duct cleaning company without delay:
- You notice mold build-up inside the duct or other parts of the HVAC system. While some parts of this system are easily visible, many internal areas aren’t; this is why it’s best to hire professionals for regular air duct cleaning. They will check all the areas and make sure there is no build up there.
- If there is an insect or rodent infestation in the ducts.
- There are excessive amounts of debris and/or dust or any other particles being released into the indoor spaces via the supply registers.
Why get your air ducts cleaned?
There are a number of distinct benefits to getting the air ducts in your home cleaned with regularity, such as:
1. Cleaner indoor environment
When you hire professionals like Royal Cleaning for your air ducts, it reduces the amount of dust that is circulating throughout your home and landing on the bedding, flooring, furniture and all the other surfaces in your home. When you get your air ducts cleaned at regular intervals you will have a cleaner indoor environment and will also have much less cleaning to do every day.
2. Helps reduce irritants and allergens
Apart from dust, the air ducts also contain a number of harmful micro-organisms and contaminants such as mildew, pollen, mold spores, pet dander and various other toxins. Individuals that suffer from any respiratory disorders are very sensitive to these particles which can give rise to reactions and allergies. But when you clean the ducts regularly, it ensures that cleaner air is circulating through your home.
3. Better indoor air quality for everyone
Even if none of your family members suffer from respiratory problems or any chronic allergies, when the air in your home is cleaner, it makes breathing for everyone a lot easier and you don’t need to worry about pollutants triggering bouts of coughing and sneezing or conditions such as bronchial congestion and sinus infections. Not only does regular air duct cleaning improve indoor air quality, but promotes overall well-being too.
In addition to all these things, when professional air duct cleaning helps remove unpleasant odors and gives you a fresher-smelling home. It also improves air-flow efficiency which in turn helps improve the energy-efficiency of your home.
7 Warning Signs That It's Time
Homeownership requires a lot of maintenance and upkeep. There are housekeeping and yard chores that you do daily, but then there are the maintenance efforts that should be done on a yearly basis. These can be easy to forget about, but they're as important.
Keeping your air ducts clean is crucial for your HVAC system to run properly. By keeping them clean you'll save money on your heating and AC bill, and you'll breathe easier thanks to cleaner airflow.
So how do you know when your air ducts need a professional cleaning? Read these 7 warning signs that it's time to schedule an appointment:
1. You've Noticed Mold Growth in Your Air Ducts
Your HVAC system needs to be maintained and regularly cleaned in order for it to function. Most manufacturers recommend that homeowners have their HVAC system serviced by a professional at least twice a year to check for any issues and prevent damage.
Keep in mind that furnaces and air conditioners deal with warm and cool air regularly and this results in the development of condensation. Wherever you have condensation you risk mold growth, especially if you live in a humid climate.
This is why it's so important to have your air ducts serviced regularly so that a technician can catch any mold development in the early stages. If a technician tells you that mold has started to grow, the next step is calling an indoor air quality expert or a NADCA-certified air duct cleaning technician. They'll be able to thoroughly clean your air ducts to remove any mold growth before it gets out of hand.
If you go too long without having your air ducts checked out by a professional, you could have mold develop and grow for months or even years without detection which will compromise your health and the quality of air circulating throughout your home.
2. Your Home is Brand New or Has Recently Been Renovated
Construction is messy work. Simple projects from sanding some furniture or stairs can still stir up a lot of dust. Even with constant efforts made to tidy up and keep messes to a minimum, dust and debris still get into the ductwork. This isn't something you want to breathe in.
It's particularly important that you have your air ducts cleaned out if you've recently moved into a newly built house or if your home has undergone any major renovations.
3. You Notice That Your Home is Always Dusty No Matter Whatstrong>
Regular dusting is part of any housekeeping routine, but if you begin to notice that every surface is you home is frequently covered in dust no matter how much you clean, this is a sign that your air ducts need cleaning.
Start by going about your house and checking out the air vents. Are they dusty and dirty? Remove a vent cover and take a peek into the ductwork. If the metal is covered in dust, it's time to make a call to a professional HVAC technician to come and clean out your air ducts.
4. Your Air Flow is Weak
Have you noticed that your indoor air isn't blowing out of the vents as strongly as it once did? Having dirty, obstructed air ducts is often to blame. You might also notice that some rooms in your home have better airflow than others.
When dust and debris build-up or obstructions block the airways of your ducts, the air has a hard time flowing freely. Having your ductwork cleaned out can solve this problem and you'll breathe fresh air easier as a result.
5. Rodents Get Into the Home and Damage Your Ductsstrong>
Small rodents and pests can enter your home through even the smallest cracks or gaps. These pests can damage your air ducts and HVAC system by chewing through wires, creating nests in the ducts, or even dying inside the air ducts and blocking airflow. They leave droppings or nesting debris which can block airflow and jeopardize the quality of the air you breathe. Read Avoid an Infestation: 8 Common Signs of Mold in a House to know more.
An infestation can also create bad smells that contaminate the air that circulates in your home. Have your ducts cleaned out and be free from contamination.
6. An Increase in Allergies
When your air ducts get dirty, the air that they circulate throughout your home can't help but be dustier and dirtier as well. Air that is full of pollutants, dust, or allergens can make allergies worse among sufferers.
If you or someone you live with has been noticing a spike in their allergy issues or respiratory problems and you can't identify any other reason for the problem, there's a chance it has something to do with dirty air ducts.
And it's not just the human inhabitants of your home that will appreciate pollutant-free air. Your pets will also breathe better and be healthier as a result when they have clean indoor air to breathe.
7. Your Carpet are Always Dusty
If you vacum again and again and the carpet are always full of dust, it could be a sign that your the problem is from ambient air.
Carpet covers a huge area of the house, and they act like a filter. Airborne dust, dirt and other pollutants are trapped in the fibre of the carpet. Especially in winter when hot air full of dust comes in contact with a cool surface and kind of “auto-clean”. It’s always a good idea to follow the air duct cleaning with professional carpet cleaning.
Schedule a Cleaning of Your Air Ducts
Now that you've read through some of the most common warning signs that it's time to have your air ducts cleaned, we invite you to contact us and schedule a cleaning for your home!
Our professional cleaning services run the gamut, from air ducts to carpets and mattresses, to disaster and contamination clean up. We're here to clean any mess so you can feel comfortable in your home or place of business again.
Give us a call to schedule an appointment or receive a consultation, and we'll look forward to hearing from you!
