Air duct cleaning
There are many benefits to having your air ducts professionally cleaned, the top five of which are listed below:
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Creates a Cleaner Living Environment
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Having your air ducts professionally cleaned reduces the dust that would otherwise circulate throughout your living space, landing on your furniture, your bedding, your flooring…just about everywhere. Fortunately, a thorough air duct cleaning reduces the amount of interior cleaning and dusting necessary to maintain a hygienic home.
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Reduces Allergens and Irritants
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In addition to dust, air ducts frequently contain harmful contaminants and micro-organisms. These include pet dander, bacteria, pollen, mildew, mold spores, and similar toxins. People who suffer from allergies, asthma, and other respiratory problems are particularly sensitive to these airborne particles. A periodic air duct cleaning promotes healthier living…otherwise the dirty air in your home just keeps re-circulating over and over.
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Helps Everyone Breathe Easier
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Even if no one in your household suffers from chronic allergies or respiratory problems, cleaner air makes it easier for everyone to breathe. Even among the most healthy, dust and pollutants entering the nose and lungs can trigger sneezing and coughing, as well as sinus and bronchial congestion. Air duct cleaning creates a more comfortable environment and promotes well-being. Given the choice between clean air and dirty air, which would you rather breathe?
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Removes Unpleasant Smells and Odors
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Pets, household cleaning agents, paint fumes, mold, tobacco use and even food preparation all contribute to stale smells in the air ducts. Every time the furnace or air conditioner is running, these odors will repeatedly flow through the house. Even an accumulation of dust and dirt over the years can lead to a musty scent coming from the duct-work. A detailed cleaning of the air ducts removes all odor trapping particles, resulting in a fresher smelling home.
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Improves Air Flow Efficiency
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Duct-work and registers that have a heavy build-up of dust and grime can restrict the flow of air from the furnace and air conditioner. This means your system will have to work harder to heat or cool your home, resulting in a decreased level of efficiency. Conversely, a clean system will operate at peak efficiency and provide the most cost-effective performance for your energy dollar.
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Pollen
Pollen allergy, also known as hay-fever, can make life a misery for the sufferer. A well-maintained air duct system should filter most of these allergens out of the air before pumping it into your home. Unfortunately, they can enter it in a myriad of different ways, including on shoes and clothing, and settle in the carpets and furniture. Then, when you turn on the AC, they are disturbed, triggering allergy symptoms. If you regularly clean your filters and maintain your air ducts yet still suffer hay-fever symptoms when it’s turned on, try vacuuming and dusting more frequently.
Mold and mildew
Mold and mildew thrive in dark, humid conditions, and a badly maintained air duct system can quickly become a breeding ground for these contaminants. If your allergy symptoms appeared suddenly and are getting progressively worse, this could well be the cause. Call your air duct cleaning tech to check if this is the case and deal with the problem.
Pet Dander
As many as 3 out of 10 Americans are allergic to cat or dog hairs. As with pollen, your air conditioning will stir these up and circulate them through your home. If you are not willing or able to keep an intensive regime of vacuuming and dusting, you might have to consider finding a new home for your pet.
Dust Mites
Dust mites are everywhere, which makes an allergy to them extremely distressing for the sufferer. And all the vacuuming and dusting in the world won’t help unless you clean your AC filters on a regular basis, as these are perfect dust traps where the mites will settle and then be circulated through your home when you turn on the AC.
Bacteria and Viruses
If your system has become contaminated with bacteria or viruses, they will circulate endlessly through your duct-work, causing what has become known as “Sick Building Syndrome,” where long exposure can cause a range of symptoms such as sneezing or a runny nose without the sufferer having a clearly definable sickness.
Pollution
Living in the city exposes you to all kinds of pollutants, and these will enter your living and work space. In fact, according to the federal Environment Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air can be between 2 and 5 times more polluted than outside air.
Your best protection against all these and other contaminants is to keep your air ducts in a good state of cleanliness with yearly sanitizing treatment and clean your filters on a regular basis — every three months is the bare minimum, and for allergy sufferers, once a month.
