Air ducts are huge sources of health-damaging elements, especially allergens, and they accumulate dust, dirt, grime, grease, and other contaminants that float in the indoor air. Periodic cleaning of air ducts is essential for maintaining healthy indoor air quality and protecting the HVAC equipment. Allowing dust, dirt, and debris to build up inside the air ducts restricts airflow, affecting air distribution and resulting in poor cooling or heating. Moreover, the resistance to airflow caused by choked or clogged air ducts puts additional pressure on HVAC equipment that must work hard to maintain the required temperature level inside homes or offices. As a result, both the performance of the equipment and its life are affected, and the maintenance cost goes up.
Timely cleaning of air ducts can prevent these problems, and you must hire a company that provides air duct cleaning services. It is advisable to avoid cleaning air duct yourself but if you wish to do it, make sure you have the required knowledge to do it perfectly.
When to clean air ducts
How often you should clean air ducts depends on how you use the HVAC system. If you only use the HVAC system during specific times of the year, you should clean the air ducts before starting the system. Ideally, you should complete the job at least a month before the scheduled startup date. Starting with cleaned air ducts ensures that the indoor air is clean and free from dust and allergens, ensuring a healthy indoor environment.
However, for continuously running HVAC systems, you must look for signs that the air ducts need cleaning. If you suspect rodent infestation or a musty odor, you should arrange to clean the air ducts immediately.
Why avoid DIY cleaning
DIY enthusiasts might try their hands in cleaning air ducts, but the quality of cleaning will never be of the desired quality. Clean ducts ensure that the quality of air that flows through the vents is not only clean but meets the standard that defines clean, breathable air, free from allergens and other health hazards. Achieving the desired air quality after cleaning the ducts is only possible when you get help from professional duct cleaning companies. No DIY methods can ensure thorough cleaning of the network of air ducts because it requires special tools and tackles to reach the nooks and crannies of the dusting system. Mere sweeping with brooms or vacuuming can just do that much because many portions of the ducts are beyond your reach.
Duct cleaning companies that specialize in air duct cleaning have trained personnel equipped with special tools and equipment and know the industry’s best practices. They use the appropriate duct cleaning techniques and can ensure 100% clean ducts that meet clean air standards. To clean vents and ducts in residences, they use compressed air agitation and brushes, negative air systems, and HEPA filters to completely remove debris, dust, and grime from the air ducts.
Finally, inspecting and checking the system after completion of cleaning ensures that the cleaning is perfect.
