If you’re wondering whether duct cleaning is a waste of money, the short answer is no. Duct cleaning is an important way to improve your indoor air quality. When your ducts are dirty and your HVAC system comes on, dust and debris buildup is blown all throughout your home.
Dust and debris are not good for the health of any resident or visitor in your home. If you ultimately decide that the job of cleaning your air ducts is too intimidating to do by yourself, don’t worry. The trained professionals at Ambient Edge are ready to help any time you need them.
What Is Duct Cleaning Anyway?
A professional air duct cleaning is the process by which HVAC technicians remove the buildup of dust and dirt that can accumulate over time in your ductwork. Not only is this disgusting, but it is also unhealthy and can even be carcinogenic. In some cases, when moisture mixes with this debris, you may even have a secondary issue of mold or mildew.
An HVAC technician will sanitize your ductwork by way of special blowers, vacuums, and brushes and will inspect it for potential problems that may develop later on. Our air duct cleaning in Paradise, NV also includes sanitization of parts in your HVAC system that, if left unattended, could cause dust and debris buildup, such as its fans, registers, coils, and motors.
How to Know When It’s Time for a Duct Cleaning
To prevent a buildup of indoor air pollution in your home, you may be wondering how often you need to clean your ducts. The frequency of duct cleaning is not a universal thing and it all depends on your particular lifestyle.
For instance, if you have pets, then you will want to clean your ducts more frequently to prevent a buildup of animal dander. This is especially true if you or someone you live with has an allergy to animal dander.
Other factors that determine how often you need to clean your ducts include:
- How many people in your home experience allergies or asthma, as well as the severity of their symptoms
- Water damage incurred within your home or affecting your HVAC system could or did result in a mold problem
- If you’ve recently had a renovation or remodeling done
- If you or someone you live with is a smoker
You should always have the ducts cleaned upon moving into a new home. After all, you can’t possibly know the entire history of the people who lived in your home before.
Prices may vary on your duct cleaning services depending on the severity of issues. But overall, it won’t be a waste of money to know that your home is safe and free of hazards.
How Often You Should Have Your Ducts Cleaned
If you sign up for preventive maintenance, a technician can perform a duct cleaning once a year to keep everything in working order. They can also inspect your ducts to ensure there are no tears or any other damages that would require immediate repair to prevent potentially catastrophic damage later on.
That said, you should schedule a cleaning once every three to five years. However, if you or someone in your home suffers from asthma, allergies, or other respiratory concerns, you should probably schedule more frequent cleanings.
It takes two technicians between two and four hours to clean a standard (2,000 to 2,500 sq. ft.) home. It’s a good idea to schedule this service for a day when you can be out of the house so that you don’t breathe in the dust and debris.
Long-Run Savings on Your Utility Bill
To help you feel better about paying for a professional duct cleaning, know that you will be seeing savings on your utility bill. When your HVAC system and air ducts aren’t clogged with dirt and debris, they can run more efficiently. This means your system turns on less often. And when it does, it functions at full (or close to full) capacity. You won’t feel like you’ve wasted money.
Why Duct Cleaning Is Important
The ductwork in your heating and cooling system (furnace/air conditioner) collects dirt, dust and dander while idle and in operation. Other than these particles spreading around and impacting the health and safety of your family, a few more reasons to clean your duct are that you’re:
- Creating a cleaner living environment: You’re reducing the dust that would otherwise circulate throughout your living space, landing on your furniture, your bedding, and flooring.
- Reducing allergens and irritants: Air ducts frequently contain harmful contaminants and micro-organisms such as pet dander, bacteria, pollen, mildew, mold spores, and similar toxins. These indoor air pollutants will continue to re-circulate if the duct is not cleaned.
- Removing unpleasant smells and odors: Pets, household cleaning products, mold, tobacco use, and food preparation all contribute to stagnant smells in the air ducts. These odors will repeatedly flow through the house if all particles are not removed.
What Happens if You Don’t Clean Your Air Ducts
If you choose to not clean your air ducts, air quality will reduce over time as debris collects in your duct system. Many things can begin to grow in your ducts and create safety risks for your family and home. Some side effects of not cleaning your vents include:
- Mold spore development
- Fungus growth
- Asthma, sickness or cold induction
- Pet smells from dander and fur
- Musty odor development
- More frequent dusting
Need a Professional Duct Cleaning? Call Ambient Edge!
There are some situations wherein you can attempt to clean your HVAC system yourself. However, for a more thorough cleaning, you may want to hire a professional HVAC technician for help. The HVAC professionals at Ambient Edge are here to help.
Call us to schedule a service call or drop us a line on our website. There is nothing more important than your health and the health of your loved ones. If you neglect your HVAC system and air ducts, you are putting your and their health in jeopardy, duct cleaning is not a waste of money. Give us a call today and breathe in the difference.