Regular air duct cleaning is a great way to keep your HVAC system running smoothly and your family breathing easy. Unfortunately, there are some common myths about air duct cleaning that keep homeowners skeptical about this type of service. Before deciding if air duct cleaning is right for you, check out these common misconceptions and learn the many reasons how air duct cleaning is beneficial.
What is Air Duct Cleaning?
Air Duct cleaning is the thorough cleaning of the heating and cooling systems present in your home. This includes any air ducts, registers, grilles, and diffusers. There are many perks to having your air ducts cleaned as it improves the overall air quality in your home and eliminates many allergens such as pet dander, smoke, mold spores, dust, dirt, and pollen.
Why should you Clean your Air ducts?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are four main reasons as to why you would need to get your air ducts cleaned: mold, mysterious illnesses, clogged ducts, and infestation. However, having your air ducts cleaned regularly can help those who suffer from asthma or other respiratory conditions, especially young children and the elderly.
A before/after photo of a Residential air duct system we cleaned.
Myth #1: Your Air Ducts don’t get Dirty!
Many people think that your air ducts simply don’t get dirty, believing that it’s just another way for a company to trick you into spending your hard earned money. However, over time your air ducts accumulate dust, dirt, and pollen, among other things. Regular maintenance and cleaning of your air ducts can help keep your HVAC system running smoothly.
Myth #2: Ducts only get Dirty when I use the A.C.
Forced air systems move air around through your ducts and can kick dust and dirt back into the air even when the A.C is off. Periodic cleaning can help decrease the amount of pollutants in the air and increase the overall air quality throughout your home. Over time, dust and debris can build up and block your duct work causing it to work inefficiently.
Myth #3: Duct Cleaning uses Toxic Chemicals
Some individuals are under the false assumption that in order to clean your air ducts effectively, you must use harsh chemicals, which no one wants to expose their family to. Fortunately enough, chemicals are not a necessity when cleaning your air ducts and most companies have non-chemical cleaning alternatives.
Myth #4 Air Ducts Don’t affect your Health
The quality of the air we breathe has a huge impact on our overall health. Even with the use of air filters, your home is still susceptible to pollen, dirt, pet dander, mold spores, smoke, and other allergens that can contribute to poor indoor air quality, which in turn can lead to breathing trouble, fatigue, headaches, and flu-like symptoms. While you may not be able to control the air quality outside of your home, you are, however, able to control it to some extent indoors.
Myth #5 I don’t need to Hire a Professional to Clean my Air Ducts!
When it comes to air duct cleaning it's imperative to hire a professional, especially since some HVAC duct and venting systems are very complex. The EPA cautions that if a service provider does not follow the correct procedures it can result in even poorer air quality. If you do decide to have your ducts cleaned make sure you take the time to research the company before hand.
There are many different benefits to having your air ducts cleaned and maintained by a professional. Improve the overall air quality in your home and breath easy knowing your duct work is clean and free from mold, pet dander, dust, dirt, and other allergens!
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