A Blueair Survey, posted by Business Wire, shows that 45% of Americans haven’t made efforts to enhance their home indoor air quality. This has contributed to increased cases of allergies and nasal congestion.
Spring is in the air, and it’s important that you take your indoor environment more seriously. Don’t ignore thorough spring HVAC maintenance activities like air duct cleaning.
Duct cleaning creates a healthy indoor environment in many ways. Keep reading to learn why this HVAC maintenance tip could be the key to breathing easier this season.
How Springtime Allergens Can Affect Your Indoor Air Quality
Spring brings comfort and beauty. This is because of warm weather, blooming flowers, and longer days.
But pollen, dust, and other allergens increase, settling in your home’s air ducts. This makes it difficult to maintain clean, breathable indoor air.
Pollen Infiltration
In the spring, pollen can infiltrate your home through open windows and doors. They come from trees, grasses, weeds, and flowers. They then accumulate on bedding, furniture, and carpets, leading to symptoms like:
- Sneezing
- Itchy eyes, nose and ears
- Coughing
- Running nose
- Puffy eyes
- Stuffy nose
- Postnasal drip
Mold Growth
Because of the warm temperatures during spring, humidity levels increase. High humidity creates the perfect environment for mold and mildew growth.
You may find mold in your kitchen, bathroom, or basement. Mold spores released into your indoor environment can cause respiratory issues and allergies like coughing, sneezing, and skin irritations. Take action immediately after you notice musty odors in your home.
Increased Dust
Dust is common in spring due to factors like:
- Increased wind activity
- Drier conditions
- Increased construction and road works
- Farming activities like plowing
Dust in the air will likely enter your home through open windows and doors, and settle in the air duct. The warm and humid conditions allow dust mites to thrive.
Increased dust and dust mites can trigger allergies like:
- Scratchy throats
- Chest tightness and pain
- Difficulty talking and breathing
- Difficulty sleeping
- Itchy, red, watery eyes
- Sinus pressure
Increased shedding by pets during spring leads to pet dander accumulation. This allergen may trap dust mites, dust, and mold spores, exacerbating allergic reactions.
Why Air Duct Cleaning?
Duct cleaning is among the most cost-effective measures for improving your indoor air quality. It minimizes the need for repairs, saving you money. Here’s how cleaning your home’s air duct can improve indoor air quality:
Reducing Allergies and Irritants
Air duct cleaning can effectively reduce indoor allergies, making your environment healthy and comfortable. It involves clearing pet dander, dust, mold spores, pollen, and other allergens accumulated in the air duct. This helps alleviate allergy symptoms and improve overall health.
Eliminating Unpleasant Smells
Persistent musty or stale odors are a sign of allergens in your home. These smells can cause breathing difficulties if you have respiratory problems like asthma.
At All-Temp Heating and Cooling, we’ll immediately inspect your air ducts to determine the source of these odors. We will thoroughly clean your home ducts to ensure that the air that circulates is fresh. Our duct cleaning services guarantee that you and your family will breathe cleaner, healthier air.
Enhancing Air Flow
Clogged air ducts restrict normal airflow into your home. This can cause your HVAC system to overwork to maintain normal air circulation.
Overworking the unit strains it, causing wear and tear over time. Blower motors, filters, and coils are common components that easily degrade when an HVAC is overworked. Therefore, cleaning your ducts will protect and extend your unit’s lifespan.
Removing dust, debris, and other clogs in your ducts will allow air to circulate evenly throughout your home. Sealing can help stop air leaks and improve airflow if your ductwork has gaps.
Duct cleaning and sealing enhance comfort by preventing hot and cold spots. Indoor temperatures also become more consistent.
Improving HVAC Efficiency
Clean air ducts and less HVAC system workload mean increased energy efficiency. You won’t have to worry about high energy consumption and spiked monthly electricity bills.
All-Temp Heating and Cooling will replace your unit’s air filters to enhance its efficiency. New HVAC air filters allow air to flow freely, reducing strain on the system and lowering energy costs.
Process of Air Duct Cleaning
At All-Temp Heating & Cooling, we don’t just take duct cleaning as a routine process. It’s an essential service your home needs this spring. Our trained technicians use state-of-the-art tools and methods to clean your duct system thoroughly.
Here’s the process we’ll follow when cleaning your ductwork:
Initial Inspection
Our technicians will thoroughly check your HVAC system and all the ductwork. Initial inspection helps us determine the level of contamination by allergens. This step also helps detect damage, blockage, and leaks in the duct system.
Removing Contaminants
HVAC technicians then proceed to remove the accumulated dust, mold, pet dander, and other contaminants. We advise you to cover your furniture, flooring, and other surfaces before duct cleaning begins. This helps prevent the contaminants from spreading further in the house.
Some advanced tools HVAC technicians use to clean duct systems include:
- A high-powered vacuum hose
- Rotary brushes
- Inspection cameras
- Air whips
- Air guns or blowers
- Compressed air equipment
Cleaning Air Filters and Vents
Cleaning air filters and vents is the first line of defense against contaminants entering your HVAC system. An HVAC unit with clean filters and vents circulates cleaner and healthier air indoors.
Our technicians will start by first turning off your unit. We’ll then remove the filters and vents from the system. For filters, we use water and mild detergent before air drying them.
We use a high-suction vacuum cleaner or a soft brush to eliminate the accumulated dirt and debris in vents. After cleaning, we sanitize, deodorize, and reinstall them into your HVAC system.
Duct Sealing
Our team will seal joints, cracks, and gaps in your duct system. Duct sealing involves using supplies like:
- Foil tape
- Duct mastic
- Paintbrush
- Foil-faced fiberglass insulation
Proper insulation protects the duct system from further damage by temperature spikes. Your ductwork needs sealing if you experience these issues:
- Frequent HVAC repairs
- Low airflow
- Spiked energy bills
- Cold and hot spots on the walls
- Decreased indoor air quality
Ensuring Proper Airflow
Here, we do the final inspection and testing. It helps determine if all the contaminants have been removed. We also check to see if the duct system is functioning properly for better airflow.
Signs You Need Duct Cleaning Services
Knowing when to get your ductwork cleaned is key to avoiding various allergies. You’ll be able to hire a professional on time and protect your family, and your HVAC system. Your duct system needs immediate attention if you notice these signs:
- Unusual odors
- Increased respiratory issues and allergies
- Increased energy bills
- Dust accumulation around the vents
- Dark or brown mold spots around the vents and air filters
- Some rooms feel warmer or cooler than others
How Often Should You Hire Duct Cleaning Services?
All-Temp Heating & Cooling believes that duct cleaning is an ongoing maintenance task rather than a single event. You need to clean your ducts regularly if you want to enjoy clean and fresh air this spring and other seasons.
However, how often you hire these services will depend on parameters like:
- The number of your pets and their shedding rates
- Recent constructions, renovations, or remodels
- Smoking inside your home
- Rates of allergic reactions and respiratory issues like asthma
- Frequency of HVAC use
- Overall air quality in your surrounding
We recommend you have your ductwork cleaned every three to five years. But depending on your home’s unique needs, our team will give you a tailored recommendation.
Benefits of Hiring a Professional for Duct Cleaning
Professional HVAC contractors have the knowledge and expertise to perform air duct cleaning. They ensure a fast and correct cleaning process.
A professional complies with the relevant safety measures when cleaning your ductwork. You won’t have to worry about damage to your HVAC system or property.
They use advanced tools and equipment to ensure efficiency. An expert ensures comprehensive duct cleaning, enhancing your system’s functionality. They can also detect and fix other issues with your unit, and these include:
- Faulty thermostat
- Pilot light and ignition problems
- Faulty blower fuses and breakers
- Water leaks from the unit
- Dirty or damaged coils
- Low refrigerant levels
Tips for Choosing Professional Air Duct Cleaning
Finding the right specialist for this service may be overwhelming. You need to have the right guide to ensure you get value for your money.
Check your HVAC technician’s certification. Licensed technicians are well-trained. They also comply with the HVAC industry’s safety standards.
Consider these other parameters before hiring a duct cleaning service:
- The contractor’s insurance
- Experience
- Reviews and testimonials
- Warranty and guarantees
- Estimated cost
Say Goodbye to Stuffy Noses This Spring
Clean air starts with clean ducts. You need a trusted HVAC expert to restore fresh, healthy air to your home.
All-Temp Heating & Cooling in Staunton, VA, is a trusted family-run HVAC company that provides reliable comfort solutions. For over 17 years, customers have trusted us for top-quality heating and cooling services backed by our commitment to stand behind our products. We pride ourselves on providing customized service that meets each client’s specific needs.Call us today for a professional air duct cleaning service that makes a real difference.
