Duct Cleaning is an often neglected part of home maintenance. For the most part, homeowners are just concerned with whether or not their heating and cooling systems are working. They don’t think about how dirty ducts affect things. There are some people who have lived in their homes for decades without having their ducts serviced. Air quality can suffer greatly if ducts are dirty. Some people may try to mask the problem with dehumidifiers and other air treatments without thinking about the ducts. In a typical home, there is well over 20 pounds of dust produced each year just by normal occupation. Some of that dust gets trapped in the ducts.
People can think of their HVAC systems as lungs for their homes. These systems expel warm and cool air, and they also take it in. The systems have filters that help to keep them clean, but too much dirt will eventually clog the filters. When a system is running, it can recirculate contaminants in the air up to seven times a day. This will eventually lead to more build up in the ducts which will then require Duct Cleaning. People who have problems with allergies and asthma may be affected by all the contaminants that are released when ducts are dirty and filters aren’t clean. Palm Harbor Heating & Air Conditioning or another contractor can inspect ducts to see whether or not they need cleaning.
There is a lot of energy wasted when heating and cooling systems operate. This is because contaminants that get into the system cause HVAC systems to work much harder. Switching out filters every month isn’t enough to help a system that is being exposed to too much dust because of dirty ductwork. Eventually, the system may breakdown and need repairs that cost several hundred dollars. The worst-case scenario is a system that needs to be completely replaced because of years of neglect.
So how often should the ducts inside a home be cleaned? The National Air Duct Cleaners Associations has stated that homeowners should get ducts cleaned once every 3 to 5 years. Homes in urban areas with more pollutants may need to have duct cleanings once every 2 years.
