How Often Should You Clean Your Air Ducts And Why It’s Important
Air ducts are often overlooked. But, just because only air passes through it doesn’t mean it doesn’t get dirty over time. Apparently, your air ducts need some TLC too. Here are some reasons why and when it needs to be cleaned.
Benefits of Clean Air Ducts
Prevent Health Hazards
The quality of the air you breathe is vital for your health. And when the building you live or work in has contaminants in its air ducts, you are at risk of health issues.
Allergies are one of the negative health effects of having dirty air ducts. The dirt, chemicals, and even mold that have accumulated on your air ducts can trigger your allergies, affecting the overall quality of your life.
Household members or employees who are already suffering from respiratory issues are more susceptible to more health issues because of dirty air ducts.
You’re also at risk of cold and flu. According to Pure Airways, this is because viruses and pathogens can stay for hours in the air. And if your air ducts aren’t cleaned, they can be easily passed around your household or office.
Pests can also infiltrate your air ducts. And when this happens, those creepy crawlers can produce pollutants that can contaminate the air in your building.
Apart from that, all the chemicals and pollutants that have accumulated in your air ducts could also cause bad odor around your building, which isn’t a good impression for businesses.
Clean air ducts are more important these days for keeping SARS-CoV-2, the virus that’s causing COVID-19, at bay too. Making efforts in your HVAC system’s filtration and purification can help reduce the transmission of the said virus.
Keep It Working
Just like any other appliances and system in your home or office, dirt and debris can also do damage to your air ducts. The accumulated dirt and debris can prevent it from functioning properly by blocking the airflow, affecting its efficiency. Because of this, it has to work harder and damaging it over time.
But if you will clean it often, you can prevent dust and debris from accumulating. As a result, nothing will block the airflow, so your air ducts will not be required to work harder than they should. Therefore, you’re able to make it work for years.
Additionally, cleaning your air ducts will prevent the build-up of pollutants that could cause health issues. Hence, you will not worry much about your health.
Frequency of Cleaning
Dirt and other pollutants don’t stop from coming in and out of your air vents. Hence, it needs continuous maintenance and cleaning to prevent build-ups.
For starters, you need to have your air ducts cleaned every three to five years. But, depending on factors, such as the frequency of use and its features, it can be extended to six or eight years.
Just like parts of your home, you can clean the air ducts yourself. To do that, you will need a furnace filter, gloves, vacuum, brush, power drill, cleaning cloth, and paper towels. You can easily find step-by-step cleaning methods to guide you. If you find mold and other issues, though, it’s best to call for professional help instead.
But, it will still need some deep cleaning from time to time too. And that should be left by professionals alone. This is because they have the right set of equipment that will be needed to spotlessly clean your air ducts and ensure that even the hard-to-reach areas are cleaned. They also know which products would work best to sanitize them thoroughly.
Yes, professional cleaning services might not come for free. But, if you’ll take a look at its long-term benefits, it’s definitely worth giving a try. After all, you’ll only need to have it cleaned at least two times every 10 years, depending on several factors.
Preventing Pollutants from Entering
As they say, prevention is better than cure. So, to prevent pollutants from building up often, one of the things you can do is to frequently change your filters. It’s also advisable to regularly vacuum your home.
Additionally, ensure that your air ducts are properly insulated and sealed. Doing so will keep moisture from entering your system and prevent mold from growing.
Your home needs to be cleaned from top to bottom, including your air ducts. This will not only impress your guests but will also keep you and your loved ones safe by making sure that no pollutants will stay in your system to harm your health. Yes, it may require some time and effort, but the results are worth it.
