For the first few years after moving into my home, I never gave the ductwork any thought.
- The air ducts maintain circulation and transport heated or cooled air to the various rooms.
They are essential to energy efficiency, comfort, indoor air quality and even safety. Because these pipes are located in hard-to-reach spaces and largely concealed, they are easy to ignore. Unfortunately, all sorts of particles and contaminants can be hidden inside them. Considering that the air my family breathes travels through the pipes multiple times a day, it’s important to keep them clean. It’s not unusual for dust and dirt to end up inside the ducts. The average household produces a lot of dust. Because the particles are small and light, they can easily become airborne every time the furnace or air conditioner operates. There’s also the potential for mold growth, bacterial growth and all sorts of pathogens that can aggravate allergy symptoms, cause asthma attacks and lead to respiratory problems. It wasn’t until I noticed family members coughing, sneezing and complaining of headaches and congestion that I started paying attention to the ductwork. Between our health issues and the rising cost of monthly energy bills, I figured out that we needed duct cleaning. I searched around and found an HVAC contractor in our area that specializes in duct services. The cleaning process took a couple of hours but caused no damage or mess. The improvement was really amazing. The whole house stays cleaner, smells better and is far more comfortable. The temperature from one room to another is now consistent. The furnace and air conditioner don’t need to cycle on as often, and my energy bills are significantly less expensive.