The ducts in your HVAC system in Servicing Delaware, deliver and remove your indoor air. This includes supplying clean air from your heating or air conditioning system and returning indoor air to the source exhaust system. In this guide, we explain why clean ducts are an essential part of healthy indoor air quality.

What Is Unhealthy Indoor Air Quality?

Air ducts capture dust particles, pathogens, pet dander and chemical pollutants. If the ducts are not regularly cleaned, they will transmit the contaminants around your house.

Your family may have health issues that can be attributed to poor indoor air quality. Pathogens in dust particles may be spread throughout your house through the HVAC duct system. Here are some signs that your indoor air may be unhealthy:

  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Headaches
  • Respiratory problems, especially in children
  • Allergy symptoms

How Often Should Ductwork Be Cleaned?

In Servicing Delaware, the ductwork doesn’t need to be cleaned every time you have a regular HVAC maintenance checkup. However, during your checkups, the ducts should be examined to see how they’re affecting your indoor air quality. If they appear to need repair or cleaning, we’ll recommend cleaning by a team of certified technicians.

Signs Your Ducts Need Cleaning

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ducts need to be cleaned only if the HVAC system is contaminated. This may happen if:

  • Your home has been recently renovated or remodeled. In some cases, asbestos and lead paint are removed, and sawing wood and laying concrete can create a lot of dust. If possible, the ducts should be sealed off before the work begins and cleaned after the work is finished.
  • Infestations of wild animals such as squirrels, rats, mice, bats or wasps have lodged in or near the ducts. These critters may create holes or tears in the ductwork or block the air passage. They should be removed before the ducts are cleaned and repaired.
  • Contaminants have settled in your ducts. These may be pet dander, leaves and twigs and oily smoke from cooking.
  • Someone in your family had a respiratory illness or head lice infestation. Once these are cured, the ducts may still contain some of the pathogens. The ducts may also be the cause if the illness was an unexplained allergy-related medical condition.

What to Expect from Duct Cleaning Services

Dirty ducts cause the HVAC system to work harder, which shortens the life of the system and wastes energy. The first step to cleaning ducts is to put the whole system under negative pressure by using a vacuum. This removes even the finest particles from the system while preventing the contaminants from spreading.

We will examine the whole system, protect your carpet and furnishings, seal and insulate any holes and make sure the ducts are airtight. If there is fiberglass inside, we will see that it has no tears or abrasions and adheres to the underlying materials. Also, the drain pans, coils, humidifiers and fans will be cleaned.

How Do You Keep Ducts from Becoming Contaminated?

Things you can do to keep your ducts clean start with your air filters. Make sure none are missing and that they are clean and changed regularly. Vacuum your home regularly and efficiently to remove dust and pet dander that could otherwise end up in your ducts.

Regular maintenance checkups are the time to have your ductwork examined. The service technicians will let you know if they think your ducts need cleaning. If you can’t remember the last time you had your HVAC ducts cleaned, call Red Dog Heating Cooling & Plumbing today. We will send our comfort specialist to clean the ductwork to help you avoid costly repairs in the future. In addition, we will unblock airflow, increase your energy efficiency, and improve your indoor air quality. Your satisfaction is always guaranteed when you choose us as your HVAC company.

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