Many people practice preventative maintenance on their units by incorporating a couple of simple tasks. These include changing filters, making sure no items are blocking vents, clearing away debris from outside units and hiring technicians to come out once a year to look over HVAC units in the house or office.
A question that is often asked is, “Can cleaning ducts in your home or office have a positive effect on the air you breathe?” It most instances, the answer is yes! People who have had their ducts cleaned professionally report a great improvement in their air quality. In fact, not only was there a reduction in allergies experienced by people, but they reported their HVAC system functioned at a higher level with better airflow and as a resulttheir house or business smelt better. Some HVAC professionals have the opinion that cleaning air ducts can help stop mold from growing and suggest you have it done simply for peace of mind. This is because, depending on the type of mold that is present, it can be quite detrimental for your health.
How often should you have it done? Air duct professionals say at least every 3 years, but if you experience continual asthma or breathing problems you may want to consider having it done once a year. Some other issues to take into consideration would be, do you have pets? Do people smoke inside the house? Have you had any construction or home improvements carried out that caused dust? How clean is your home in general? How old is your home?
There is more to getting the job done then just a simple duct vacuuming. During a cleaning, coils and the central system will be cleaned. This can help you save on your energy bill. Coils and blowers that are dirty can be causing your HVAC system to lag in its efficiency by 40%.
Depending on who you talk to, or what you read some consumers believe hiring a professional to clean ducts is unnecessary and a waste of money. Or, there is the worry that an unexperienced duct cleaner may break your HVAC system or do nothing more than kick up dust and dirt. If you choose to hire someone, be sure to check their credentials and references. A license is not needed to be a duct cleaner.
