Six Tips for Keeping Your Home Healthy with Duct Cleaning

When you turn on your HVAC system, the air duct carries the produced hot or cold air from the system to your room and keeps you comfortable. But over time, the air duct can get filled with pet dander and dust. If you don’t clean the air duct, these micro-particles will mix with the treated air, degrade your house environment, and lower the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).

Dirty air ducts can also cause several respiratory diseases, headaches, nausea, migraines, sore throat, etc. However, you can avoid all these by keeping the ductwork clean. With the help of some game-changing technologies and routine maintenance tasks, keeping the air duct clean is now easier than ever.

1. Install an IAQ System

If you are concerned about indoor air quality and want to protect your family members from dust, bacteria, odor, pollen, several chemical gases, etc., you can install an IAQ System. This will help block three primary pollutants: infectious agents, particles, and chemical gases.

By installing this IAQ system, you can improve indoor air quality and keep the air duct clean. The IAQ unit collects dust particles and other contaminants from the duct work and keep the ductwork clean.

Again, if you have allergy problems, this IAQ unit will help minimize your symptoms.

2. Vacuum More Frequently

When your furniture and carpet are filled with dust, those dust particles will get into the air duct and make the situation worse. That is why ensure that you vacuum your house every day. Thus, dust particles won’t accumulate inside the ductwork and cannot damage the HVAC system.

Pro-Tip: Apart from vacuuming the house, it would be best if you kept the outside of your home clean. Besides, during summer, due to lack of water, the soil becomes dry and produces dust. This is why if you have a backyard, always water the soil during summer. This will keep the soil wet and thus, you can protect your house from excessive dust and keep the ductwork clean.

3. Replace the HVAC Air Filter

Every HVAC system has an air filter, which protects the heating and cooling system from dust and micro-particles. But since its only function is to block micro-particles, it gets clogged very quickly. When this happens, dust, pollens, and micro-particles accumulate inside the air duct and pollute the produced air.

Also, when the air filter is clogged, your HVAC unit won’t get enough air supply. As a result, it will have to function longer, putting a lot of stress on it, which eventually leads to frequent breakdowns and heavy repairs. Moreover, when the AC or the furnace runs for a longer duration, your monthly cooling bill will skyrocket.

The solution to all these issues is very simple: replace the air filter every three months. Note, however, that this changing period will vary depending on where you live. For example, if you live in a polluted or industrial area, there will be a lot more pollution in the air, which will clog the air filter quickly. As a result, you will need to change your air filter more frequently.

The best way to know how frequently you should replace your air filters is to consult a professional HVAC expert. Apart from replacing the air filter, you can install high MERV-rated air filters which are very efficient in capturing micro-particles and help you keep the air duct clean. However, before installing such a high-rated air filter in your HVAC unit, ensure that the HVAC system is compatible with it. If you have an older AC unit, chances are it won’t be compatible. But if you still want to install high-rated HEPA or MERV air filters, you will have to replace the entire HVAC system.

4. Clean the Air Ducts Professionally Every One to Three Years

Apart from following the aforementioned tips, you will have to clean the air ducts professionally every one to three years. However, the more pets and children you have in your house, the more frequently you will need to clean the ductwork.

During the duct cleaning process, a professional air duct cleaner will clean the ducts and air vents thoroughly. If the air duct cleaner finds any leaks in the air duct, he will repair or replace it. As a result, your HVAC air duct will remain in good shape, and you will be able to enjoy maximum comfort.

5. Install an Air Purifier

You can also install an air purifier to keep your house and the air ducts free from dust and micro-particles. An air purifier has a fan and a filter. When the air passes through the filter, pollutants and other particles get trapped in them, and the air purifier keeps the indoor air and the air ducts clean.

6. Eradicate Pests and Rodents

Pests and rodents can make the air ducts dirty and spread various diseases. That is why if you notice pests, spiders, and rodents in your house, you must call a professional pest control company to eradicate these pests and rodents.

To maximize your comfort while running the HVAC system, you must keep the air duct clean by performing regular HVAC maintenance tasks, including annual cleaning and by keeping your home free from dust and other micro-particles.