Over time, the air ducts in your home can get full of dust, mold, dander, and other contaminants. If you or someone in your family has allergies or a respiratory condition, this can cause serious health issues.
By regularly cleaning air ducts, as well as coils and fans, your HVAC system will work more efficiently and use less energy — and help you save money with lower utility bills. You can also avoid expensive repair bills and help your system last longer.
In some cases, you may need to have your air ducts cleaned more frequently. Here are some common reasons why this happens:
- People smoke in the home.
- Mold develops if you had a water leak in your house.
- Dogs, cats, and other pets leave hair, dander, and odors.
- Dust and other debris from a remodel get into the air ducts.
- Ducts have rodents or insects
Since the inside of air ducts are not easily visible, a service provider should inspect them to look for mold and other issues. They may need to take a sample and have a lab determine if it’s mold or other substance. In some cases, if the air duct is wet or moldy, it may need to be removed and replaced. It’s also important to find out what’s causing mold, since if this issue is not addressed, mold can grow back and cause more health problems.
While you’re having your air ducts cleaned, a heating and cooling professional can also make sure they’re properly sealed and insulated. This is a great way to save money since your HVAC system will run more efficiently and not leak. According to energy.gov, the U.S. Department of Energy’s website, ducts that leak air can cause your utility bills go up by hundreds of dollars each year. This is why it’s so important to seal and insulate your ducts.
While minor duct repairs may be easy, it’s recommended to have a qualified professional seal and insulate ducts to make sure they’re correctly sealed with the right materials.
- Try to contact at least three service providers to get written estimates for getting your ducts cleaned.
- Check customer references to make sure the company does quality work.
- Ask questions such as how many years they’ve been cleaning ducts and are they familiar with your HVAC system.
Looking for an HVAC professional in the San Antonio area?
Service First Air Conditioning and Heating has been serving the area for more than 20 years and they provide 24-hour emergency HVAC service and repairs, including air duct cleaning, repair and replacement.