Most buildings have heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to regulate their internal temperature. Many buildings have HVAC systems that use ducts to move air. Ducts connect return vents to the HVAC system, enabling it to pull in the air that needs to be heated or cooled. Ducts also connect the HVAC system to supply vents that distribute hot or cold air throughout the building.
Ducts play a critical role in maintaining a building’s temperature and air quality. Your air quality, HVAC system, and energy bills can all be affected by air ducts that aren’t cleaned properly.
1. Dirty ducts can cause health issues.
Moisture can build up inside your ducts and cause bacteria to grow. It’s possible for ducts to harbor mold, pet dander, pollen, biological pollutants, and insects. Your return vents can draw these toxins into the duct, which means they may be pulled into your system’s filter and redistributed throughout your home. Forced air traveling through your ducts can distribute these toxins and allergens throughout your home, infecting family members with viruses and triggering asthma attacks. Pollutants can cause several health issues, including sore throats, runny noses, headaches, and allergic reactions.
You can minimize the risk of developing health issues from dirty ducts by hiring a certified HVAC technician to inspect and clean your HVAC unit and ducts regularly. Duct cleaning removes debris, toxins, allergens, and other pollutants from your ducts, improving airflow and indoor air quality.
2. Dirty ducts can lead to expensive repairs.
Your dirty air ducts could harbor toys, jewelry, or other small items that fell through your system’s vents. Children’s toys, pet toys, and small tools or materials could be pulled through the vents and enter your HVAC system. Although these items may be small, they could still cause significant damage to your HVAC system. If you hear banging in your HVAC unit, it could be a sign something’s in your ducts that shouldn’t be there. Cleaning your ducts or hiring an HVAC technician to inspect your duct system can ensure you locate hazardous items before they damage your HVAC unit.
Dirty ducts can also be a haven for rodents. Mice and rats may make nests inside your ducts. Viruses from rodent feces and allergens from their dander can contribute to health issues. Rodents also damage heating and air conditioning systems and ducts. They may chew through the ducts to build nests and chew through wires in the system, preventing your system from working correctly and increasing the risk of an electrical fire in your home.
3. Your energy costs could increase if you have dirty ducts.
Your heating and air conditioning system must draw air in and distribute air throughout your home to work correctly. Your ducts can be obstructed by rodents, dead animals, debris, toys, jewelry, and other unwanted items inside the air ducts. When obstructions block the ducts, your heating and air conditioning system can’t move air. Your system will work harder to draw in air and redistribute the air, but its inability to move a sufficient amount of air through the air ducts means it will run for more extended periods. When heating and ventilation systems run longer, they work harder and use more energy. Consequently, uncleaned air ducts can cause high energy bills.
4. You won’t be comfortable in your home if your air ducts are dirty.
You won’t enjoy your home if you have air ducts that are dirty. You may be forced to spend time away from your home to protect family members with asthma, autoimmune diseases, or respiratory issues. You may also incur expensive medical bills, which could cause you to have negative feelings about your home. Your family home should be a sanctuary where you feel safe, and issues with critical home systems can cause emotional distress and discomfort, as well as health issues and financial problems.
Dirt in your air ducts can cause several issues. You or your family members may suffer from serious health problems caused by uncleaned air ducts. You may also incur expensive repairs and have high energy bills. Ultimately, issues with uncleaned air ducts may prevent you from feeling comfortable and safe in your home.