As a homeowner, you have probably wondered if your air ducts should be cleaned. Air duct cleaning companies are constantly advertising about the need for their services. They show you disgusting pictures of dirty air ducts, mentioning that there are all sorts of little critters living in your air if your ducts are dirty. However, the cost of an air duct cleaning is quite substantial, so you should make sure that your air ducts need to be cleaned before you sign up for cleaning services.
Look at Your Family's Health
The first, and probably most important, thing you can look at to decide if your air ducts need to be cleaned is your family's health. When your family members start experiencing breathing problems, unexplained illnesses of any sort, or a sudden onset of asthma, your air ducts could be to blame. Poor indoor air quality can cause a wide range of physical problems for the family that is living in a home.
Keep in mind, however, that there have been no studies done to conclusively prove that having your air ducts cleaned can fix health problems. The particles in the air that are causing the health problems in your family may not e coming from your air ducts. However, cleaning your air ducts cannot make the problems worse, and sometimes it does appear to help, especially when family members are suffering from breathing problems.
Have You Had Unexpected Guests?
If you have had a recent infestation of insects, mice, rats, or some other unexpected and unwanted guest, you should have your air ducts cleaned. These little critters love to live in air ducts, and they leave behind dead bodies, waste, hair, and dirt. These cannot be completely removed without the help of a professional air duct cleaning service. Also, you may not know exactly where in your air ducts the little critters are living, so getting them professionally cleaned will ensure that you got all of your unwanted houseguests.
Do Your Air Ducts Look Dirty?
One of the most obvious signs that you need to have your air ducts cleaned is the way they look when you inspect them visually. If you can see dust and debris in the air ducts, then chances are they need to be cleaned. You can stick a vacuum hose down the air ducts, but you will not be able to reach all of the gunk. Only a professional has the right equipment to reach all of the space inside your air ducts.
Also, if you can see a film depositing itself on the walls or floor around your air ducts, then they need to be cleaned. This film is the junk that is being put back into your air whenever your furnace or air conditioner kicks in. Again, only a professional can reach all of this debris.
Got Mold? Get a Cleaning!
A final indication that you need to have your air ducts cleaned is visible mold growth inside your air ducts or HVAC system. This requires professional cleaning, and is definitely not something to be ignored. Mold spores cause health problems, so get those air ducts cleaned if you spot mold growth.
After you have cleaned out the mold, contact an HVAC professional to help you determine the cause of the mold. Remember, mold will return if the cause is not corrected. This will mean you will have to have your air ducts cleaned yet again, so get the professional help you need to stop regrowth of the mold you have just removed.
With these tips, it is easy to know whether or not you need to have your air ducts cleaned. If you do, schedule a cleaning with a qualified and licensed air duct cleaning company. Soon your family can be breathing clean, healthy air again!
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