What To Expect From Duct Cleaning Service | Azle, TX
The ducts in your home are pathways where air coming from the heating and cooling system travels to each room. Most often, you do not see them as they are hidden behind wells and under flooring. However, in every home, this massive system of ductwork can play a significant role in the overall comfort of the home as well as the energy efficiency of your HVAC. That is why duct cleaning service is often a very important investment.
What Is Air Duct Cleaning?
If you imagine ducts as hollow paths where air travels, it may not seem like the interior of this space can become dirty. However, it is very common for it to be. Unlike the rest of your home, there is no easy way to remove the dirt and debris that enters this space. Over time, it can line the interior walls of the ducts and build up. As that happens, and air moves through, it pushes dirt and debris into each room of your home.
The goal of air duct cleaning is to remove as much of the material on the interior of these ducts as possible so that it does not clog the system or move through your home. Cleaning them is not something that can be done with a traditional at-home process, though. It typically takes a professional to use high-powered vacuums and sanitization tools to remove the material and clean the interior well.
Duct cleaning service does not require the removal of any walls. It does not require any type of significant, invasive process. However, it is a very effective and efficient way of pulling dirt and debris out of the home and, therefore, limiting the amount that builds up in your air.
What Is in the Ductwork?
One of the most common questions people have about duct cleaning service is why it is necessary. What is so bad lurking in your home’s air ducts that there could be a problem? Though what’s in your air ducts may be different from others, some of the most common materials here include:
- Dust
- Microbial growth
- Mold
- Mildew
- Dirt
- Pollen
- Other allergens
Sometimes, animals can make their way into the ductwork as well. That means there could be feces or even remains present. You cannot see this from the exterior, but you may notice it on the surfaces of your home.
How does this type of material get into your ducts? Here’s what often happens:
- The air conditioner and heater pull in air from the interior and exterior of the home to treat.
- It moves through filters that help to pull out some of the material in the air.
- The rest of the material, which includes fine particles and pollen, for example, continues through the system and ends up in the ducts.
If the air quality in your home or the surrounding area of your house is bad, such as from construction work or landscaping, this amplifies the problem.
It can worsen, too. For example, if there is too much humidity in the home, that can lead to enough moisture building up in the ducts to encourage the presence of mold. If mold does build up there, it can easily be pushed throughout the home through those vents.
Duct cleaning service works to fix this. That is why it is one of the most important investments you can make for your home.
How Does Duct Cleaning Work?
When you set up duct cleaning service, a team of professionals will come to your home. The process does not require you to do anything else. Instead, the professionals have specialized equipment designed to pull out that material. The equipment works by taking advantage of negative air pressure, which helps to remove much of the material from the interior of the ducts. In duct cleaning service, the pressure will dislodge the material that lines the interior walls. Then, the attached vacuum systems designed for this task specifically work to pull out that material fully.
In addition to this, there are various clean agents that are often used in duct cleaning service to help remove any grime or dirt that is stuck in place. This can also remove any type of microbes that may be lurking in the ductwork.
There are other types of duct cleaning service available. However, what is most important to know is that this can be a very effective way of removing all of the material in the ducts. Most often, it also includes removing and cleaning all ducts, registers, evaporator coils, air handlers, and filters of your HVAC system to help minimize the amount of built up material.
Signs You May Benefit from this Service
Duct cleaning service is nearly always a worthy investment. However, you may need this type of help a bit more in some situations. Here are a few examples.
Noticeable Dust Build Up
If you have a significant amount of dust on the surface of your furniture throughout your home, that can be an indication that there’s a significant amount of buildup within the ductwork. If you have to dust your home often, this could be one of the main reasons why. That is especially true when you do not often have your windows or doors open.
Lingering Odors
Another common problem that warrants duct cleaning service is when there are odors that seem to linger in your home. These could be cooking odors that hang around for some time, for example, well after you finish cooking. If you leave your home for numerous hours a day and come home to an off odor, that could be something in the ducts that need to be cleaned away.
Allergy Symptoms
Those who have allergies or asthma are at a higher risk for being sensitive to the build up of dust, dander, and debris. If you have noticed an increase in these symptoms, such as coughing or more irritation than normal, that could mean you need to have the ducts cleaned. In some cases, routine duct cleaning service is recommended for those homes where people have respiratory illnesses.
Construction in Your Home
Another common situation where it is critical to consider an investment in duct cleaning service is when you are doing any type of remodeling or construction in your home. That could be removing drywall, adding new flooring, or doing any type of deep cleaning. While you engage in these activities, it is likely that you are pulling up and moving a lot of dust and debris. That means there is more material that ends up in your air ducts, which can drastically increase the amount of dust in your home as well.
After a significant renovation, it is wise to invest in a duct cleaning service. Make this a part of the clean up process to help minimize the movement of all of that debris throughout your home.
Significant Landscaping
Are there construction projects happening within your community? Perhaps you are having a lot of work done to your own landscaping. In these situations, there is also the likelihood that you will have a significantly higher amount of debris entering your home. You could change your air filters more often, but duct cleaning service, especially after the work is done, is often recommended.
Mold or Mildew
In some situations, mold or mildew can travel through ductwork through various areas of your home, creating a difficult situation. A leak in the laundry room, for example, allows moisture to build, encouraging mold growth. The spores from that mold will enter the air and can be sucked into the home’s vents and air ducts. There, they continue to grow and can travel to any other room connected to the ductwork, even your bedroom two floors up.
Duct cleaning service can help to remove much of this material, especially if it has become significant. Mold and mildew growth is a big problem in homes where there is high humidity as well. If you have recently had a mold problem, it is a good idea to have the area cleaned properly.
Poor Airflow
The air in your home needs to circulate to remain healthy for you to breathe in. However, when the ducts are clogged, and there is a significant amount of buildup present, that can lead to numerous concerns, especially over time, as the HVAC cannot move the material through the ducts properly. Poor circulation can mean inconsistent airflow in specific areas of your home as well, especially in areas where there is a significant amount of buildup.
Vermin
If you have pests of any type that make their way into your ducts, duct cleaning service is recommended. Rodents, insects, or other vermin can get into very small holes in the ductwork. As they do, they use the insulation and other materials from within and outside of the ducts to create nests. They may die there, there could be feces present, and some carry disease. Duct cleaning service will pull all of that material out, helping to clean the surface for you.
Inefficiency in Your Heating and Cooling
Another common problem associated with air ducts is inefficiency. In order to work at their best level, the heating and cooling systems need to have as little force as possible working against them. A clogged filter, for example, makes it hard for the heating and cooling system to bring air into it. When the ducts are clogged with material, it is hard for the system to push air out into the home. You may be turning up the heat or turning down the air conditioner because your home isn’t getting to your goal. That just makes the system work even harder.
As that continues to occur, your home’s energy bills continue to rise. By having ducts cleaned, you can significantly remove this build up and allow air to move more freely through the system. That is going to increase the air conditioner and the furnace’s ability to work properly, lowering your energy costs.
How Do You Get this Service?
Duct cleaning service can be a wise investment for many homes, and it does not have to be a challenge to set up a consultation and get started. Often, there are just a few steps to the process.
An Inspection
The technicians will come to your home on your schedule. They will get an idea of what your needs are. Let them know about any concerns you have had. They will then perform an inspection to ensure there is a benefit to cleaning the air ducts. You will also learn more about the process and what to expect overall.
Vacuuming
The next step is that the system is set up to begin the pressurizing and removal of material. Generally, your furnace evaporator coil, vent covers, and blower are all cleaned. Then, the system is connected directly to the ductwork, where it can pull out all of the material that is trapped within it.
Compressed Air Flush
In some situations, you may also have a compressed air flush completed. This helps to loosen any additional contaminants in the air ducts to help encourage it to move through the air ducts. This allows for all of that debris to move through, cleaning the surfaces as it goes.
After the process is complete, you will know what to expect going forward. It’s that easy and only takes a couple of hours of your time to complete.
Let Our Team Help You Get Your Ducts Cleaned
Learn how duct cleaning service can help you. To schedule a consultation or a service call, contact One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth. Our team is happy to answer any questions you have and provide you with more information about how duct cleaning could benefit you.
See our most recent blog on this topic here.