12 Air Duct Cleaning Service Reasons To Have Yours Cleaned Regularly | Richardson, TX
The air ducts in your Richardson, TX home are just as crucial in keeping your home comfortable as the HVAC system itself. The air ducts allow the heated or cool air to travel from the HVAC unit to the vents located throughout your home. If there is an issue with the air ducts, it can affect your home’s temperature and cause several other problems in your home; therefore, you should call an air duct cleaning service to clean the ducts regularly.
When an HVAC tech cleans the air ducts, they will clean various components of forced air heating and cooling systems, including:
- The supply and return air ducts
- Registers
- Grilles and diffusers
- Heat exchangers
- Heating and cooling coils
- Condensate drain pans, also known as drip pans
- Fan motor
- Fan housing
- The air handling unit housing
HVAC experts recommend having your air ducts cleaned every two to five years to keep the ducts in proper working order. If you aren’t sure if an air duct cleaning service is worth the time and money, you should consider the reasons and circumstances that make this service so essential.
#1 Improve Your Home’s Air Quality
When your heater or air conditioner runs, the windows in your Richardson, TX, must stay closed to prevent the heated and cool air from escaping. When the windows are closed, fresh air won’t come in; therefore, your home’s air quality should be clean.
Over time, dirt, dust, and other forms of debris can accumulate in the air ducts. In just one year, over five pounds of debris can build up in the ducts, affecting your home’s air quality.
When the heater or air conditioner runs, the debris in the air ducts will circulate in the air, affecting the air quality.
If you have an air duct cleaning service performed regularly, the HVAC tech will remove the debris, and you will have peace of mind that the air in your home is safe for your family to breathe.
#2 Keep Your Family Healthy
As mentioned above, debris in the air ducts in your home can affect your home’s air quality. Neglecting to have an air duct service performed regularly will affect your home’s air quality, which could make your family sick.
When the debris circulates in the air, your family can develop allergy symptoms, including:
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Sneezing
- Wheezing and shortness of breath
- Coughing
Dirty air ducts can put your family’s health at risk; therefore, it is well worth the time and money. When an air duct cleaning service is performed regularly, the debris will be cleaned from the ducts, and your family’s allergy symptoms should subside.
If you aren’t sure if an air duct service is worth the money when you consider that your family’s health is at risk, you will see that this service is well worth the cost.
#3 Reduce the Cost of Your Energy Bills
When large amounts of debris have accumulated in the air ducts, it can restrict the airflow from the vents in your Richardson, TX home. Without adequate airflow, it will be challenging for your heater and air conditioner to keep your home comfortable. The HVAC system will have to work harder to keep your home at the desired temperature, and the extra work will cause your energy bills to increase considerably.
When you call an air duct cleaning service, the tech will remove the debris from the ducts, allowing adequate airflow while keeping your energy costs down.
According to Home Advisor, the average cost of an air duct cleaning service is between $269 and $489, depending on the number of vents in your home. The air duct cleaning will almost pay for itself in the money you will save on energy costs throughout the year.
#4 Extend the Lifespan of Your HVAC System
When the ducts in your home are full of debris, your HVAC system will need to work harder to keep your home at the temperature on the thermostat. When the system works overtime, it can decrease the unit’s lifespan.
The average cost to replace an HVAC system is around $7,000, and the typical range is between $5,000 and $10,000, depending on the size of your home. This is a significant investment; therefore, it’s best to have an air duct cleaning service performed regularly. When the ducts are free of debris, the HVAC system won’t need to work overtime.
When you compare the cost of an air duct cleaning service with the cost of replacing your HVAC system, you will see that having the ducts cleaned is well worth the price.
#5 Mold Detection
The air ducts in your home are hidden under the floors, above the ceilings, and behind the walls; therefore, they are dark. When your home is humid, condensation will form in the air ducts, and since light doesn’t shine into the air ducts, the condensation will remain, creating the perfect environment for mold growth. In many cases, you will smell mold or mildew when the heater or air conditioner runs. However, the mold won’t always emit a smell; therefore, you should have an air duct service performed regularly.
Mold in the air ducts can put your family’s health at significant risk. If there is mold in the ducts, the spores will circulate in the air when the heater or air conditioner runs. According to the CDC, mold exposure can cause various health issues, including:
- Allergy symptoms
- Respiratory issues
- Eye, skin, nose, and throat irritation
- Lung irritation
- Skin rashes
- Immune system reduction, making it harder for your body to fight off disease and infection.
If a member of your family has asthma or a mold allergy, mold in the air ducts can bring on frequent asthma attacks. In addition, if a family member has a chronic respiratory or lung issue, mold exposure can worsen their condition and symptoms.
When you schedule an air duct cleaning service, the tech will inspect the ducts in your Richardson, TX home for the presence of mold. If they find any, it can be easily eradicated using an antimicrobial fogger that will also prevent mold growth between cleanings.
Mold exposure is very dangerous; therefore, cleaning the air ducts is well worth the cost, considering your family’s health is at risk.
#6 Detect an Insect or Rodent Infestation
When it starts getting cold outside, insects and rodents will begin looking for a safe, warm place to ride out the winter. Unfortunately, the air ducts in your Richardson, TX home are an excellent place for pests to create their nests. Not only are the air ducts dark, but they are also quiet and hidden from humans.
Just because you can’t see the pests, it doesn’t mean that it is harmless for them to live in the air ducts. The pests will leave waste in the air ducts, which will circulate in the air when your heater or air conditioner runs. Insect and rodent droppings are teeming with viruses, diseases, and harmful bacteria, which can make your family sick and even cause lifelong issues.
When you schedule an appointment for an air duct cleaning service, the tech will inspect the ducts for rodent or insect infestations, so you can rid the ducts of pests, preventing your family from becoming ill. The tech will also remove the droppings left behind, ensuring your home’s air quality is safe.
#7 Air Duct Damage Detection
The air ducts in your home are hidden; therefore, you won’t be able to see any visible damage. If there is a break or crack in the air ducts, the heated or cool air will escape from the damaged area before reaching the vents. This will cause restricted airflow, affecting the temperature in your home, your energy bills, and the system’s lifespan.
When you have an air duct cleaning service performed, the HVAC tech will inspect the ducts for damage, and they can make the necessary repair to restore adequate airflow.
#8 Your Basement Flooded
A flooded basement is every homeowner’s worst nightmare. The flood can cause significant water damage to your home and any belongings in the basement. Unfortunately, these aren’t the only issues a flooded basement can cause. If water gets into the air ducts, mold growth can occur, putting your family’s health at risk.
When the standing water has been flushed out, and the basement is dry, you should schedule an air duct cleaning service. An HVAC tech can check the air ducts for the presence of mold so it can be eradicated quickly. In addition, the tech can dry the ducts, preventing mold growth in the future.
#9 Your Home Is Being Remodeled
If your Richardson, TX home is being remodeled, you should schedule an appointment for an air duct cleaning service as soon as the job is complete and the construction crew has left. The construction process can create sawdust and drywall dust, restricting the airflow from the vents and affecting your home’s air quality. In addition, when the heater or air conditioner runs, the construction debris will settle on the surfaces in your newly remodeled home, and you will need to clean more often. Even if you remodel just a room or two, a significant amount of construction debris will accumulate in the ducts, and you should have an air duct cleaning service performed.
An HVAC tech can clean the debris from the ducts, allowing you to spend more time enjoying the remodel.
#10 You’re Replacing Your Furnace
The average lifespan of a furnace is 15 to 20 years. When the furnace in your home reaches the end of its lifespan, it will need to be replaced, which can be a messy job. Replacing a furnace can kick up soot and dust, which can easily get into the air ducts, and will circulate in the air when your heater or air conditioner runs.
It is a good idea to schedule an air duct cleaning service while the HVAC tech replaces the furnace. This will ensure your home’s air quality is safe, and soot won’t circulate and settle on the surfaces in your home.
#11 You Have Pets
As mentioned above, it is best to have an air duct cleaning service performed every two to five years. If you have pets in your home, your ducts should be cleaned every two to three years. When your cat or dog sheds, their fur and dander can clog the air ducts, affecting your home’s air quality and could cause your family to develop allergy symptoms. If you have a breed that doesn’t shed, their dander can accumulate in the ducts, and you should have an air duct cleaning service performed every couple of years.
#12 Your Home Gets Dirty, Faster
Have you gone from cleaning your house once a week to several times a week? If so, the air ducts in your Richardson, TX home could be to blame. When debris accumulates in the ducts, it will circulate in the air when the HVAC system runs and will land on the floors, furniture, and other surfaces, and you will need to clean more frequently.
Having an air duct cleaning service performed regularly will keep your house cleaner longer, and you can spend less time doing housework.
Why Choose One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas?
If you are due for an air duct cleaning service or if the ducts in your home have never been cleaned, call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas.
We are a full-service HVAC company and have been providing excellent service to our customers since 1988.
Our HVAC techs are professionally trained, highly skilled, and NATE certified, ensuring they can handle all HVAC problems. We want you to feel safe when you allow our techs into your home; therefore, they must pass a background check drug test and register with the state of Texas before they are hired.
HVAC technology is constantly evolving, and our techs are required to receive ongoing training because we want them to know how to install, maintain and repair the latest HVAC models.
To schedule an appointment for an air duct cleaning service or any other HVAC service, give us a call today.