Why You Need Air Duct Cleaning: Mold, Mildew, and More

2/1/2019 (Permalink)

Your heating and air system is much more than just the box in your yard. There is an entire network of air ducts that sends conditioning throughout your home, and the quality of this network dramatically affects your comfort. Just like any other mechanical device, air duct cleaning is an essential part of maintaining the quality of your system. Without proper care, there are a number of problems that can occur without you even realizing what is wrong.

Mold and Mildew

During the summer, anytime your AC is not running, the ductwork is getting hotter. When you send cold air into the house, the ductwork rapidly cools, causing condensation. Normally, the strength of the flow would prevent the condensation from lingering in the ducts. However, over time, the flow in your system can decline, particularly if the sealing on the ductwork starts to weaken. If this occurs, moisture will sit in the ductwork and create mold. If left unchecked, mildew can cause several issues in your home.

The first concern that can be created by mold is stench. Mildew festers, and if the problem gets bad enough, you can be sending stale, stinky oxygen throughout the house every time you crank up the thermostat. While this is certainly inconvenient, there are much more serious health risks associated with mold. Mold spores that become airborne can travel into the house, infecting the walls, carpet, and furniture. Over time, it can cause illness and breathing issues. Air duct cleaning will eliminate all traces of mold and mildew, and it will also improve the performance of your system by eliminating dust.

Dust Buildup

No matter how often you clean, your house is full of dust. Dead skin cells, fecal matter, pollen, and pet dander all contribute to what we know as simple household dust. Dust is a major issue for a heating and ventilation system. In large quantities, it can actually increase the cooling demand on the home. This increases the runtime of your AC unit, which makes your power bills get bigger. Your ductwork is essentially a giant vacuum hose that pulls everything out of the air and sends it through the system.

While there are filters that deal with some of the dust issues, the reality is that very few people have adequate filtration installed in their home. Only with expensive cleaners and purifiers can the dust issue be truly eliminated. For most homeowners, the filter is merely a bandage, preventing an issue from getting worse rather than solving it. When filtration fails, large quantities of dust start to build up in the ductwork. If enough buildup occurs, it can start to affect the flow through the system. This yet again increases runtimes, further escalating your power bills. Instead of simply being a nuisance, dust buildup can actually start to cost you hundreds of dollars a year.

The good news is that all these issues are entirely preventable. Call SERVPRO of Fairfield today and ask us how air duct cleaning can benefit your home.

707-207-0122