It’s very common to get maintenance service for your heating system, cooling system, roof, plumbing system, and even your electrical system. However, you never want to overlook your ducting. This system is the key to providing optimal comfort throughout your entire home all year-round.
Shorter Lifespan
Air ducts have an estimated lifespan of around 15 to 20 years. This is if they receive proper maintenance and upkeep. If you skip getting regular maintenance on your ductwork, it’s more likely to experience deterioration and other issues that can drastically shorten its overall lifespan. With the high cost of ducting replacement service, it only makes sense to do everything possible to extend the longevity of your ducting.
Poor Indoor Air Quality
As air continually moves throughout your ducting, it can pull in nasty airborne toxins. Every few years, it’s important to have the inside of your ducting cleaned. This service will remove airborne toxins, dust, pet hair, and other debris from inside your ductwork. If you fail to keep up with regular cleanings, debris will build up inside your ducting.
This will lead to you and your family breathing in air that is of poor quality. Poor-quality air is known to aggravate the symptoms associated with asthma, allergies, and respiratory conditions. It can even cause your family members to develop respiratory conditions as a result of the poor air that they’re consistently breathing in.
Extensive HVAC System Wear and Tear
As your ducting gets dirty over the years, it will restrict the amount of air that can flow through it. When airflow gets restricted, it’s much harder for your HVAC system to deliver treated air throughout your home. In fact, your HVAC system’s components will have to work much harder to keep your home at its normal temperature setting. With more wear and tear on your HVAC equipment, you’ll likely experience more repair issues over its lifespan. This isn’t just costly but truly inconvenient.
Inefficient HVAC Operation
When your system isn’t able to operate at its optimal due to restricted airflow, it can cause your system to run longer to get your home to your desired temperature setting. This inefficient HVAC operation will continue to drive up your energy bills. This can put a big strain on your wallet throughout the year.
Pest Problems
When your air ducts don’t receive the care that they need, they will get overly dirty. This creates an attractive environment for pests. This holds especially true during the winter months when pests are looking for warm places to call home. These unwelcomed visitors will not only make your ducting smell but they can cause physical damage to it and allow dangerous bacteria to circulate throughout your home. There’s no denying the fact that pest issues can be quite costly to deal with. Heavily-infested ducts can also be damaged by their activities, causing both sanitation issues and damage requiring a new ductwork installation or repair appointment.
Lower Resale Value
One other notable hidden cost associated with neglecting your ductwork is the decreased resale value of your home. Homebuyers are willing to pay more for a home that has well-maintained air ducts as compared to one that doesn’t. This is because they know the long-term costs associated with poor air ducting.
Start With Regular Duct Cleaning
Now, since you know all the negative results of not taking proper care of your ducting, it’s time to start learning how to properly care for your ducting. A great place to start is with regular duct cleaning service. This is where an HVAC technician uses specialized tools to remove dirt and other particles that have accumulated inside your ducting.
While it’s completely possible for you to take off a vent cover and sweep up the area just inside the vent, it’s particularly challenging to reach all of your ducting. This is why calling in a professional is necessary. They have the appropriate tools to reach all those hard-to-get-to areas. Opt for getting duct cleaning every three to five years. If you have pets or asthma, you may want to get more frequent cleaning services.
Ductwork Sealing Service
Apart from regular duct cleaning, you’ll also want to invest in duct sealing service. This is where an HVAC technician will inspect your ducting for leaks. They’ll physically seal up any leaks that they locate to help prevent your treated air from escaping into wall and floor cavities. This service should be done every five years for the best results.
Wash Vent Covers
Vent covers can accumulate debris over time as air flows in and out of them. When debris accumulates on the grates of the vent, it can start restricting the airflow of the vent. This can affect the overall performance of your heating system. It’s best to remove your vent covers and clean them each month. Be sure to scrub off any built-up grime.
Keep Appropriate Indoor Humidity Levels
The humidity level inside your home can have a big impact on your indoor air quality level. Ideally, your relative indoor humidity level should be between 30 and 50%. This is the perfect range to prevent unwanted mold and mildew growth from occurring in your ducting. You may want to consider investing in a whole-home dehumidifier during the summer months to remove excess humidity from inside your home.
Clean Your Home Often
It’s important to remember that ducting will pull in air from the various rooms of your home. If there is dust and other airborne particles in the air, then those particles travel directly into your ductwork. To minimize the amount of debris that ends up in your ducting, it’s best to clean your home often. From sweeping the floors to dusting open surfaces, removing airborne particles goes a long way in preventing ducting problems.
Invest in Quality HVAC Filters
Your HVAC system will have a built-in air filter that’s in charge of trapping airborne particles. This helps to remove these particles from your ducting and does wonders for boosting your indoor air quality level. However, these filters are only effective if they’re changed frequently.
When replacing your HVAC filter, make sure to get the appropriate size. While an oversized filter won’t fit in your system, an undersized filter will allow unwanted airborne debris to pass right by it. Aim for getting a filter with a MERV rating of between 10 and 13. This offers maximum filter capability while still allowing your HVAC system to function efficiently. Getting a lower-rated filter can allow more airborne particles to pass through it.
Consider UV Lighting
Another great way to handle unwanted mold and mildew from growing inside your ducting is to invest in UV lighting. This is a type of germicidal lighting that will render the mold spores unable to reproduce and eventually cause them to die off.
Reliable Ductwork Maintenance Service
Sano Heating & Air Conditioning offers reliable ductwork maintenance service for the Anaheim, CA community. We can assist with all your heating services plus your air conditioning, heat pump, zoning system, indoor air quality, smart thermostat, indoor air quality, ductwork repair, and ductwork installation needs. Call us today to schedule a service consultation with one of our helpful technicians.
