Bad Indoor Air Quality? How to Know When You Need to Clean Your Air Ducts
You walk through the door of your freshly cleaned home expecting to relax. With a deep breath you attempt to unwind, but what’s that musty smell? And where did that dust come from? Sometimes our homes are clean on the surface but suffer from poor air quality because of a dust-filled HVAC system or dirty air ducts.
At Clean Queen, we often talk to clients about proactive cleaning strategies that can help protect the air quality inside their homes, but we are not air duct cleaning specialists.
In this article, we have partnered with Scott Kegerreis of Kura Home Maintenance & Air Duct Cleaning to provide local expertise on the common causes of indoor air pollution, prevention measures, and how to recognize when it’s time to inspect and clean your air ducts.
What Causes Dirty Air Ducts?
Over time, airborne particles accumulate in your home’s ventilation system causing air ducts to fill with debris. Here are the most common contributing factors:
- Dust, dirt, and pollen
- Pet dander and fur
- Smoke and ash from local/national forest fires
- Construction or renovation activities
High humidity, poor air filtration, or inadequate maintenance can exacerbate the buildup caused by these elements.
PRO-TIP: Monitor how contractors manage debris in your home. Improper disposal of waste such as drywall or wood particles during a home improvement project can significantly threaten your air ducts and HVAC system. For instance, if tiny particles like sawdust are swept into floor vents, they can circulate through the entire HVAC system and be distributed throughout your home, creating a messy and unhealthy environment.
What are the Negative Consequences of Dirty Air Ducts?
Without regular cleaning, air duct debris accumulates and clogs air filters, reducing the efficiency of your HVAC system and polluting the breathing environment for you and your family.
Air duct contamination often leads to:
Reduced indoor air quality Dirty air ducts recirculate dust, allergens, and other contaminants throughout your home, over and over again.
Respiratory health concerns Air contaminants can worsen respiratory symptoms or instigate dust/mold/pollen allergies, especially for family members with asthma or other pre-existing conditions.
Overworked HVAC system Obstructed air ducts and overwhelmed air filters make it harder for a furnace or A/C unit to maintain the desired temperature, leading to increased energy consumption and higher utility bills.
Ultimately, this extra strain reduces the lifespan of your HVAC equipment, leading to costly repairs or premature replacement.
6 Warning Signs That Your Air Ducts Need Cleaning
It’s probably time to inspect and/or clean your air ducts if you observe any of these warning signs in your home:
- There is a noticeable increase in dust on surfaces, even with regular cleaning.
- A musty or stale odor when the HVAC system is running.
- Inconsistent airflow from room to room.
- Visible mold growth around air vents.
- Someone in your household begins suffering from unexplained respiratory issues, allergies, or worsening asthma symptoms.
- The last air duct cleaning is a distant, or non-existent, memory.
Benefits of Clean Air Ducts
Your home, and everyone in it, benefits from debris-free air ducts
Healthy Household Removing dust and debris from your home’s central ductwork can significantly improve your family’s health by purifying the air and reducing the spread of common allergens like pollen, mold, and pet dander.
Healthy HVAC System Maintaining clean air ducts means that your HVAC system can also breathe easily, helping to reduce utility bills and extend the life expectancy of your furnace and/or air conditioner unit.
Deep Cleaning Prevents Air Duct Contamination
At Clean Queen, we pay special attention to dusty hard-to-reach areas to prevent the build-up of air duct debris and improve the air quality for your household. During a deep clean, our technicians expertly:
- Dust ceilings, ceiling fans, and remove cobwebs
- Dust light fixtures and vents
- Hand-wash windows, window coverings, and window sills
- Hand-wash baseboards, doors, and trim
- Dust furniture and decorations
- Vacuum floors
- Mop hard floors
PRO-TIP: Use microfiber cloths to clean dusty surfaces. The fine fibers, positive charge, and high absorbency ensure that dirt and bacteria are captured and removed, rather than being left behind as happens with other types of cleaning cloths.
Conclusion
Just as the benefits of living in a clean home go beyond the surface, so must our efforts to preserve the healthfulness of our home environments. Proactive measures like deep house cleaning or air duct cleaning can improve your indoor air quality. Let us do the dirty work so you can breathe easy in a dust-free home that’s fit for a queen.
Contact Clean Queen for our comprehensive deep cleaning service. Our skilled technicians bring expertise and enthusiasm to every job, customizing their approach to meet your specific needs, and ensuring every surface is thoroughly scrubbed and sanitized for a clean, healthy home.