Americans spend an astounding 90% of their time indoors. And most of that time (especially in the workplace) is spent with the windows closed. Therefore, we rely a lot on our HVAC systems. As the acronym itself suggests, we rely on them to heat and cool buildings and to help circulate the air. Unfortunately, despite how important HVAC systems are, most people do very little preventative maintenance, often waiting until something breaks down before calling for service. Instead of waiting, you can take the simple step of ensuring your ducts are clean. This small act can reap three huge benefits.
Cleaning Ducts Helps Keep You Healthy
It’s interesting that so many people in the world are concerned with the air quality outside but don’t think nearly as much about the air quality inside. If you have mold, dust, dander, and other allergens in your air ducts, they will get pushed out in the heating or cooling process and will be continually circulated by the HVAC system. Obviously, it’s not good for people to continually breathe in these particulates. It’s especially hard for people who have allergies or have any respiratory issues, such as asthma.
Cleaning Ducts Makes Your HVAC System Work Better
Besides being unhealthy for humans, unclean air can also be unhealthy for your HVAC system. When ducts are filled with dirt and/or debris, the system has to work much harder to push heated or cooled air through the ducts. Thus, it does not do as well. Furthermore, an HVAC system, like any system of complex machinery, is made up of a lot of small, delicate parts. The buildup of any detritus can cause wear and tear to all parts of the system, which will lead to the system not working as well as it should.
Cleaning Ducts Saves You Money
All these ways in which unclean ducts hinder your HVAC system are also ways in which they cost you money. Obviously, if dirt and dust accumulation causes parts to break down, this can lead to many costly repairs. Also, since the system is working much harder to push unclear air through, it requires more energy, which leads to higher utility bills. In fact, according to one study, by NADAC and the University of Colorado, cleaning even slightly dirty ducts leads to an average of 11% reduction in energy costs for cooling and heating.
Clearly, cleaning your air ducts is extremely beneficial. However, you may be thinking that cleaning ducts seems like a time-intensive task and that you don’t have enough expertise to undertake the project. If you have any health ailments, you may also feel that it would be unwise for you to be up on ladders getting dust in your lungs. If that’s the case, you’re in luck, as you can find a qualified company that provides professional duct cleaning. No matter what, don’t neglect this task until it’s too late: Your health, your comfort, and your wallet could all depend on it.
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