It is important to take all of the steps possible to maintain your air ducts effectively. The appropriate maintenance can provide an array of benefits, both to the level of comfort and the quality of the air in your building. Air ducts that aren’t maintained appropriately will inevitably require more repairs and will create much higher energy costs.
Signs that your Air Ducts Require Maintenance
It is useful to know the signs that your air duct requires maintenance to ensure that you can provide the appropriate maintenance. A few general signs that an air duct requires maintenance include rattling noises, an unexpected increase in energy-related expenses, and excessive dust present in the home. A home with uneven temperatures or an HVAC system that has difficulty heating or cooling the building may also indicate that air ducts require maintenance.
Benefits of Effective Air Duct Maintenance
When you provide the appropriate air duct maintenance, your home will ultimately be much more comfortable. A well-maintained air duct system will provide healthier air throughout the home, as it won’t redistribute harmful particles throughout your air. Effective air duct maintenance will work properly for longer and will work much more efficiently. Appropriate air duct maintenance can improve the comfort of your home, while minimizing your related expenses.
How to Maintain your Air Ducts
There are many steps that are required to ensure that you are able to maintain your air duct system. Here are a few of the best steps to appropriately and effectively maintain your air ducts and keep them in superior working condition.
Obtain Professional Cleanings
A professional cleaning should be obtained on a regular basis to help protect your air duct system. These cleanings will help to remove all traces of dust and other pollutants from the interior of your air ducts. It will also ensure that a professional will be able to find potential issues with the system in the early stages, which will go a long way toward minimizing possible escalation of issues and expensive repair costs. A professional cleaning is a great way to enhance the air quality of your home and keep your air duct system operating as effectively as possible.
Basic Cleaning
In addition to professional cleanings, you need to clean your air duct system regularly. Ensure that you clean grilles in the ceiling to prevent dust from circulating throughout the building. It is also important to clean all the interior pieces within the system. Cleaning dust and debris from these components will help to keep them operating efficiently and as effectively as possible. Ensure that you clear the coils, condensate pan and drain, and blower motor of dust and other issues. Without the appropriate cleanings, these pieces may develop and cultivate mold. This will circulate these harmful particles throughout the building, which can be incredibly detrimental to the health of those who regularly breathe the air within the home.
Inspect and Change Air Filters Regularly
Air filters need to be changed regularly to ensure that they continue to operate efficiently and effectively. These filters help to prevent pollutants and harmful particles from circulating through the air of your building. Unfortunately, this debris can build up over time and block the air filter. This will slow the flow of your air and decrease the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems. It may also result in more polluted, low-quality air circulating through your building. In general, air filters should be changed about every 30 to 90 days. However, there are several factors that may adjust this amount. For example, a home with pets that shed may require more frequent air filter changes. A home that houses people with allergies or asthma may also benefit from much more frequent air filter changes than the average.
Find and Seal Leaks
Air leaks in your air duct system can cause the system to operate more inefficiently. This will increase your energy expenses, put more wear and tear on the heating and cooling systems, and cause uneven temperatures throughout your building. If you are noticing these signs, it is possible that you have air leaks in your air duct system. You can detect air ducts by feeling for breezes around the air duct system. You may also wish to use a piece of toilet paper or incense to help you detect the air leaks. Paper or smoke blowing away unexpectedly likely indicates an air leak.
There are multiple options for sealing an air leak after you have located it. Take care to thoroughly clean the area prior to sealing. This will help to keep the sealing on the area for longer, as well as enhance its effectiveness. Then place your sealing solution over the air leak to fix the issue.
Use Caution During Home Renovations
Home renovations inevitably cause significant amounts of dust and debris to be present in the air of the building. It is vital to use caution whenever you use your HVAC machine during home renovations. This can cause issues with the dust circulating throughout your air duct system, which ultimately results in clogs, strain, and other problems. It will also damage the air quality of the building. Refrain from using your HVAC system as much as possible when you are currently undergoing home renovations.
Never Block Vents
It is important to refrain from putting furniture or curtains in front of or over vents. Unnecessary blockage will put more strain on the heating and cooling systems. This will raise energy costs, as well as make repairs necessary more often. It will also make it difficult for the air duct system to redistribute air.
Implementing the appropriate maintenance for your air duct system will go a long way toward improving air quality and ensuring that your heating and cooling systems operate more efficiently. This will improve the comfort of your home, as well as prolong the lifetime of your relevant heating and cooling systems. It is incredibly important to have your air ducts cleaned regularly by a professional. To obtain your air duct cleaning, contact us at Fresh Ducts today!
