When you need to shut up your home during the winter months to keep the cold outside, the air quality in your house is greatly affected. From dust particles and allergens to fumes from cleaners, these airborne substances decrease air quality and can impact your respiratory system. This fall, you can be proactive by having the ducts professionally cleaned, which will help improve your home’s indoor air quality all winter in three ways.
1. Gets Rid of Built-Up Dust and Allergens
One way having clean ducts can help improve the air quality during the winter months is that it gets rid of built-up dust and allergens. Even if you open your windows periodically during warmer weather, dust, pollen, pet hair, and other allergens will accumulate along the walls of the ductwork.
When you close up the house and turn on the furnace, these accumulated allergens will constantly flow through the ducts and circulate in your home’s air. As more dust, dirt, and even pine needles from your holiday decorations are released into the air in winter, this problem will worsen in the winter.
When you have the ducts cleaned in the fall, technicians will remove this buildup. This removal not only immediately improves the air quality, but also prevents the old accumulated grime from attracting new dust and allergens.
2. Helps to Prevent New Mold and Mildew Growth Within the Ducts
Another problem caused by accumulated dirt and grime within your home’s ductwork is that it creates ideal conditions for mold and mildew to grow. When your home is closed up for the winter, the moisture from the kitchen and bathrooms will moisten the accumulated dirt and grime.
Along with the dark spaces within the ductwork and the heat from the furnace’s warm air, the damp dirt will encourage mold and mildew growth. As the spores and fungal particles break off, they circulate in the air and can cause respiratory issues for you and your family members. Having the ducts cleaned out can help prevent this growth.
3. Decreases the Chance the Furnace’s Filter Will Clog Up Prematurely
When your ducts are full of dirt and allergens, the particles will be blown through the network and settle on your furnace’s air filter. Since the air filter will clog up faster than normal, you will find that you need to change it more often.
When you have your ducts cleaned every fall, it will help to extend the life of your furnace. When the filter becomes clogged, change it at least once every two months so that it can effectively remove allergens from the air and maintain the system’s airflow.
Before winter arrives, you can significantly improve your home’s air quality by having your ductwork professionally cleaned. If you live in the Dothan, AL, area, contact us at Prime HVAC for more information about our duct services.