Why You Need to Get Your Air Ducts Cleaned Often

Many people point out seasonal changes as the reason for their allergy symptoms. But could it be that most Americans spend their day indoors, in buildings where the windows are rarely, if ever, opened?

Did you know that one of the reasons people still sniff and sneeze indoors is that indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air? Fortunately, cleaning your air ducts can prevent some of these pollutants from damaging your health.

This is why we’ve gathered the five most urgent scenarios in which you may want to get your air ducts cleaned.

You Have a Family Member with Asthma or Other Allergies

A house’s heating and cooling systems are the air that every person breathes when inside. These systems take air in and push air out. You generate many air pollutants like dander, dust, and airborne chemicals by just living in your home.

Most people don’t pay attention to the air quality in their homes. However, if you live with people with asthma, allergies, and other respiratory difficulties, polluted air can damage their health.

Even if you don’t have respiratory problems yourself, breathing contaminated air can affect your lungs, too.

You Have Pets

With time, pet hair and dander can accumulate in your air ducts, resulting in far-from-ideal indoor air quality. As soon as pet hair and dander get collected in your ducts, they will be pushed back into your home through the circulating air.

People with respiratory problems, asthma, or allergies can get sick and find it hard to breathe from the pollutants in the air.

Your Air Vents Emit Dust

If you notice dirt and debris around your vents, there’s a high chance that your ducts have developed a buildup of pollutants. High dirt and debris levels circulating through your system can complicate allergies and other respiratory problems.

Getting your ducts cleaned impacts your HVAC system in a positive manner because it reduces the amount of dust in your air ducts. Even the small amounts of dust or dirt in your air ducts can cause your system to run less effectively.

You Have Young Children or Seniors Living with You

Polluted air is most detrimental to children and seniors. For children, it’s because they take the most breaths (16-30 breaths per minute), which makes them more vulnerable than adults to airborne contaminants. Another reason is that their organs and immune system are still developing.

Seniors, however, are susceptible to air pollution because their immune system is less able to make up for the effects of air pollution due to age. Air contaminants can worsen heart disease, stroke, lung disease, and asthma, among other conditions.

Your Home Was Recently Remodeled

Home remodeling projects are bound to produce dust and debris leftovers. That’s why you need to remember that dust goes where the air flows. So, when your home renovation project is finished, the dust and dirt will continue to spread around your home through the air ducts, where they can easily be breathed in by your family.

For those with respiratory problems and allergies, renovation dust can be extremely dangerous. Based on the age of your home, remodeling can prompt many allergens and toxins that have been creeping inside your home for years. These include mold, dust mites, and asbestos, among many others.

Contribute to Your Health

Regularly cleaning your air ducts can protect your and your family’s health, as well as improve the quality of your HVAC system, making it more efficient and saving you money in the long run.

While there are many DIY home improvement projects that you can initiate in your house, remember to keep your air ducts free of contaminants. YourHomeFix can help you find reliable contractors and stick to your budget.