5 Red Flags of Dirty Air Ducts

Have you ever noticed little dust mites puffing out from an air vent whenever the AC kicks on? Do you have your furry friend’s hair trapped in the grill of your air vent? Do you get scared whenever your young children put their face too close to the vent? If the answer to any of these questions is a nervous “yes”, it might be time to thoroughly clean your air ducts.

Inside your HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system, fine dust collects on air duct surfaces, vents, coils, and motors. Hair, flakes of dead skin, and pet dander slowly accumulate inside your system. You might think, “Hey, that’s what filters are for,” but in reality, air filters only have the capacity to slow down dust buildup. Over repeated use, the 40 pounds of dust produced in a year by one typical family will collect in your HVAC system and be released back into your home atop a particle of air. This is why periodically inspecting your air ducts for excessive dirt buildup is important. Take the following steps to find out if it’s time to hire a professional air duct cleaner in Wichita:

 

5 Dirty Air Duct Indicators

 

1. Open one of your vent covers and peek inside. Keep an eye out for a film of dirt, debris, or matted dust. If your first reaction is disgust, call a professional to remediate your less-than-presentable air ducts.
2. Remove and examine the return air registers for visible dust buildup. Regularly dusting the outside can keep it looking clean, but checking the back can reveal a host of hidden dust.
3. Pull out the air filter. If the filter is clogged with dust, it’s time for a cleaning.
4. Carefully open your furnace compartment. Examine the blower fan and motor for signs of dust and buildup. If the dust is visible, it will be important to clean your air ducts soon for safety reasons.
5. Examine your air conditioning coil. If the coil has collected dust, then the air filter hasn’t been working properly and may need to be examined.

 

5 Problems of Dirty Air Ducts

 

So what’s the problem with a little bit of dirt and dust? There is a host of problems, but here are the top five.

 

1. Dirt and dust restrict your system’s capacity to effectively heat and cool your home. In the winter, heat exchange is slower and less efficient due to dust-laden air. In the summer, cooling air is challenging if your AC coil is caked with dust. Both of these situations require a longer run time for your system to perform its job. The result? Higher bills.
2. Dirt and dust restrict air flow. Your system may have no problem heating and cooling air, but if the blower fan or motor can’t rotate properly, your system will run longer to provide adequate circulation. The same consequence prevails more money spent on utilities.
3. The longer your HVAC system runs, the faster it wears down. This may require you to plunk down thousands on a new system when a little TLC would have increased its lifetime.
4. Dust is an umbrella term for an array of potentially harmful microorganisms. Dust can contain pollen, pet hair, fungi, mold spores, dead skin, and even rodent feces. In no time short, your HVAC system can turn into a breeding ground for bacteria, mites, and pests.
5. No matter how particular you are about the cleanliness of your home, dirt and dust spread like wildfire in dirty air ducts. It doesn’t take too long to realize that a coating of dust on children’s toys, kitchen appliances, and bedding isn’t ideal.

 

Air Duct Cleaning in Wichita

 

Whether your HVAC system has endured years of love, is regularly used, or simply needs a preliminary cleaning before moving your family into a new home, a professional air duct clean is always a wise choice. Your HVAC system will perform at a higher level and reduce your monthly utility bills. But ultimately, cleaning the ducts of your HVAC system is not a do-it-yourself project. A thorough cleaning should be performed by a certified company with trained professionals. When you decide it’s time to freshen your home with an air duct cleaning, contact Stover’s Restoration in Wichita for a deep and reliable clean.