For air to circulate throughout your home, you need to install air ducts. All the air that flows throughout your ducts must circulate through your home’s ventilation system.
However, if you don’t clean your ducts regularly, it can develop mold or pest problems later. With that in mind, here are signs it’s time for a residential duct cleaning for your home.
You See Mold Growing
Not only is mold an unsightly organism, but it also causes health problems for anyone who comes into contact with it. Breathing it in can make you sick, especially if you have a weakened immune system or other respiratory conditions, such as asthma or allergies.
Mold commonly grows in air ducts because of the moisture in the air that builds up in your ducts. As more dust and dirt gather in your ducts, they restrict airflow, allowing the mold to flourish.
If the problem truly gets out of hand, you’ll be able to see it growing outside your vents. Also, if you smell mildew, this is a reliable sign of mold growth somewhere inside your home.
Your Energy Bill Increases
If you notice a significant increase in the cost of your electric bill without increasing your electricity usage, this could be an indicator that your HVAC system is working inefficiently. When dust, pet dander, and other airborne pathogens build up in your HVAC system, they cause the system to work harder to push air through to achieve the same results that they did before.
If you install pleated furnace filters, adjust the thermostat, and don’t see any changes in your electric bill, you need to find a professional to perform a residential duct cleaning. Failure to address the problem soon enough could cause significant damage to your HVAC system, leading to costly repairs down the line. Regularly cleaning your ducts is a much cheaper and safer alternative.
Rodents and Pests Infest Your Ducts
Small creatures like rodents and insects can find their way into any part of your home, including your ductwork. If you don’t clean out your ventilation system regularly, the pests might settle down in your ducts.
A dead giveaway that tells you if pests live in your ducts is if a terrible smell comes from them. Unfortunately, this means that before you can get your ducts cleaned, you need to call the exterminator to eliminate the infestation. Then, you can clean your ducts to prevent this from happening again.
Overall, you need to clean your ducts just like every other part of your home. Now that you know some signs that it’s time for a residential duct cleaning, you can go ahead and book an appointment today before the problems get worse.
