Reasons why to clean your air ducts.

Having clean air ducts is crucial to maintaining a healthy indoor environment. It will also save you money on your utilities, as your HVAC system will be more efficient. However very often this fairly humble task gets overlooked. Here are a few reasons why keeping your air ducts clean and in good working order is worth investing some extra time and cash on.

Save money on energy costs

Getting your air duct professionally cleaned could save you money in the long run. While it costs about $35 per duct (or on average a few hundred dollars per home), it has been calculated that clean air ducts could save you anything from between 25 and 40 percent on your electricity bill. That is quite a bit of saving over the year. It will also allow your HVAC system to run more efficient, thus saving money on future repair costs and adding to the life of the system.

A dirty air duct will mean your AC is having to work much harder to get the room to the desired temperature costing you more money. A dirty system is also more likely to break down. Maintaining them will prove cost effective in the long run both on monthly utility bills as well as future repair costs.

Black Mold and Other Bacteria

Your air ducts are the perfect breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria and even toxic black mold, which can become airborne throughout your home. Black mold is certainly not something you want floating around, particularly if you have little ones or older seniors in the home. It can lead to heath issues as well as medical bills.

 

 

This situation is compounded by the increasingly sealed nature of homes these days with hyper efficient double glazing, which on the one hand serves a useful purpose, but on the other hand means there is less a flow of fresh air from outside to inside. If bacteria is airborne because of dirty air ducts, the contaminants are going to hang around.

Health Benefits

According to some estimates, inside air may contain up to 70 percent more bacteria than external air. Very often this results in allergies and associated headaches, coughing, sinus problems, nasal congestion to name but a few symptoms. Also, bacteria equals higher medical costs and bills.

If you or any family members have been experiencing any of these symptoms, the cause could very well be dirty air ducts. It may be time to call in a professional to get them assessed.

Check for Leaks

Getting a professional in to clear your air ducts adds to peace of mind and they will be able to check for leaks while they are carrying out the service. It is a proactive check, as a leak could cost up to $1600 to fix if it goes unaddressed. A leak, if not found early, can reduce your energy efficiency by up to 30 percent as well. It is less costly to fix when found early. They can also take a look at other parts of your HVAC system to make sure it is running efficiently and cost effectively. All of that will save you money on your energy bills.

As you can see, there are some very good reasons to get your air ducts cleaned. With benefits ranging from saving money on heating, energy and utilities to good respiratory health to affording an opportunity to check for leaks, there's every reason to get your air ducts checked today.