Ductwork was an amazing innovation that started to be routinely included in new construction around fifty years ago. This was because of the new central air conditioners which were becoming so popular. Whether it’s cooled air or heated air flowing through your ducts, they’re a great way to keep your home at an even, comfortable temperature.
But because they are enclosed, it’s impossible for you to see exactly what’s going on inside them… or what’s accumulating inside them. That makes it easy to ignore them, which can allow big problems to develop. Having your ducts cleaned can have major benefits for you, your home, and your HVAC system. Why? For starters, dust can really decrease HVAC efficiency.
Dust in Your Ducts Causes Inefficiency
Anywhere that air goes, dust will settle out of that air. Imagine if you close up a room in your house for a year or more. The dust that accumulated would be incredible! If it’s been years since your ducts were cleaned, a great deal of dust has settled in there, too. And that’s bad news for your furnace and your air conditioner.
Both of these systems have air filters that attempt to reduce the amount of dust that makes it into their inner workings. But when there’s too much dust, some will get through anyway. These particles will work their way into moving components and cause friction. And of course, increased friction means the system must work harder and thus use more energy, driving your utility bills up.
Dust Causes Other Expenses, Too
Another common result of having too much dust in your HVAC system is overheating. When furnace or air conditioner air filters get clogged too quickly from excess dust, they don’t allow enough air to flow through. Without proper air circulation, heated air from your furnace doesn’t get distributed well. It stays in the furnace and causes overheating, which can trip the limit switch and shut the furnace down.
Dust coating blower fan motors can cause overheating in both furnaces and air conditioners. When this component, which can create a good bit of heat, is basically wearing a layer of dusty insulation, that heat isn’t allowed to dissipate. The wiring inside the motor can get so hot it fuses together, shorting out and forcing you to replace the whole motor.
Dirty Ducts Also Impact Your Health
Breathing a lot of dust—which often includes allergens like pollen and pet dander—can cause irritation to the nose, throat, and lungs, especially for people with allergies, asthma, or other respiratory conditions. And dirty ducts can allow other things to accumulate, as well! Even a small amount of water trapped in ductwork is enough to create an ecosystem for mold and bacteria.
When to Have Your Ducts Cleaned
If your home has excess dust on surfaces or floating through the air, duct cleaning in Chisholm, MN could really help. You should also have your ducts cleaned if you have respiratory irritation, unpleasant smells around the home, HVAC system inefficiency, or if you have not had them cleaned in five years or more. When you’re ready to tackle the dust, we’re ready to help!
Reach out to Mesaba Heating & Air Conditioning today. Service to you is success to us!