We get lots of calls from Ankeny homeowners looking for air duct cleaning. They sense the air quality isn’t the greatest but they don’t want to spend the money if they don’t need them cleaned. I don’t mind going to their home to check but with gas prices the way they are and the busy schedule we keep it’s hard to go to a potential customer’s house and not charge them. Here’s what we do.
We have the potential customer find a couple cold air return vents centrally located in the house and take the vent grille off. Then they use a flashlight and their cell phone and take a picture inside the cold air return lines. If they’re dirty, get them cleaned. If they’re clean, don’t spend the money. This is the easiest way for a person to tell if they need their air ducts cleaned but here are some other signs as well.
Check the air filter
The air filter can tell you a lot about what is in your air duct system. Does it get dirty fast and
do you need to replace it often? So what is the rule of thumb for changing air duct filters? According to Reddi Heating & Cooling, “A good rule of thumb is to change 1-2 inch filters every three months, 4 inch filters every six months and 5 inch filters every 12 months.”
With that information, if you are checking and changing out the filter much sooner than the recommendation, you might need your air vents cleaned. The following are reasons as to why your filter might need changing sooner and why you might consider air duct cleaning.
After a Remodel of New Construction
I don’t care how cautious a contractor is while working on a house, there is going to be dust and debris fall in the floor vents. The dust, especially from sheetrock, will circulate throughout the system. If the filter, during the construction, was of a cheaper quality, the chances are good the entire system is dirty. If they used a good filter, then the cold air return lines and the floor supply vents will need cleaned out.
We contract with a few homebuilders and we clean the entire HVAC system just prior to the final cleaning of the house before the homeowners move in. It is a good practice by the homebuilder and it shows the home buyer that the builder cares about quality.
Pets
Long-haired pets shed hair and dander. The more pets you have, the more hair and dander
you get floating around the air and being sucked into the cold air return vent lines of your HVAC system. You need to consider air duct cleaning if you are noticing pet hair on the filter when you change it, pet hair stuck to the cold air grilles, and if you or your family members are sneezing and coughing more than normal. It is also recommended to change out the filter more often when you have pets.
Dust and Allergens
We live in an area of the country where there is a lot of farming and construction taking place. It is safe to say that there is always going to be some dust in the air. And during the spring when weeds start to bloom and the fall with the harvest of crops, the air is full of pollens and allergens. Every time you open a door or window the indoor air of your house gets infiltrated with this dust and allergens.
If your house has age on it and you don’t know if or when the air ducts have ever been cleaned, you might consider air duct cleaning.
Mold Around Vent Grilles and-or the A-Coil Drip Pan
If you notice mold around a few of the vent grilles and/or the A-Coil area of the HVAC system, you might want to get the air ducts cleaned but only after you take care of the mold source.
The majority of issues when dealing with mold around vent grilles comes from the cold air
from the vent line meeting the warm and humid air in the room. Add some dust and the mold spores can now colonize and grow.
When you have mold around the A-Coil, it is typically an issue with dust and moisture in the drip pan and hose leading to the floor drain. The drip pan and hose needs to be free of blockage so condensation can drain out to the floor drain.
Once you get these issues resolved it is a good idea to get the entire HVAC system cleaned.
Quality Air is Important
Protecting indoor air quality must be your top priority to avoid serious health problems. Living in healthy air is necessary because poor indoor air quality can cause many health diseases, from simple fever to asthma attacks. Fortunately, we must take various actions to ensure the good and healthy air quality in our homes.
Do you remember when last time you got your air duct cleaned? If not, let’s start with air vent cleaning using a team of experts having proper knowledge of performing such a service. Some will say air duct cleaning is not essential for maintaining a healthy environment, I can tell you from the hundreds of homes I have cleaned, that’s false.
After a good thorough cleaning it’s a good idea to use a high-quality filter to keep the supply side clean. Don’t use those cheap fiberglass filters that you can see through. Use a good pleated filter.
Some of our customers like to have a UV light installed under the A-Coil to kill any mold spores on the A-Coil or in the drain pan.. And still other customers purchase air purifier machines to assist in keeping the air clean. The main thing is to get the HVAC system clean first
Get Professional Air Duct Cleaning Services
Spending a little money on expert air duct cleaning services will improve the quality of your and your family’s life. it will be a good investment. Have a company like Supreme Air Duct Cleaning who can provide you with professional air duct cleaning services in Ankeny. Call us for a free quote.