Between the arrival of spring and the boredom of Covid-19 social distancing, a lot of people have been attacking their homes cleaning and reorganization. Everyone loves the feeling of a clean St. Paul, MN home, but your home may not be as clean as you think. Everything you see may be shining, but there are a lot of hidden areas in your home that can be harboring dirt and mold.
One of those areas is your HVAC ducts. If you have never hired a St. Paul, MN duct cleaning service, now may be a good time to think about doing so. Your HVAC ducts are responsible for shuttling cool or heated air throughout your home, but they are also a common place for dirt, dust, mold and other allergens to accumulate. Since you can’t see it, you probably don’t think about your ducts, but since your HVAC system draws air from outside your home contaminants easily come into your home with the air.
Now that you understand the importance of duct cleaning, you need to locate a duct cleaning service. Duct cleaning is a complicated process that is best left to the pros. Not sure if your air ducts need cleaning or not? Here are some of the most common signs that you have dirty air ducts.
During Routine Cleaning You Find Mold in Your HVAC System
Most HVAC technicians will recommend that you clean your HVAC system completely at least once a year, although twice a year is preferred. Air conditioners and furnace are prone to condensation, and one of the side effects of moisture is mold growth. This is even more likely if it is often humid within your home. During one of these cleanings if your HVAC technician tells you that there is mold inside of your system then you will want to inquire about a duct cleaning service.
First, you should ask to see the mold, and if it is in fact there then call a mold expert or ask your HVAC technician if they have the appropriate training to deal with it. Just because there is mold on your St. Paul, MN furnace does not mean that there is mold in your ductwork, but it does increase the possibility. A thorough duct cleaning service is the only way to know for sure that there is no mold in your ductwork. Remember that the air that fills your home runs through those ducts, so you don’t want the mold spores spread throughout your home.
Your Home Is Always Dusty
Does it seem like your home is always dust regardless of how much time you clean? Can you wipe off all the picture frames and find new dust on them within days? If this is the case, your air ducts may be to blame. Not only is this highly annoying, but it could be a sign that your air ducts are filled with dust which is getting transferred to the air coming out of them and blasted into the air all over your things.
Sometimes you can see signs of dusty ductwork by taking a look at the return and supply vents spread throughout your home. Can you easily see dust or dirt on them? If you can, then try taking off a few covers and look down into the ductwork. Can you see dirt on the metal? Signs of visible dirt are signs that there is likely dirt all along the ductwork and a duct cleaning service is necessary.
Your Home Has Been Renovated or Recently Built
There is no way around the fact that building is messy. Most contractors do a good job of cleaning up their mess after they are done, but dust will still float throughout the home and settle in hidden places like the ductwork. Unless the entire HVAC system is kept sealed off at every entry point (which is usually not the case) then dust, dirt, and debris are going to settle into your ductwork. Construction dirt in particular can be more toxic than regular dirt and dust because of particulate matter. For this reason, if you have had work done on your home or just purchased a newly built home it is not a bad idea to call a St. Paul, MN duct cleaning service.
Your Energy Costs Are Increasing
While the costs of energy are increasing slowly, you should not notice a sudden jump in your energy costs. You should have a pretty good baseline idea of what your heating and cooling costs are on a yearly basis. If you suddenly notice a jump this may be a good time to consider calling a duct cleaning service. While there are a lot of reasons that your energy bills are suddenly more expensive, ductwork is one easy issue to explore and resolve.
Ductwork that has never been cleaned can actually hamper the flow of air through your home. When this occurs your HVAC system has to start working harder to push air through your home and keep up with the temperature that your thermostat is set at. More work means more cycling and therefore extra energy consumption. The end result is paying more for your utility bills then you should be. If you remove the obstruction via a duct cleaning service then you resolve the issues and your HVAC system can go back to heating and cooling your home at maximum efficiency.
If you have noticed any of the above signs in your home then it may be a good idea to call a local duct cleaning service and have them inspect and/or clean your ductwork. The licensed and fully trained crew at Blue Ox Heating & Air would be happy to come out to your home and restore your air quality. Give us a call today to schedule your spring cleaning.
