Advice and News, Hints & Tips •
In many buildings and homes that are lucky enough to have a central ducted air conditioning system, everything may seem to be business as usual, but the actual ductwork itself could be damaged, causing air to escape and bleeding money for both home and business owners alike.
But that’s not all. Often because ducts are ‘out and sight and out of mind’ for homeowners, they may not receive regular inspections, or cleaning which can cause serious health concerns.
In this post, H&H Air Conditioning explain why the major reasons for inspecting, cleaning and maintaining ductwork in a home or business environment, as well some steps homeowners can take for duct maintenance and when it’s time to call in the professionals.
Health Concerns of Dirty Ducts?
Dirty ducts filled with dust, dander, mould and other allergens can contribute to indoor air pollution. By running any ducted HVAC system, dust and other airborne pollutants in the home are pulled into the supply or intake vents, the air is cooled or heated, and then these are pushed through air vent diffusers and redistributed into the home. If your home has carpet, pets, or damp conditions, the level of airborne allergens is expected to be higher. This less than ideal indoor air quality is obviously a concern for asthma sufferers, or the elderly with respiratory problems.
It’s also common for rodents to make their way into ductwork. Apart from leaving urine and faeces deposits which are a health concern, rats and mice also chew through duct work which allows air to escape into the roof voids, and wall space instead of into the home. This means the air conditioning condenser needs to work harder to keep the home cool – and depending on the damage, insufficient cooling, and almost always a higher than necessary energy bill.
How to clean ducted air vents, and filters
Fortunately there are many measures that can be taken to prevent dust deposits getting out of control.
1. With a screwdriver remove the grates that cover the air vents, and the supply vent which is normally rectangular and larger in size. It will also likely it have more dust visible on the outside, while the regular vents may have dust caught behind the supply blades.
2. Soak air vent covers in a bath tub or sink with warm soapy water and leave completely immersed
3. Using a vacuum with a brush attachment reach as far as possible into the vent and suck as much dust, dirt, paper and other deposits as possible. Use a damp microfibre cloth to collect any residual dust or mould not removed by the vacuum cleaner.
4. With a torch, inspect for any tears, or damage to duct work. If damage is spotted call your air conditioning expert for repairs as soon as possible.
It’s worth doing this annually to reduce air pollution in the home, and to ensure the best quality air. If you would prefer you air conditioning service and repair team to look after this for you, we can arrange a regular maintenance schedule for your home or business, to keep clean air flowing effectively and economically.
Call the leading air conditioning company in South East Queensland at H&H Air Conditioning today on (07) 3276 1800 (Brisbane) or (07) 5477 1777 (Sunshine Coast)