Compared to years ago when we heated our homes with wood or coal.
Today’s modern home heating and cooling system are really a Marvel of:
- Efficiency
- Reliability
- Convenience.
but just like the old-time systems, even those new systems get dirty and need to be cleaned and maintained frequently.
A common way of thinking is that if we keep a really clean home, shouldn’t our ductwork and heating and cooling system be clean as well?
to answer that question, we have to start by looking at how your heating and cooling system works, think of your home heating and cooling system as the lungs of your home.
the system pulls air from the rooms of your home through the returned ductwork. then the air passes through the filter, before reaching the air handler or furnace. where it is heated or cooled. (depending on the season.)
once the air is heated or cooled, it is blown through the supply ductwork, and back into your home.
Let’s dive deeper into the different types of components and their roles: Some of the components in the furnace are used only during heating.
others only during Cooling. and still, others operate all the time.
Although the air is filtered, the fact is, filters cannot remove all of the contaminants from the air, and the system will get dirty through normal use.
what happens then?
- return ducts get dirty.
- filters get clogged with dirt.
- the blower gets dirty.
- the heat exchanger gets dirty.
- cooling coils get dirty
- the supply ductwork gets dirty
- and eventually, all this dirt will blow back into your home!
So where does all this dust come from?
Here are some facts you probably didn’t know: up to 40 pounds of dust is created each year in the average 6 room home! This normal household dust is unavoidable as it is created by everyday living.
think about it, every time we:
- open the doors
- walk across carpeting
- Change bedding sheets
- or even roll paper towels.
we contribute to Airborne dust.
in fact, it is very impressive to see how dust flows around us when the light is right.Of course, Pet Animals and activities such as remodeling make the problem even worse.
In fact, It is very common to find construction dust in a home heating and cooling system even years after the house was actually built.
on Average,this contaminated air recirculates throughout your home, five to seven times per day!
Why does all of it matter?
well, this can develop into a serious problem.
The buildup of these contaminants on components such as blowers and cooling coils can lead not only to unhealthy air for your family to breathe. but also to higher energy bills.
These contaminants can cause your system to work harder, and run longer. shortening the life of your equipment.
Perhaps most importantly, the heating and air conditioning system needs to be cleaned to provide the thermal comfort you’d expect.
So how clean are the heating and cooling system in your home?
As mentioned in our previous article, here’s a quick way to check: More info
Remove a vent cover, and use a mirror and flashlight to look inside.
Alternatively, you can use a small digital camera to take a picture of the inside of the air duct tunnel.
If your duct looks Dirty, this is probably a good time to call a professional duct cleaning provider. our company will be happy to assist you in the most efficient way possible.
keeping home’s heating and cooling system clean and operating at Peak efficiency!
Thanks for reading and we hope you found this article informative!