HVAC duct and vent cleaning – the importance and how to do it
Is an environment with a central air conditioning system not cooling, as it should? Do you notice that the air is stagnant, with a musty or bad smell? Do you hear knocking and whistling noises coming from the air conditioning duct? Do you see dripping water from the vent outlet?
If you have encountered any of these problems in your HVAC system, it is possible that the ducts could be causing all these inconveniences and impairing your health and the efficiency of the air conditioner. Duct & Vent cleaning is essential to keep the system working properly.
Bad airflow
When the vents and ducts are dirty or clogged, the HVAC system cannot compensate for the low airflow and consequently ends up not acclimating, as it should. Besides the dirty and clogged ducts, you may encounter leaks in the vents. To identify problems with the airflow, it is necessary to examine the air outlets from the ducts and notice the strength of the airflow. When clogged or leaking, the air comes out very weak from the registers. It is time to consider cleaning the ducts and a technical check.
Hot and cold spots
Hot and cold spots, or temperature bubbles, are when you may notice that the environment is fluctuating in different places. This is a much more common problem on host systems. In companies and offices, this problem is very visible when leaving a room and going to another. Temperature bubbles occur when the ducts have leaks. Leaking ducts are a routine cause of air conditioning problems.
Bad smell
Is the air conditioning unit smelly? Well, unwanted smells may not come directly from the central air unit equipment. Instead, the duct can be the source of unwanted odors. When the ducts are dirty, moisture can end up staying inside them. It can soak into the dirt particles and build up over time. Eventually, if you do not correct the problem, mold, mildew and other unpleasant microorganisms begin to appear. Rodent and insect droppings can also be inside the ducts.
Air quality issues
It is not just the odors. Allergens and contaminated air could be fouling your breathing space and bringing down indoor air quality. Pollution and other forms of outdoor contamination, dust, pet dander, pollen, and dangerous volatile organic compounds from things like cleaning products, pesticides, ink, varnish, and printer ink are possibly circulating through ducts and being breathed in by everyone in the environment.
Clogged filters
Clogged filters are the main reason for a number of HVAC issues, including temperature and air quality issues. Ducts loaded with debris and other particles can clog your filters at an alarming rate. Again, cleaning the ducts cuts this evil for good and prevents you from having so many problems with the filters.
Noises in the air conditioning system
Noise complaints are among the most common problems with air conditioning, central or not. It is common for ducts to develop cracks and leaks over the years. Air can escape through these openings and produce a whistling sound. Rectangular sheet metal ducts can emit a popping sound when air pressure related problems begin to appear.
