Don’t forget the housekeeping essentials as you prepare for your next get-together: sweeping, vacuuming, dusting, even making your toilets sparkle like new. There’s one task you may not consider but should definitely add—cleaning your air ducts.
Whether you host gatherings or not, chances are slim that your home’s ducts get the attention they need. You don’t often see tips for air duct cleaning and might not know when to hire a professional. Check out this list of key signs it’s time to clean your ducts.
1. You’re Going Through Air Filters Like Nobody’s Business
Too many people fail to change their air filters, leading to air duct problems and even premature HVAC deaths.
As important as regular filter replacement is, you might find yourself changing your filters over and over, ahead of schedule. In other cases, you could pull them out as scheduled and find they’re much dirtier and more clogged than usual.
Both of those problems are a good sign that it’s time for air duct cleaning.
2. The Air Ducts Stink
When your house smells worse than usual, more showers and laundry doesn’t always fix the problem. If you investigate and find the stink is coming from your air ducts, it’s time to get them cleaned out.
While learning how to clean your air ducts isn’t too hard, this case is better suited to a professional air duct service. The cause could be an average dust buildup, but the smell could also be a sign of a more serious problem like a rodent infestation or mold. A professional can tell you what’s going on and if you need extra help from another service such as mold remediation or pest control.
3. Nonstop Dusting
Dusting can feel futile at the best of times. Dust comes from pets, pollen, human skin, and more—it never ends. If you have a busy household or several furry friends, it feels like you never get a break.
While there’s no stopping regular buildup, more dust than usual can be a sign that your air ducts need a clean-out. The ducts’ filters should purify the air in theory. Yet, when the ducts are gross, your HVAC spits out more dust than it removes.
Taking a close look at your vents could reveal the issue. A big enough buildup leads to visible dust “burps” coming from the ducts, more noticeable if you shine a bright light on the area.
In other cases, you can’t see dust coming from the vents. However, you can still pin the problem down. If you have to ramp up your dusting schedule and feel like you’re losing the battle, contact vent-cleaning professionals.
Inform the Life You Want to Live
With these top signs that it’s time for an HVAC intervention in mind, you can make sure your air ducts are clean for get-togethers and time alone alike.
Now that you can breathe easy, take some time to relax and read up on other essential home and leisure topics. We have all the lifestyle tips and tricks you need to inform the life you want to live. Click on another article to give yourself a leg up today.
