When you suffer from allergies, you often think that staying indoors will provide you some relief from the itching, watery eyes, and constant sneezing. But that is not always the case. Or at least it is not the solution if you have not been keeping up with routine duct cleaning.
The Link Between Common Allergies And Your HVAC
You continue to dust the flat surfaces in your home, only to find a fresh coat of dust the next day. It’s frustrating, but do you ever give any thought to how that dust is appearing so quickly? The answer could be a simple as looking at your HVAC vents.
When you wipe the dust off a table, it floats around in the air, and you begin to sneeze. And when your HVAC blows air through dust-covered ductwork, you are going to start to sneeze due to the airborne dust. And what is even worse is that it is not just dust that your home’s HVAC is blowing all around you.
The Contaminants Lurking In Your Ductwork
Unfortunately, it is far more than just dust lining the inside of your ductwork. Below are some of the worst contaminants pumped through your home when your furnace or air conditioner is operating.
DUST MITES – You can dust your house every day. But until you have your ductwork professionally cleaned, you will never be rid of these allergy-causing creatures.
POLLEN – Pollen is carried into your home on your shoes, clothing, hair, and dog. It also blows in through open windows and doors. And eventually, it all makes its way into the ductwork of your home to be held there in a thick coating of dust.
PET DANDER – We love our furry friends. But their dander can cause a miserable allergic reaction for three of every ten people in the country. Each time your pet shakes, scratches, gets a belly rub, or brushes against your furniture, more dander permeates the air in your home. And it will be carried into the inner workings of your home’s HVAC ducts.
SMOG -You might think that you leave the smog outside the door of your home. But the EPA estimates that the indoor air contains at least 2.5 times more pollutants than the air outside. Pollutants enter your home through even the tiniest crack or crevice. They remain there because of far less air circulation than we enjoy outdoors.
VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS – VOCs are harmful gases given off by everyday household products like cleaning supplies, paint, and even your printer. And then that gas is circulated throughout your home via your ductwork.
MOLD AND MILDEW – Moisture in your ducts and throughout your home can lead to the growth of mold and mildew. This massive allergen is then blown through your home and will continue to grow and increase until it is removed via a professional duct cleaning.
VIRUSES – If a virus can remain living and airborne for hours, it is sure to be circulating through your home’s ducts and into every space in your house. And this includes COVID-19. We all know that cleaning regimens need to be stepped up to reduce the spread of COVID, and your ducts are no exception.
The Benefits Of Regular Duct Cleaning
If you suffer from allergies, then reducing allergens is all you need to hear to schedule a duct cleaning. But there are many additional benefits that you will enjoy, including:
- Improved Air Quality
- Elimination Of Many Odors
- Reduction Of Dust Throughout Your Home
- Increase HVAC Efficiency
If you are not sure you need to have your homes ducts cleaned, call 806-583-3558 for a duct inspection. This process should be completed every few years to look for damage or wear to the ducts that could result in air leaks and uneven temperatures in your home. During the inspection, an Action Air Plumbing and Septic professional will evaluate all of the ducts in your home and let you know if they could benefit from a professional cleaning. We can even show you a photo of the inside of a section. So you can decide if a duct cleaning is a good investment.
