As a Plano, TX homeowner, it’s critical to schedule regular HVAC maintenance and keep your air ducts, filters, and vents clean. Ducts are crucial in the delivery and removal of air from your home. Dirty ducts can affect the quality of your indoor air and the comfort of your home in the following ways.
1. Increased Risk of Respiratory Infections
Dirty ducts can lead to various respiratory infections, reducing your comfort level at home. When your HVAC system is working hard to push air through a clogged filter, it pulls particles from the ducts and recirculates them throughout your home. These particles may include dust, spores, and other allergens that can cause respiratory infections.
If anyone in your household suffers from allergies or asthma, or you have pets living indoors, it’s especially important to maintain your HVAC system, and that includes your ducts. Dirty ducts can make your home feel stuffy and unpleasant even if you don’t have respiratory issues.
2. Dry or Itchy Skin
When the air in your home is full of dust, dirt, and other allergens, it can cause you to itch. Not only is this uncomfortable, but it can also be dangerous if you have any cuts or open wounds on your skin.
In addition to causing itchy skin, dirty ducts can cause your skin to feel dry. This is because the air allergens can suck the moisture out of your skin, leaving it feeling parched and uncomfortable. If your skin is uncomfortably dry, then you know how essential it is to keep the air in your home clean and free of allergens.
3. Inflamed Sinuses
Dirty ducts can cause sinus inflammation, reducing your comfort at home. When you have inflamed sinuses, breathing can be difficult, and you may feel pressure or pain in your head and face. This can make it difficult to sleep.
However, there are ways to keep dirty ducts from inflaming the sinuses. For example, you can have your ducts cleaned regularly. This will aid in the removal of any dirt, dust, or other debris that may cause inflammation.
4. Fatigue
Dirty ducts can significantly impact your comfort, both physically and emotionally. Dust, pollen, pet dander, and other allergens can build up in your ductwork. This can lead to fatigue, headaches, sneezing, and other allergy symptoms.
Even if you don’t have allergies, all that dust can make you feel cranky and uncomfortable. On top of making you physically uncomfortable, dirty ducts can impact your mental well-being.
A study conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that poor indoor air quality can lead to fatigue, anxiety, and even depression. So, if you’ve been feeling exhausted or down lately, it could be because your ducts need a good cleaning.
5. Worsening Pre-Existing Conditions
Dirty ducts can significantly impact your comfort and health, especially if you have asthma, allergies, or other pulmonary conditions. The dust and dirt that collects in dirty ducts can aggravate these conditions and worsen them.
The American Lung Association warns that dirty ductwork can cause asthma attacks, lung irritation, and other serious health problems. If you suffer from any of these conditions, keeping your ducts clean is important to protect your health.
6. Increasing the Energy Bill
Dirty ducts can lead to decreased comfort and higher energy bills, too. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) notes that you can save up to 30% on your utility bills with proper HVAC equipment maintenance.
Energy bills may rise when dirt and dust accumulate in your ducts over time and act as an insulator, preventing air from flowing freely and making your HVAC system work harder to maintain the desired temperature. Not only will this cause your energy bills to go up, but it can also shorten the lifespan of your HVAC system.
While you may not be able to see them, dirty ducts can have a significant impact on your comfort and indoor air quality. If you’re concerned about the condition of your ducts, call All Service Heating & Air today to schedule duct cleaning in Plano, TX.
Image provided by iStock
