Many Hagerstown, MD, homeowners avoid cleaning their air ducts unless someone in the home develops respiratory problems. Make sure you know the benefits of cleaning your air ducts and what contaminants make ductwork cleaning necessary.
What’s the Difference Between Air Duct and HVAC System Cleaning?
Air duct cleaning is part of an overall HVAC system cleaning. However, the NADCA recommends that service technicians who are cleaning an HVAC system only clean the ductwork if it contains particular contaminants. Conversely, if air ducts are contaminated, the entire HVAC system needs to be cleaned, including any part that contaminated air comes into contact with.
To clean the ductwork, the HVAC service technician would clean the main supply air duct, the branch distribution ducts and the return ductwork. They would also seal all of the installation access panels in the ducts that would be needed for tool access. A ductless system would avoid the need for extensive cleaning.
Does Air Duct Cleaning Improve the Performance of an HVAC System?
Only cleaning the air ducts doesn’t improve the performance of a central HVAC system. It doesn’t even reduce house dust or improve air quality unless the ducts are really dirty. On the other hand, cleaning the air handling units, motors and dirty coils can improve an HVAC unit’s efficiency.
Why Get the Ductwork and HVAC System Cleaned?
If any of the following situations exist, you need the entire system cleaned:
- Unexplained allergy-related illness.
- Contaminants deposited on furniture after registers are cleaned.
- Visible biological growth inside ductwork.
- Evidence of animal infestation in ductwork.
- Renovation-related contaminants in ductwork.
A professional can help you learn more regarding the connection between your ductwork and health. If you need your entire HVAC system cleaned, contact Hagerstown Heating & Cooling today. We’ll make sure your HVAC system and ductwork are as clean as possible so they work efficiently.
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