By removing contaminants from a home’s air duct system, the effects of dust and mold are greatly reduced. Clean, healthy, circulating air is a must for those sensitive to indoor air contaminants, especially with allergies being at an all-time high in America. It is not unusual for a person to realize immediate relief upon completing a cleaning of a home’s HVAC ductwork.

Here are the top five reasons air ducts should be inspected and serviced:

1. Allergies. By properly cleaning their air duct system homeowners protect their families from harmful dust and other contaminants. Air ducts provide an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, mold, fungi, and other allergens.  Children under the age of four are particularly vulnerable and the result may be allergies or asthma.  Seattle Healthy Projects reports, “New research indicates if children do not come into contact with asthma triggers between birth and four years old they may never develop asthma.”

2. Mold.  Many air duct systems are located in a home’s basement.  Most have had a wet, damp, or flooded basement in the past. This moisture may cause mold and mildew to grow in and around the ductwork.  An anti-microbial should be fogged into the system after the cleaning to prevent future growth.

3. Pets.  Animal fur gets trapped in the vents and builds up living germs, fungus, and allergy-causing bacteria. Pet dander will still exist from a previous owner and will cause reactions for people with allergies. The fur and dander can also hinder the efficiency of the HVAC system. Clumps of hair will slow down the airflow for the entire system.

4. Dust.  New homeowners may do constant dusting only to find the dust back the very next day. The reason is the dust continues to flow through the house and ductwork until it is properly cleaned.  Homes built today will have drywall dust and construction debris in the ductwork before the owner even moves in.

5. Efficiency.  Years of dust, hair, pests, and other pollutants in ductwork will hinder an HVAC system’s airflow.  A proper cleaning will help remove the buildup and promote the proper airflow needed to run the system at peak efficiency. The spiders, insects, and rodents that have been living and dying in ducts for years will be cleaned out as well from a thorough cleaning.

When dirt and debris are removed from ductwork, the fans and motors that power a furnace no longer need to work as hard to distribute air. Advising people to routinely get their air ducts inspected and serviced is important. Not only does this properly maintain a home, but it keeps the quality of indoor air as pure as possible.