How to improve airflow & air quality in ductwork
If you’re not getting the airflow and air quality that you need from your ductwork, it might be time for a duct cleaning. It’s an easy facet of the building to ignore – unless there’s an active problem, ducts are quiet, inconspicuous and often go unnoticed, meaning problems can build quietly. Many building owners or managers don’t think about duct cleaning until they start having problems with their HVAC system, but it’s a very important part of regular maintenance. Dirty ducts can lead to poor airflow and low air quality, which can cause all sorts of health problems. In this blog post, we’ll talk about the importance of clean ductwork and ventilation, and we’ll explain how duct cleaning can help improve your home’s comfort and air quality.
Benefits of air vent and duct cleaning
One of the main benefits of duct cleaning is improved airflow. If your ducts are clogged with dust, dirt and other debris, it can significantly reduce the amount of airflow that reaches your rooms. This can cause your HVAC system to work harder than necessary and can lead to increased energy costs. A good duct cleaning will remove all of the duct debris and will allow you to enjoy much better airflow from your ductwork.
A good duct cleaning can also improve air quality in your ductwork. Clean ducts mean cleaner air, which means that all of your indoor spaces and rooms will have better air quality as a result. Duct cleaning won’t just remove dust, dirt and debris from ducts, it will also remove mould spores, bacteria and viruses. This can have a significant impact on the quality of air in your ductwork, which means cleaner air for all indoor spaces.
When you’re hiring duct cleaning services from a professional contractor, be sure to ask about their duct cleaning methods. There is a wide range of duct cleaning methods available, but not all duct cleaners use the same method. For example, duct brushing and air duct vacuuming are two very different duct cleaning services. It’s important to understand which method your duct cleaner is using so that you can make an informed decision about which service is right for your needs. If you have any questions about duct cleaning methods, your duct cleaner should be happy to answer them.
What happens if your ducts aren’t cleaned?
When ducts aren’t cleaned, they can become clogged with dust, dirt and debris. This can lead to all sorts of problems, including reduced airflow and poor air quality in the ductwork. Over time, dirty ducts will start to negatively impact your indoor spaces as well – duct cleaning is an important part of regular duct maintenance that should not be ignored. If you’re not getting the airflow and air quality that you need from your ductwork, it might be time for a duct cleaning.
Problems that bad duct maintenance can cause include:
• Damp – If ducts are not cleaned and maintained regularly, airflow can become weaker or non-existent within your building, and stagnant airflow greatly encourages dampness to set in. Even the ducts themselves can become damp if they’re able to take in damp air but not adequately vent it out again. Wherever it settles in, dampness can cause structural problems and mould growth, which can, in turn, lead to respiratory problems and sickness for your building’s inhabitants.
• Poor Air Quality – Dirty ducts can contaminate the air that passes through them with whatever it is that the duct itself is harbouring. This can potentially mean pollutants are entering into the air, which can cause all sorts of health problems – and it doesn’t need to be a dramatic, poisonous substance to cause issues. Even humble brick dust or airborne fibres can result in health problems.
• Higher Overall Bills and Upkeep – When ducts aren’t cleaned and maintained, the system will have to work much harder than it should to compensate. This causes undue stress on your equipment and can lead to higher energy bills as a result. It also means that your HVAC system won’t be running as efficiently as it could be, which is another drain on your resources.
• The system will be consuming more power, but it will also be experiencing greater wear and tear as it is under undue strain – so its components will need to be replaced more frequently, and some of those replacements are costly indeed.
• Mould Growth – A duct system that’s not been cleaned for a long time is the perfect place for mould to grow. Not only does this look bad, but it’s also dangerous – mould can cause all sorts of respiratory problems if it’s allowed to proliferate unchecked. It can be very difficult to get rid of mould once it takes hold, so prevention is always better than cure – and duct cleaning is one of the best ways to prevent mould growth.
Of course, one way to ensure quality and keep all the costs in-house would be to have your duct-cleaning equipment – once you’ve got the specialist tools to maintain your ducts, it’s surprisingly easy to keep your ductwork spick and span.
Types of duct-cleaning equipment
• Rotary Brush Machines – This is one of the most common types of duct-cleaning equipment, and it’s a simple enough process. A rotating brush head is inserted into the ductwork, where it loosens any dirt or debris that might be clogging things up. It can also help to remove any mould that may have taken hold.
• Negative Air Machines – As the name suggests, this type of machine uses negative air pressure to dislodge any dirt or debris that might be clogging up your ducts. It’s a more thorough way of cleaning ducts than using a rotating brush head – and it’s also good for removing mould.
• Vacuum Systems – A vacuum system is used to suck out all the dirt, debris and mould that may have accumulated in ducts. It can be used to clean the ductwork of any size, as it’s a very flexible way of doing things – but it’s best suited for ductwork that’s already had another treatment to get rid of most of the gunk.
Benefits of owning your own ductwork cleaning equipment
One of the main benefits is that duct cleaning can be carried out in-house. This means you don’t need to hire anyone to come and do it for you, which saves a great deal of money – duct-cleaning services are not cheap at all! Instead, ducts can be cleaned by members of your team, who will be able to do the job quickly and easily with the right equipment.
Another advantage of owning your duct-cleaning equipment is that you’ll be able to clean ducts regularly – as often as you like. This means that mould growth can be kept at bay, and the system will be less likely to experience undue stress. Plus, it means you’ll have a more efficient HVAC system overall!
If you’re an enthusiast wanting to learn about ductwork cleaning or a business trying to navigate how to clean their ducts, we offer a range of professional ductwork cleaning supplies in addition to air hygiene and grease extraction courses.