We’ve just officially entered winter. We know you’d much rather be thinking about the holidays and family, but there’s one thing you need to get out of the way. Take care of it now and you won’t have to worry about it later:
Duct cleaning.
Although you can get duct cleaning any time of year, we find it especially beneficial to have it done in winter (and preferably before winter).
Remind Me What Duct Cleaning Is Again?
If you’ve never heard of duct cleaning before, we wouldn’t be surprised. It’s not a service that’s necessary for brand-new HVAC systems, so it’s nothing your HVAC contractor in Portland, OR has to tell you about right after installation.
But essentially, duct cleaning is what it sounds like: we use a set of tools to thoroughly clean out the inside of the vents that transport air from the HVAC system to the rooms of your home.
Dust and dirt build up in our home, and we’re always there to wipe it off our counters and shelves. But the same can’t be said for the ducts—they’ll continue to collect dust, but they’re not accessible for homeowners to keep them cleaned.
So, What Makes Winter Special?
It’s not that you can’t get your ducts cleaned at any other time of the year. In fact, if you’ve never had it cleaned yet and you’ve owned the system for years, we suggest having it done as soon as possible.
The reason we find winter to be an ideal time is for a few reasons related to your health and the performance of your system:
- Cold Weather Lowers Your Immunity: With our bodies feeling colder, they do more work in fighting against illness. Keeping your home as clean as possible is a good start in preventing contaminants from aggravating symptoms and leaving you open to infection from viruses.
- Improve Furnace and AC Efficiency: Your furnace and central AC system rely on a set of clean ducts to operate efficiently. Too much dust and dirt can make its way onto the components of the systems, thus lowering their efficiency and possibly creating repair issues.
- Furnace Danger: When dealing with furnaces, it’s especially important to make sure things are clean and running properly. Dirty and damaged furnace components can contribute to problems that can create potential fire hazards.
Is This a DIY Project?
Although it may sound like a simple job, duct cleaning is far from being a DIY project. Here are several reasons why:
- You need special tools to thoroughly clean the ducts. Your average duster brush and vacuum are not going to be enough. If the air register has collected dust, however, you are perfectly qualified to give that a cleaning.
- You might knock the ducts loose, thus causing a leak. Leaks create significant waste of your air when you run the heater or AC.
- You can actually make the problem worse. Doing a less-than-thorough job can loosen up the dust enough that even more of it enters your air circulation.