In the last 10 months, we’ve all spent more time at home then we’re used to.
Instead of hastily grabbing our coffee and rushing out the door to work, we get to sip it at home more. Since we don’t have to get in the car, we can have it in a nice ceramic mug that warms our hands and allows us to take in the rich aroma. Then, we head to work.
We meander to our workspace, power up our computer, open the curtains, and settle in. Browsing through the emails that came in at 5:03 PM last night, we hear the heat kick on and feel the warmth hit our toes. All of the sudden the fragrance of carefully crafted coffee is replaced with the odor of something burning. What is that awful smell?
Well, it’s months, possibly years, of dead skin, dust, and particulates sitting in your ductwork. It’s pretty disgusting.
Here’s what happens. When your house reaches a temperature that is different from what you have programed into your thermostat, the system turns on. The air that circulates through your house is a mixture of outdoor and indoor air.
Theoretically, warm air comes out registers, like the ones in your floor or along your baseboards. The system’s fan kicks on almost simultaneously. This part of the process sucks the air up and out of the room through the registers higher on the walls. By pulling the air up, the room gets warmer faster and the air is recirculated through the heating system.
When the air is run back through the system, it picks up microscopic particles of everything in your home. Dust, dog fur, and dead skin are just a few. A portion of the air circulated in your home comes from outside which brings with it particles of pollen, dust, and even moisture.
It is all run through your filter, which helps clean the air, but it doesn’t stop the air from picking particles up along the way and dropping them in your ductwork. This can lead to operating issues or even mold over time. Unfortunately, heating and cooling systems tend to exist in the background and on a schedule, so they are easily over looked. At least until they stink or stop working.
We recommend cleaning your ducts every spring and fall. If, like many of us, you have done home improvements during the pandemic, it is a good idea to add duct cleaning to your spring to do list. Especially if your work created saw dust and/or sheet rock dust, because both substances spread and collect easily during home improvement projects. If dirty ductwork is not properly addressed, it will take a toll on your heating and cooling system.
One of the easiest ways to at least partially clean your system is to remove supply vents and clean what you can reach. Clean the register, vacuum out what is visible, and wipe out the duct work as far as you can reach.
There are two types of UV lights that can be an effective add-on to your system. They can help kill things like mold and bacteria in your air. If you or someone in your family has allergies or immune system difficulties, this may be a good option for your home.
If you have experienced rising energy costs or a nearly constant layer of dust no matter how often you clean, it may be time to call us at 816.719.1099 for a professional duct cleaning.
