How Cleaning Air Ducts Can Help For Allergies

Throughout springtime and also early summertime, the wind is more likely to kick up as well as blow around various particles. These particles can affect our sensitive noses. In wintertime, these particles are more likely to settle in uninterrupted parts until the next summer or spring.

Among these parts are the vents and air ducts in your house connected to your air conditioning or HVAC system. Consequently, in case you do not clean your vents and air ducts, the system will then start blowing these affecting allergens out & around your house. This is the reason, you should consider cleaning ducts for allergens and other contaminants. So, let’s know in detail about air duct cleaning and its importance below!

What Is Air Duct Cleaning, and Is It Effective?

heating and cooling system

Cleaning the air duct means removing dirt from the air duct’s surfaces. You need to do this to decrease the levels of several allergy-producing atoms present in the air inside your home. But there’s debate on whether cleaning the ducts will essentially decrease the allergy symptoms or not.

Some allergists and immunologists say that cleaning the ducts isn’t very helpful for people with allergies. However, they agreed that cleaning the air ducts is a healthy habit. This is because when you clean your air duct, you will find much garbage there which may worsen an allergic person’s condition. And when you clean them, you make sure to have healthy fresh air inside your home.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA in the U.S., there isn’t sufficient evidence regarding the effects of duct cleaning for allergies. However, indeed, cleaning the air duct will not make any harm to you or your family. So, it will be better if you consider cleaning it often.

Allergic Particles Circulating Through Air Ducts?

Allergens can cause significant health hazards, particularly in case one of your family members has sensitive lungs. Knowing how allergens on your air duct can affect you, you can take precautions for your family’s comfort and health. Allergies can be mild or severe and may affect an allergic person when get activated.

Handling your allergy warning sign starts by determining which type of allergy activates a reaction in your body.

As soon as you discover which allergens distress your body, take the needed action to avoid their effect. Some common allergens circulating your air ducts are as follows

Dust Mites

clean dirty air ducts

Dust mites are tiny organisms that dwell in almost all homes. These typically live in upholstered furniture, beds, or any other fabric. They munch the dead skin cells that our body naturally sheds. Dust mites produce waste which can activate and aggravate asthma and allergy symptoms.

Mold

contaminate indoor air

Among the most common places, you can notice mold is in your bathroom or any place with moisture. Mold requires water to grow, thus, you will often discover it in damp areas. These are mostly found in places like around your bathroom vent or the shower, crawl spaces & basements.

However, mold is not always noticeable. It may grow anywhere there’s moisture — behind walls, under flooring, and even in the AIR DUCTS. When mold grows, it tends to release airborne spores. These are another common source of allergy symptoms.

Pet Danders

duct system clear pet dander

Just like human beings, most domestic pets (commonly dogs and cats) tend to shed dead skin flecks, identified as dander. This can cause allergic reactions in some people with allergies.

Pollen

air filters for better indoor air quality

Pollen present in the outside air and also on the ground can get stuck in our shoes and clothes. Thus, unknowingly we bring pollen into our homes. This pollen is a threat to allergic people. Open windows and doors often permit pollen to pollute the air inside your home. So, be very careful of such allergens.

Smog

smog come in via air vents

In case you think after you shut the door and window, you are safe from all outdoor contaminants, you are wrong. Contaminants creep into the home. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) says that indoor air is often around 2 to 5 times more contaminated than outside!

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

air ducts adheres

A maximum of us do not think much regarding Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). However, they are all around us. Volatile Organic Compounds are damaging gases that come from common domestic items. Cleaning printers and even fluids produce VOCs. The HVAC system in your house is circulating these Volatile Organic Compounds via your air ducts.

The Connection Between Allergies & Duct Cleaning

air ducts poses

Do you know what is the connection between duct cleaners and allergies? If you do not know this already then know here…

Have you ever noticed what happens as soon as you blow dust from an object? There are times when the flying dust blows back at you. And people who have allergies will then start sneezing out of nowhere.

Similarly, as soon as your HVAC system blows air via ducts covered in dust, you will end up with dust mites and airborne dust in your home. Additionally, bacteria, pet dander, mold spores, and viruses. Thus, it is necessary to clean allergens, dust, and also other impurities from air ducts. This will certainly improve the air quality and also reduce allergy warning signs.

Poor quality of air in your business place or home leads to a handful number of irritating health problems. Is any family member of your family complaining about ear, throat, and eye irritations lately? Have you noticed frequent sneezing and coughing going on among your family members lately? And how about dizziness and headaches?

Have you noticed any of these? Well, if you have noticed any of these then it may be due to the dirt present in your air duct. It will be better if you consider cleaning the air duct ASAP.

How Does Allergen Get Into Your Air Duct?

house constantly collect dust

Flying allergens can gather and accrue in your air duct over time. Every single time you switch on your heater or use the air conditioner, those accrued allergens travel via your air ducts and thus, get into the indoor air.

When air circulates, more allergy tends to trigger. You will then see yourself having trouble managing your warning signs. In case you aren’t sure whether your air duct needs cleaning to curb the allergy warning signs or not, ask the following questions to yourself:

Q. Does your house have opened windows or doors that can increase dust accumulation?

Q. Have your air ducts been cleaned professionally within the last 4 to 5 years?

Q. Do your allergy warning signs seem to deteriorate as soon as you use the HVAC system?

Clean Dirty Air Ducts To Avoid Allergies

inadequate vacuum collection system

As soon as your heater or air conditioner is on, this may spread allergens all over your home. In case you have got a decent quality filter, that’ll help the levels of allergens that blow out all over your home. Nevertheless, it isn’t the only step one should take.

With time, allergens can accumulate in your air ducts. It’s impossible to clean them all by yourself, so you’ll have to hire an expert to appear and clean the air ducts.

That’ll help you to make sure that the indoor air is clean and also the danger of allergies is minimal inside your home. Keeping the inside clean along with cleaning the air ducts, you’ll have a clean and healthy house to live in without worrying about getting sick.

This consists of changing the HVAC filters, cleaning air ducts or HVAC cleaning and also wiping down the HVAC unit. It’s likewise a good impression to wipe down the home’s registers to make sure that no dirt collects on them. As soon as you vacuum, ensure you’re using a vacuum cleaner that comes with a HEPA filter.

Benefits Of Cleaning Air Ducts for Allergies

duct cleaning services to get air ducts cleaned

Eliminate Odor

Your indoor air will be odorless when you clean your air duct and make sure your home is free from rodent droppings, mold, mildew, and also other nasty things.

Improve The Quality Of Indoor Air

When you remove contaminants from your air duct, your indoor air gets improved automatically.

Increase The Efficiency Of The HVAC System

You can improve your home’s HVAC system when you unclog your ducts’ debris. In case dust coats your ducts, it restricts airflow. Restricted airflow makes your HVAC work harder and longer. On the other hand, a cleaned air duct reduces energy expenses and also extends the life of the HVAC system.

Reduce Dust

Cleaning air ducts not only helps to reduce dust from the air duct but also from your furniture and also from other surfaces at your home.

BOTTOM LINE

In case you wish to reduce the allergens inside your home, please consider cleaning your air duct often. If you do not have sufficient time or skill then consider hiring a professional.

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