It’s an ordinary day as you relax in your home without a care in the world. Out of nowhere, you notice a foul smell in the air. You start to suffocate as the air quality of the house tanks into the negatives!
Ok, so we exaggerated a little. That said, if you don’t stay on top of cleaning your AC duct you’ll end up with a lot of nasty air floating around your house. But how can you stay on top of the signs before it’s too late?
Well, look no further! We’re here to tell you the top 10 signs you’re overdue for an AC duct cleaning! But enough talk, let’s get into it!
1. Need an AC Duct Cleaning? You’ll Smell It
If your house smells weird and you can’t seem to find the culprit, check your AC ducts. If the smell is musty, there’s too much moisture built up in the ducts. If the smell resembles rotten eggs, keep an eye out for a gas leak.
Regardless of the smell, call a professional to have your duct looked at if any funky odors pop up.
2. Attack of the Allergies
Now that we’re all spending more time inside, your allergies popping up can seem a little odd. If your allergies rear their ugly head in an offseason or seem particularly severe, it’s time to check your air ducts to make sure harmful allergens aren’t getting into your air. Even worse, bacteria could enter the airstream and get you sick.
3. Rise of Nature
If you notice anything growing on your HVAC units like mold or mildew, it’s time to get your ducts cleaned. This tends to indicate that the unit has gone too long without maintenance.
4. Rise of Nature Part 2
AC ducts don’t face invasion problems from plants alone. If you discover any signs that pests like mice or insects are living in your air ducts, it’s time to call in the big guns.
5. The Age is Showing
It’s easy to leave something alone for years and years if it works, not glancing at it until something goes wrong. That said, if your ductwork is more than 15 years old, it needs to get replaced.
6. Your Bills Are Climbing
If you notice that your heating and cooling bills are getting bigger and bigger when you’ve been using them the same way as always, check your ducts. Duct leaks will spill air away from the intended target, leading to it taking longer and more energy to get the same results as a non-leaky duct.
7. You’re Hearing Noises
If your ductwork sounds like it’s auditioning for a haunted house movie, this is a potential sign that your ducts have a blockage or broken parts. Get it looked at pronto.
8. So Much Dust
If dust seems to pervade your house in every corner, it’s time to give your ducts a cleaning. Dirty air ducts will spread their dirt through the air they bring, leading to lots of dust. And since you’re staying inside and using your HVAC more thanks to current events, we’re talking a dust-palooza.
9. It’s Getting Gross in Here
If certain spots of your house are uncomfortable to be in or the air is difficult to breathe, get a repair guy to your house stat. This means the ducts are super clogged up with dirt.
10. Size Matters
One of the best ways to ensure good AC duct health is to make sure you have a properly-sized HVAC unit. Too small, and the machine overworks itself. Too big, and it switches on and off a lot.
Both of these lead to duct health going downhill faster than normal.
Breathe That Air
Congratulations! You now know the top 10 steps that indicate you’re overdue for an AC duct cleaning!
If you want to know more about keeping your HVAC unit top-notch, check out some of the other posts on our blog! So until next time, take a deep breath and enjoy that clean air!
