You may be surprised to learn that one of your HVAC system’s most important components is one that is hard to see: the ducts. Without good ducts, your HVAC system can’t properly deliver air to where it’s needed in your Portland home. While a variety of problems can occur with your ducts, such as split seams and holes, the most common problem that occurs with ducts is blockages due to dust and debris. Fortunately, taking advantage of duct cleaning services from Climate Control can help you quickly restore your ducts to like-new condition.
How Do Ducts Become Clogged?
The smooth inner surfaces of a duct seem like an unlikely location for dust to collect. However, if you’ve ever looked at pictures of aged ductwork, you know that this is indeed a problem.
One way this occurs is when the dust becomes trapped in the seams between the ducts as the air is flowing through the ducts during a heating or cooling cycle. Another way dust becomes trapped is due to the differing electrical charges of the dust and the metal in the duct. These differing charges cause the dust to cling to the walls of the duct instead of exiting the duct through the vent.
Finally, dust may cling to the duct if the duct walls are damp due to excess humidity in the air. Once a single layer of dust has been deposited, it’s easy for other layers to collect until your ducts are partially or entirely clogged.
How Long Does This Take?
There are multiple factors that influence the speed at which your ducts become clogged. One important factor is how well your ducts are sealed. If they are well-sealed to prevent dust from entering them when your HVAC system isn’t operating, then it will likely take quite some time for any dust to collect in your ducts. HVAC operational frequency is another contributing factor, since the more you run your HVAC system, the more dust-filled air that will move over the walls of the ducts.
If you have an air filter in place, this will also affect how quickly dust collects in your ducts. In general, though, you can expect Climate Control to need to clean your ducts every three to five years to provide optimal airflow for your HVAC system.
How Long Does the Duct-Cleaning Process Take?
Although the size of your home will ultimately determine the duration of duct cleaning, the average time needed to complete the process is between two to four hours. The technicians at Climate Control start by examining your ducts with a remote camera to assess the condition of the ducts and determine if there are any tricky areas that will require extra work.
After that, the technicians hook a powerful vacuum to the ductwork that is designed to prevent any dust from being released into your home. Once the job is done, the technicians will again examine your ducts with a remote camera to ensure all dust has been removed.
What Benefits Does Duct Cleaning Offer?
Beyond the peace of mind in knowing that you have clean ducts, professional duct cleaning from Climate Control offers many benefits. For starters, your HVAC system will be able to operate much more efficiently with clean ducts. This is because it can distribute the proper air volume to each room, so it doesn’t cause excess pressure in your HVAC system.
Additionally, clean ducts help prevent dust from being released into your home so you can breathe cleaner, healthier air. Plus, with the dust gone, there is much less risk for mold or mildew to grow within your ducts, which can help prevent respiratory distress in sensitive family members.
Is Duct Cleaning a DIY Job?
Some people, especially those in small houses, think they can perform the duct cleaning process themselves. Unfortunately, most DIY attempts at duct cleaning go bad very quickly. The trickiest part is trying to remove the dust from your ducts without releasing it back into your home.
This takes skilled hands and specialized equipment to do correctly, meaning that most people end up making a mess of their home when they try to clean their ducts themselves. In general, it’s best to let the professionals at Climate Control do the job for you.
We Can Help With All Parts of Your HVAC System
For the 30-plus years that we’ve been in business, our employees at Climate Control have been dedicated to putting our customers first. That’s why we offer a range of services, including HVAC installation, repair, and maintenance, plus the aforementioned duct cleaning, indoor air quality systems, and water heater installation.
Proudly locally owned and operated, Climate Control is ready to take on any home comfort need that you may have. For more information about what we can do to help you, give us a call at Climate Control today.
