Central air conditioning became popular about fifty years ago, and with it came the need for that cooled air to be distributed throughout homes. The solution was ductwork. New houses started to be built with systems of ducts, and this became so common that it’s rare to find a home built in the last few decades that doesn’t have ductwork, which is now used for heating as well.

Having your cooled and heated air evenly distributed throughout your home is wonderful! But it does raise some questions. What’s going on inside those ducts, where you can’t see? And since many ducts are above ceilings or between walls, you might not even be able to see them at all. Can unpleasant things accumulate inside ductwork? Does that affect your indoor air quality? Will duct cleaning help? Here’s what to know.

General Recommendations

The EPA does not recommend constant duct cleaning when there’s no reason to suspect a problem. But they do have some recommendations. They suggest that ducts be cleaned as a solution to specific concerns about the ducts, the home, or the health of the people living in the home, and they urge homeowners to only have ducts cleaned by qualified professionals, and not to try to DIY it.

Mold

One of the most urgent reasons to get duct cleaning in San Antonio, TX is mold. Some people are highly allergic to it, and some molds have such potent mycotoxins that even those without allergies are affected. Mold spreads by releasing spores into the air, and breathing them in can be very unhealthy.

If you have reason to believe moisture is pooling within your ducts, mold will be delighted to grow in it, so that moisture should be cleaned out. If you can see mold from your vents, you’ve certainly got a problem. But if you smell that tell-tale mildew odor, even if you can’t see mold, it’s growing somewhere, and it’s likely to be in your ducts.

Pet Dander

While the fur that pets shed is quite noticeable, it’s not actually what causes allergies. The culprit is dander, the dead skin cells that often accumulate with shed fur, but are also shed by pets who have no fur. If you have multiple pets in the home, the dander will accumulate in your ductwork, and it can only be eliminated—reducing the likelihood of allergy symptoms in family members and visitors—by duct cleaning.

Sources of Excess Dust

Any construction work done in or on your home will stir up particles, and those particles will work their way into your ductwork. Anything from sawdust to insulation particles can accumulate in there. Wildfire smoke, dust from a dry summer on a dirt road, or nearby agriculture, industry, or construction can all create high levels of mess for your ducts.

Mysterious Health Symptoms

If your family or pets are experiencing health issues that haven’t been eliminated by other means, it could be due to allergens, smoke particles, or other contaminants in your ductwork. Having the ducts professionally cleaned could be all it takes to feel your best again.

Our professionals are ready to take care of you when you reach out. Contact Cowboys Air Conditioning & Heating today to schedule an appointment with our professionals.