How To Know If Air Ducts Need To Be Cleaned

How To Know If Air Ducts Need To Be Cleaned

How to know if air ducts need to be cleaned is one task that can be confusing. There are several chores that you realize you must complete immediately. Some you may even be able to postpone for a while.

However, it’s the activities you can’t see that take the longest to complete since you wouldn’t even realize they’re necessary!

For obvious reasons, air ducts typically fall into this third category.

But, as we’ll see in this article, those same air ducts may be unique in informing you that they require your attention.

If you’ve seen either of these signals in your office or home, your air ducts may be giving you a distress signal.

PRO TIP: Hire a company such as BenzVac for all of your air duct cleaning needs!  They also provide other services too and are located in New Jersey and New York.

Important Signs Your Air Ducts May Need To Be Cleaned

Dust coming from the vent

Once you switch on your air conditioning and notice a puff of dust coming out of the vent, your air ducts are most likely dusty. You will never see or smell anything coming from the vent if everything is working properly.

Put off your air conditioning to inspect your system. Turn it back on after a few minutes. Do you notice any dust particles or detect a smoky odor emanating from your vents?

If your answer is yes, you should have a professional cleaning done as soon as possible. If you see or smell smoke, don’t use your system until a specialist arrives to inspect it. It should be that you have a clogged air duct or a mechanical problem with your HVAC system.

A rise in your electricity cost

Your electricity cost will change from month to month, which is to be expected. However, if there have never been significant changes in weather and your cost has skyrocketed, it could indicate a problem with your Air conditioning system.

First, look for any new fees or service charges on your electricity bill. Then consider whether you’ve expended a lot more energy in the last month. A new hot tub, for example, might increase your monthly electricity bill by about $50.

After you’ve checked out those possibilities, you might have a problem with your air ducts and you might potentially need air duct cleaning. Your system will be overworked to heat or cool your home if your ducts are clogged with dust. You could have a blockage in your ductwork if you’ve noticed a shift in airflow in a certain room.

PRO TIP: BenzVac NJ has two different locations. You can check out our Boonton location for air duct cleaning Boonton or our Emerson location for air duct cleaning Emerson and excellent services.

Unbalanced airflow

Sometimes air appears to flow freely out of the registers in some rooms, but other rooms will experience uneven flow. This problem could be caused by dust and particle obstructions building within your air duct system.

This can also be due to eroded ducts. Therefore make sure to involve your HVAC service tech to get to the root cause of your problem.

Mold or mildew

 A musty odor may be coming from your air ducts if you’re detecting it throughout your house. This could be due to the mold growth in your air conditioner. Thus it can’t keep humidity under control.

Mold and mildew growth, like dust, can cause respiratory problems. Moreover, if you don’t deal with it immediately, it will keep growing and spreading to the entire ductwork.

Remove the grille cover and grab a flashlight to inspect for mold. If you notice evidence of mold, contact a technician that specializes in mold removal and indoor air quality.

PRO TIP: Read these signs your home needs mold remediation. We know they will help a lot!

Dusty vent grilles

The vent grilles control the direction of airflow in your home. They can also be used to conceal huge vent holes in your floor or ceiling. You could even use your vent grilles to detect air duct problems.

If your vent grilles have a lot of dust on them, it’s probably originating from inside the duct. Check your other vents by walking around your house. 

Do they appear to be equally dusty?

If you notice dusty vent grilles throughout your home, you may have a duct problem. As quickly as possible, contact an HVAC service firm for maintenance.

Conclusion

Polluted air ducts might make it difficult to clean your home, increase your electricity expenses, and possibly cause health issues. Since you spend some of your time indoors, it’s vital to consider the air you inhale. If you’ve noticed any of the discussed warning signals on how to know if air ducts need to be cleaned, it’s probably time to clean your air ducts.  Contact BenzVac if you live in NJ or NY. They can definitely help you with this problem.