Most of the air ducts in your Memphis, TN home are behind drywall and other building materials. Although out of sight, they should never be out of mind. Maintaining your HVAC air ducts is just as important as maintaining your heater and air conditioner. Lacking adequate maintenance, your air ducts could cost you a small fortune.
Increased Energy Use
Did you know that changing your air filter could reduce your home heating and cooling costs by as much as 18%? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, routine filter changes can lower carbon footprints and save money. Anything that optimizes airflow throughout your HVAC system improves its efficiency.
Unfortunately, having a clean air filter won’t do you much good if your air ducts have a heavy buildup of debris. This debris increases static pressure and diminishes airflow. If you have heavy, lint-like buildup on or behind your HVAC air vent covers, your ductwork is dirty. More importantly, your home energy bills are higher than necessary.
Dirty ductwork decreases efficiency in another way. When trapped allergens and contaminants break free, they’ll reenter your indoor air. They can also coat your heater and air conditioner’s sensitive interior components. Debris-covered evaporator coils and heat exchangers have a harder time transferring heat.
Shorter Filter Lifespans
Standard HVAC air filters typically last one to three months. Keeping a clean filter staves off functional problems like icing, short cycling, and overheating. If your air ducts are dirty, you’ll have more allergens and contaminants floating around your home. As a result, you’ll need to replace your air filter more often.
Stress-Related Repairs and Equipment Shorten Lifespans
With compromised airflow and poor heat exchange, furnaces, heat pumps, and air conditioners must work hard. They take longer and use more energy to create and maintain the conditions that residents want. This extra effort creates increased system wear and could shorten equipment lifespans. It also sets the stage for costly stress-related repairs.
Loss of Warranty Protections
The manufacturer warranties that protect your heating and cooling equipment are mutually binding agreements. Manufacturers agree to pay for defective components, faulty assembly, and other manufacturing-related errors. However, they also require homeowners to take reasonable steps to prevent problems. These include practicing diligent HVAC system maintenance.
Running your equipment with dirty ducting could violate the terms of your HVAC manufacturer’s warranties. If it does, manufacturers could void your coverage outright. If they don’t, you might still experience frustrating delays when submitting warranty claims. Having dirty ductwork could greatly increase your out-of-pocket spending on otherwise covered replacements and repairs.
Diminished Indoor Air Quality
Dirty air ducts diminish indoor air quality (IAQ). For air conditioners, heat pumps, and condensing furnaces, dirty ducts also diminish humidity control. This creates the perfect conditions for mildew, mold, and unpleasant HVAC odors. It also wreaks havoc on residents’ health.
Added Healthcare Expenses
Poor IAQ due to dirty ducting can be especially problematic for residents with chronic allergies, asthma, or other respiratory conditions. Poor IAQ can also take a special toll on the terminally ill, newborn infants, and aging adults. Even if no one in your household falls into these special categories, insufficient air duct maintenance could increase your healthcare expenses. With dirty ducts, you might spend more on hospital visits and medications for symptom control.
Increased Home Cleaning
When Memphis homes have poor IAQ, residents spend more time sweeping, mopping, and dusting, and often to no avail. Increased airborne debris could increase your spending on:
- Cleaning solutions
- Odor control products
- Vacuum bags and belts
- Dust cloths
- Professional cleaning services
Rising Humidity and Mold
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), when indoor humidity rises above 60%, homeowners can contend with widespread mildew and mold. Not only will you need professional mold mitigation service, but you can also experience significant property damage. Mold damage due to dirty air ducts can include:
- Warped floors, sub-floors, and wood furnishings
- Peeling paint and wallpaper
- Mold-stained textiles
- Loose tiles and grout erosion
- Drywall and baseboard damage
All these things can decrease the value and marketability of your home.
Pest Infestations
Dirty ducts attract pests. Once inside air ducts, insects and rodents leave plenty of detritus behind. They can also cause structural duct damage and air duct leaks. All these issues compound the problem of dirty ducting, and resolving them costs money.
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