Spring Cleaning? Remember Your Air Conditioner Ducts

Spring cleaning is an important ritual in many homes in Lorton, VA. It’s a great time for making sure that everything is fresh and tidy, but air ducts are often ignored. If you notice a layer of dust on your window panes or knick knack shelves, then you can imagine what the interior of your ducts looks like. If you’ve never had them cleaned, now is a great time to schedule service.

How Important Is Spring Cleaning of My Air Ducts?

Indoor air quality can affect people differently. Some suffer from allergies in the spring. Others notice little evidence of trouble. However, if dust in your home frustrates you, then dust in your ducts will be equally troubling. The amount of dirt present in your ducts may depend on how much attention you give to your HVAC system when it is in use. Using efficient air conditioner filters can limit dust in your system, but it won’t completely alleviate the issue. Seasonal tune-ups provide your HVAC technician with the opportunity to clean your coils, another system component that can contaminate your airstream. Commonwealth Cooling & Heating uses this opportunity to inspect your ducts for cleaning and sealing needs.

How Can I Clean My Ducts?

Duct cleaning isn’t a DIY project. Many homeowners try to clean their ducts by vacuuming out vents. However, this fails to reach very far into the circuit of air ducts. Additionally, a household vacuum cleaner lacks sufficient suction to adequately clean your ducts. Professional cleaning ensures a thorough removal of dust and other contaminants.

We use specialized equipment to remove dirt from the walls of your ducts. In some cases, a high-powered vacuum hose with a connected brush is moved slowly through the ducts to loosen and remove material. In other instances, we create a reverse airflow and loosen materials to be suctioned from the system. Our equipment includes commercial filtration so that material isn’t released into your household environment.

Additional Air Quality Concerns

As your spring cleaning progresses, you may want to think about additional air quality issues. Local climate conditions often lead to problems with mold growth in homes, and moisture control is important in gaining control of the issue. Your air conditioner can provide dehumidification during hot weather, but you may want to think about installing a dehumidifier for efficient moisture control throughout the year. Mold can develop in your HVAC coils and ducts, and in some cases, duct renovation may be required to deal with the issue. Think about using a germicidal UV lamp to kill mold on your indoor coils.

Schedule an Evaluation

If you aren’t sure about your indoor air, you can contact us to set up an evaluation. We will take samples and have them analyzed to determine what irritants are in your home. We can make more effective recommendations for equipment or management strategies when we have this information. Call us to get started.