The main job of an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) unit is temperature control. That’s not its only job, though! The V for ventilation part of HVAC pulls a lot of weight, especially in a larger building or one with few windows. When you’re running the fans, your HVAC will cycle more air through itself than any five windows combined. This means that a dirty HVAC unit or duct can have consequences for your indoor climate that have little to do with temperature. Ventilation systems can impact air quality at several junctures, and regular cleaning and maintenance ensure that that impact is positive.
Dust Settles and Builds
Even clean air isn’t completely free of dust and particulates. When you have an active system siphoning air through itself at a rapid speed, that system exposes itself to a lot of dirt over time. The tight spaces of HVAC fans and ducts are built to be smooth and dust resistant, but engineering has limits. With the amount that passes through the system, some will always land and stick. Once a little bit of dust sticks to the system’s interior, it breaks up the surfaces and gives more dust an easy landing spot. When the fan isn’t running, less air gets into the system, but the air already inside will stagnate. More dust accumulates then, especially if the HVAC isn’t used for some time. A good, professional cleaning session once or twice a year stops things from escalating too far.
The Peril Of Clogged Filters
HVAC systems have protection against dirt and dust intrusion. Filter screens over the intake and vent openings catch most of the particles. The problem here is that that dust and dirt don’t have anywhere else to go once the filters catch it, so it stays lodged in the screen and builds up. The HVAC fan is strong, though, and air keeps getting pulled in through the intake filters and out through the duct filters despite the blockage. When this happens, the mass of dust sitting in the filters gets pulled in through forced air movement, flooding the ducts. By the time the air gets into your house, it can become much dirtier than it was outside thanks to the clogged filters it’s penetrated. HVAC cleaning includes filter scraping and screen replacement.
Moisture, Mold, And Other HVAC Problems
Dust doesn’t just provide a substrate for more dust to land. It also absorbs moisture and retains it inside the ventilation system. Once things get damp, the dark, enclosed environment of the HVAC and ducts becomes ideal growing areas for mold and bacteria. This is the point where your air quality crosses the line from poor to medically dangerous. Fortunately, it takes time for things to get this bad, and a good cleaning session resets things back to zero.
Get Alameda HVACs and Air Ducts Cleaned
A well-maintained HVAC system gives your building much cleaner and more breathable air than what you get outside. One that hasn’t been cleaned in years, on the other hand, can turn good air into a miasmic health hazard. To keep indoor air quality healthy in your home or business space, Air Duct Cleaning Alameda technicians will ensure your HVAC is clean and air circulation is optimized. Get in touch with us for more info or to schedule a service!