What Allergy-Stricken Families Should Know About About Air Duct Cleaning
Posted on: 5 June 2019
Allergy symptoms can rob families of many of the activities and experiences that most people take for granted. For example, families in which one or more members are afflicted with severe allergies find that a simple camping trip or playground outing is a very uncomfortable experience.
For these families, staying indoors in a controlled environment is often considered to be their healthiest option. However, if a hidden contamination issue exists within the air ducts of the home, staying indoors may be nearly as problematic.
If you or a loved one suffers from allergies and you want to ensure that your home is a safe, comfortable space in which to breathe, this information can help you understand why air duct cleaning should be part of your healthy home maintenance plan.
Allergens can predate your ownership of the home
Most families invest time and effort into an extensive cleaning process when they move from one home or apartment into another. Scrubbing floors and surfaces and disinfecting fixtures is always a good idea, but this type of cleaning fails to reach the inner workings of your HVAC's duct system. If the air ducts have never been cleaned, they can contain allergens from every past owner of the home.
Cigarette smoke, residue from cleaners and perfumes, pet and human dander, and a variety of growing molds or fungi can survive and thrive in the moist conditions of an HVAC air duct.
The presence of rodents and insects in the air ducts of an older home is another common problem that can raise allergy risks. Nesting materials, feces, urine, and dander from rodents and insects can foster bacteria growth that gets spewed out into the room each time the furnace or air conditioner activates.
Allergens are reintroduced into the home as people and pets go in and out
Homeowners should also know that a one-time cleaning may not be enough, especially if the ducts were cleaned more than a year or so ago. This is because allergens are reintroduced into the home environment each time a person or pet enters the environment or window is opened.
Allergens can be minimized by a two-prong approach
Reducing allergens in your home to make the environment healthier involves taken a two-pronged approach. First, take steps to reduce dust in your home by vacuuming frequently and using hypo-allergenic HVAC filters. Next, invest in having the air ducts professionally cleaned on a regular basis by a reputable air duct cleaning service.
Share