Ventilation System Maintenance

Consider this:

Studies show our homes have 10 to 100 times higher pollution levels than the outdoors,

Homes are being continually being built more energy efficient, meaning air tight, than ever before,

American spend up to 90% of their time indoors.

HVAC systems cool/heat and circulate the indoor air in your home. House dust, the worst offender for causing indoor allergy and asthma symptoms, gets trapped and collects inside ventilation systems resulting in decreased efficiency of your system (causes more running time) and the highly increased possibility that your system is circulating and adding to the indoor air pollution in your home. High humidity increases the build up of dust and contaminates in your system, whereas, low humidity increases the circulation of contaminates in your home. Additionally, HVAC ventilation systems that become damp because of high humidity are perfect environments for molds, mildew and other microbes and microorganisms to flourish.

 

 

 

 

If left uncleaned for a long period of time, your ventilation system could be the largest cause of your house dust and allergy problems, not to mention the leading cause of HVAC system failure. A buildup of less than a 16th of an inch, 0.042 inches of dirt on a heating or cooling coil can result in a decrease of efficiency of 21% the Environmental Protection Agency (EPS) reports. 9 out of 10 system failures are caused by dirt and dust as reported by the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Services (LCES).

A clean system restores capacity and lessens running time – translation: clean systems run more efficiently saving money on heating and cooling costs – reports the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Services (LCES). A well-maintained cooling system can reduce your utility bill by as much as $30.00 per month. Studies show that a well-maintained system can restore capacity by ½ to ¾ tons, improve humidity control and reduce running time according to the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) of Greater Houston.

By simply cleaning and maintaining your HVAC system on a yearly basis (your dryer vent, too) using a NADCA certified company can significantly reduce house dust and microbial contamination. For particularly sensitive individuals and those living in very high humidity environments, the system should be cleaned every six months.

A clean HVAC system can actually be used to help decrease allergy and asthma symptoms. Air-conditioning can be used to keep the humidity in your home to 50% or less to significantly slow the growth of dust mites, molds and mildew. Electrostatic, UV air cleanser or HEPA filters used and maintained (cleaned or replaced often) in your HVAC system also helps lower allergy and asthma symptoms as well as better maintaining an overall healthy system. Commercially purchased fiberglass filters are only 7% efficient in stopping dirt, dust, pollen, etc. passing through them says the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Experts (ASHRAE).


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BEFORE	AFTER

Here are some questions you should ask yourself before making the decision to have your ventilation system cleaned:

Has it been a year or longer since your HVAC system was last cleaned?

Do you experience headaches, nausea, or burning sensations in the nose, throat, or eyes more frequently at home than when outside?

Do you have allergies to mold and mildew?

Do you have pets?

Do you have one or more smokers in your household?

Do you live in a new or newly remodeled home?

Do you live in a house that has been recently insulated or weather-proofed?

Do you regularly clean excessive dust accumulations from your household furniture?

Do you live in a climate that has high humidity?

Do you notice poor air flow?

Do you live in a home that has never been expertly cleaned?

Do you have a central air circulating system that utilizes a standard throw-away fiberglass filter?

Construction dust and debris from remodeling or found in a newly constructed home can clog your system and greatly decrease or even damage your HVAC system. Poor filtration is most often caused from using standard throw-away filters. Standard filters are often only 10-20% effective because they are not replaced often enough. These filters should be changed every month or two and electronic air cleaners should be washed every month. More often for both if you have recently done some construction or someone in the home is sensitive to dust.


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