Studies have not been able to conclusively prove that particles in air ducts can enter the living space. It is important to note that dirty air ducts are just one of many possible sources of particulate matter in homes. Pollutants from both outdoor and indoor activities, such as cooking, cleaning, smoking, or just moving, can cause greater exposure to pollutants than dirty air ducts. In addition, there is no evidence that a small amount of household dust or other particulate matter in air ducts poses any health risk.
Cleaning air ducts can cause significant damage that can be expensive to repair. The ducts are made of various materials and you or an unqualified duct cleaner may not know the best way to clean them. Cleaning dryer ducts is essential to prevent fires in the home, but unfortunately many people don't take the matter seriously. Dirty ducts are the leading cause of thousands of home fires a year, but you can protect yourself and your loved ones by hiring our affordable dryer rack cleaning services.
Professional duct cleaning can remove allergens from your home, such as pollen and mold, harmful viruses and bacteria, and excess dust that builds up in ducts. If your family has allergies or other respiratory problems, it might be time to clean the ducts. Committing to a good preventive maintenance program is essential to minimize duct contamination. On the other hand, if a service provider doesn't follow proper duct cleaning procedures, it can cause problems with indoor air.
You may be exposed to contaminants in air ducts when you clean them. Air duct cleaning service providers may tell you that they need to apply a chemical biocide to the inside of the ducts as a means to kill bacteria (germs) and fungi (mold) and prevent future biological growth. This is because much of the dirt that can accumulate inside the air ducts adheres to the surfaces of the ducts and does not necessarily enter the living space. When service providers come to your home, ask them to show you the contamination that would warrant cleaning the ducts.
Knowledge about cleaning air ducts is in its early stages, so no general recommendation can be offered as to whether the air ducts in the house should be cleaned. However, many modern residential air duct systems are manufactured with fiberglass plates or sheet metal ducts lined on the inside with a fiberglass duct coating. While many of these products can be legally used inside uncoated ducts if all instructions on the label are followed, some of the instructions on the label may not be appropriate for use in ducts. It is not necessarily a gigantic task, but duct cleaning requires special equipment that just isn't worth buying.
You might consider cleaning your air ducts simply because it seems logical that they will get dirty over time and should be cleaned from time to time. However, imagine what would happen if you returned contaminants to your body by making the wrong move when cleaning the duct.
