AC Duct Maintenance: What Does It Cover and Why Is It Important?
December 28th, 2021Your air conditioner ductwork plays an integral role in exactly how effective and efficient your unit is at dispersing cold air throughout your home. Many air conditioning systems rely on a series of ducts that lead to each and every room of their household in order to provide consistent cold air. Maintaining clean and operational ductwork is key to making the most out of your HVAC system in Hawaii.
Many Hawaiian homeowners consider the cooling system itself to be the catalyst for providing their living space with cold air. While the central system does produce the comfortable air itself, it requires a series of ducts in order to distribute this air. In this article, our Island Comfort HVAC specialists have considered the preconceptions that homeowners have regarding ducts, and have provided insight regarding why air duct cleaning is so important. Let’s get on it!
The Benefits of Air Duct Cleaning
As mentioned earlier, ductwork serves as the vessel in which cold indoor air is distributed throughout the home. While central system maintenance may seem like the most important kind of AC maintenance service, duct system maintenance plays a crucial role in the efficiency of your unit, ensuring good indoor air quality, optimal physical health, and effective cooling.
Adequate Air Quality
It’s important to schedule AC maintenance for a number of reasons. First and foremost, you can have your ducts cleaned and unclogged by a professional air duct cleaning service. Like filters and vents, ductwork can also build up large amounts of dust and other allergens such as dirt, pollen, pet dander, mildew and mold growth, and hair—especially in homes with pets. The culmination of dust mites and debris can lead to several issues, including unwanted musty odors and visible mold.
The first problem clogged or dirty air conditioning ducts can cause is that they can be the ideal nesting ground for rodents and other vermin. Frankly, no one wants a rodent infestation in their home (even if Ratatouille taught us that they are great cooks).
Another issue is the health concerns that the accumulation of these airborne particles and pollutants can cause. Inhaling these contaminants from dirty air ducts regularly can lead to shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness, and even asthma. Ultimately, it’s best practice to ensure that your ducts and air filters are cleaned regularly to keep your airflow healthy and your family members safe.
Effective Cooling
When ductwork is dirty or clogged, your HVAC system will have to work overtime to reach desired indoor temperatures. In many cases, a home won’t cool at all, and homeowners will find themselves constantly adjusting the thermostat. This will increase kilowatt usage, and result in skyrocketing electric bills. In order for your unit to perform at optimal energy efficiency, ductwork must be clear of debris to allow for proper airflow. The cost of HVAC maintenance pales in comparison to letting the problem simmer as energy bills continue to rise.
HVAC System Efficiency
Clogged ducts result in an air conditioner that has to work overtime. When this happens, a variety of issues can occur regarding the functionality of your unit. Coils can freeze, leaks can occur, blower fans can be damaged, and that’s just the beginning. In order to avoid expensive repairs, proper air conditioner maintenance is key. This will also serve to increase the lifespan of your unit, and prevent unnecessary replacement of a unit that is fully functional. However, you shouldn’t trust just any AC maintenance service with repairs. When it comes to duct cleaning companies, you deserve the best of the best.
Do You Need Air Duct Cleaning Services?
Island Comfort has been servicing the HVAC system maintenance needs of homeowners in Hawaii for years. Our fully licensed and qualified technicians are always happy to ensure the full functionality of your unit. Our goal is to provide homeowners with the comfort that they deserve and to ensure that their AC investment works for them, not the other way around. Schedule your duct cleaning today!
Maintaining AC systems can help keep long-term costs down for your household. Regular AC maintenance is just like going to the doctor for your annual physical. In other words, this preventive measure helps monitor the health of your equipment. It also helps to diagnose issues before they get out of hand. Here are three reasons why regular air conditioner maintenance can save you money and a lot of hassle in the long run.
1) Address Minor Issues
Many maintenance issues that arise from air conditioners are the result of neglecting to address minor issues as they pop up. Unfortunately, homeowners can sometimes find this out the hard way. For example, if air filters aren’t being replaced appropriately, evaporator coils are left to corrode, or faulty wires remain exposed, these can all lead to major consequences. Furthermore, failing to resolve any or all of these problems can lead to costly repairs. Also, it can lead to having to replace your air conditioning unit.
When you schedule air conditioner maintenance, a technician can diagnose these minor issues before they snowball. If you forget to replace your air filter monthly, particulates can clog up different parts of your air conditioner. In some cases, you only need to clean the parts to resolve the issue. Other cases, however, call for parts replacement to repair the air conditioner.
Eroding evaporator coils can lead to even more serious concerns. These coils contain a gas called Freon, which is a refrigerant. If an evaporator coil erodes enough, it can cause the Freon to leak. This issue can cause the evaporator coils to freeze, rendering your air conditioner ineffective. In the hot, Hawaiian heat, this often leads to an emergency service call.
2) Prevent Emergency Service Calls
Having to make an emergency service call for any appliance is annoying, but needing one for your air conditioner is particularly inconvenient. Sometimes an emergency call comes as the result of a suspicious noise or smell that causes you to turn off your air conditioner for safety reasons, and sometimes it’s because of a full on breakdown. In the middle of the summer, either of these scenarios is considerably alarming.
When you schedule AC maintenance, a technician thoroughly inspects your air conditioner. During this inspection, the technician can identify components of your machine that are damaged, near the end of their lifespan, or otherwise not in the best shape. Technicians keep common components and tools with them. As a result, a tech can replace or repair many of these components on the spot. Thus, regular maintenance prevents these damaged and old components from leading to an emergency service call because they are caught in time.
3) Extend The Lifespan Of Your AC Unit
The replacement and Installation of a new AC system costs thousands of dollars. With an investment like that, it’s in your best interest to get your money’s worth. In most cases, this looks like being able to use the same HVAC unit for 10-15 years or longer. To get that much use out of your air conditioner requires regular maintenance. Without AC maintenance, your air conditioner can break down much sooner, leaving you to prematurely foot the bill for the installation of a new unit.
Island Comfort provides a suite of services, including a comprehensive tune-up that maintains the efficient operation of your air conditioner. This 32-point tune-up can help you prevent minor issues from becoming major problems, prevent emergency services calls, and extend the lifespan of your air conditioner. Call Island Comfort today to schedule your maintenance appointment!