Whether or not you choose to clean the ducts in your home regularly, to minimize contamination, you have to commit to a good preventive maintenance program. There are several measures you can put in place to ensure dirt does not clog the system.
Some of these measures do not require a technician to perform. However, if in doubt, it is better to have qualified personnel like West valley Air Duct Cleaning deal with the problem to avoid causing more damage to the system.
Let us look at some of the measures you can use. They are meant to ensure the optimal functioning of your device.
Use Recommended Parts
Use the highest efficiency air filter recommended by the manufacturer or your HVAC system. Be sure to make sure that there are no missing filters and that there are no gaps through which air can bypass filters around the filter holder.
Apart from using genuine parts, change filters routinely. If they become clogged, change them even more frequently. Seal off supply and return registers and don’t operate the heating and cooling system until after cleaning up any dust
Maintain Ideal Home Conditions
Vacuum your home regularly. If possible, use a high efficiency (HEPA) cleaner or the highest efficiency filter bags your vacuum cleaner can take. If there is construction or renovation work going on in your house, you should seal off supply and return registers and avoid operating heating and cooling systems until after you have cleaned up the dust.
Leaks in the duct system or improperly installed or serviced duct system can be the source of moisture in the system. Research suggests that condensation on or near cooling coils of air conditioning units is a major factor in moisture contamination of the system. Condensation takes place when surface temperature falls below dew point temperature of the air nearby. The availability of high relative humidity or condensation is a vital indicator of the potential for mold growth on any type of duct. Controlling dampness can be hard, but here are a few of the steps you can take:
Routine Maintenance
When having your HVAC unit checked or maintained for other reasons, make sure to ask the service provider to clean cooling coils and drain pains. If your system includes in-duct humidification equipment, make sure to operate and maintain the humidifier strictly as recommended by the manufacturer.
Ensure air ducts are perfectly sealed and insulated in every non-air-conditioned space (attics and crawl spaces). This will help prevent moisture due to condensation from entering the system. Fix any water leaks and remove any standing water. Steam cleaning and other methods involving moisture should not be used on any kid of duct work.
Cooling coils should be given particular attention. These coils are responsible for removing water from the air and often make a major source of moisture contamination. Moisture contamination leads to the growth of mold. Make sure the condensate pan drains properly. If there is substantial standing water and/or debris, it means that there is a problem that needs an immediate solution. You should check the presence of wet spots near insulation and cooling coils.