Ductwork is an essential part of the HVAC systems in most homes. Cold air from the air conditioner and hot air from the heater need to be distributed throughout the house, and ductwork is how that is done. A blower fan pushes the air through the ducts and it comes out the vents in the various rooms, cooling or heating the house.
As long as you get plenty of cold or hot air, you might never think about your ducts. They’re usually hidden away behind walls or in attic spaces. And even if you can see the outside of them, you certainly can’t see the inside. What is going on in your ductwork? Could mold be growing in there? Do you need duct cleaning? Here’s how to figure that out.
Visible Signs
The most obvious clue that there’s mold inside your ductwork is if you can see mold on your vents, or if you remove your vent cover and peer inside, you can see mold in the visible portion of the ductwork. But even if there’s no mold that you can see there, you might still have a mold problem. Here are the other clues.
Moisture
Is there wetness in the visible portion of your ducts? Do you ever hear dripping inside the ductwork? Is your home too humid in general? It doesn’t take a whole lot of moisture to make an ideal environment for mold to grow, especially in a dark and undisturbed place like the inside of a duct.
Mold in Other Areas
If mold has an easy time springing up in various parts of your home, it could be connected to mold in your ductwork. For one thing, if there’s enough humidity in some places, chances are, there’s enough humidity in your ducts.
For another, the ducts themselves could be helping to distribute mold spores, which are released into the air as the mold reproduces. If mold spores are released into your ducts, they’ll be blown out your vents and circulated all over your house. Anywhere that there’s a bit of moisture, they can take up residence and grow into unsightly mold colonies.
Odors
When you can’t see any mold, but you can smell that tell-tale mildew odor in the air, you know for sure that mold is growing somewhere. Since it’s out of sight, chances are, it’s inside your ductwork. It’s time for duct cleaning in Beaver Dam, WI! Getting rid of that mold will clear up that odor and make your home smell fresh.
Benefits of Duct Cleaning
In addition to helping your home to smell better, there are major benefits to duct cleaning. It can improve your respiratory health, especially if you have a mold allergy, asthma, or other respiratory issues. And it can decrease the mold in other areas of the home, since spores won’t be wafting out the vents anymore. This means your home will be cleaner, and you won’t end up needing expensive mold remediation.
Ready to find out more about getting your ducts cleaned? We’re happy to answer any questions you have.
You can always count on 24Hr Home Comfort Services, your heating and cooling specialists.