The ducts throughout your home combine to form a network of connected tubes that provide warm or cold air to the rooms of your house. If the ductwork is not regularly inspected, problems with your heating and air conditioning system could erupt. Here are a few tips to help you determine whether or not your ducts need to be cleaned:

Have you seen mold?

A mold is a fungus that is often found outside of a home. However, mold can also grow well in damp, dark spaces inside of your house. If you notice mold in the visible portion of an air duct, you need to have your ducts professionally cleaned. Mold is associated with serious health conditions, such as breathing problems and allergic reactions. If mold is present in your ducts, spores may be dispersed into the air and distributed throughout your home each time you operate your heating and air conditioning system.

Are their signs of an insect infestation?

If you can see insect wings or droppings inside your ducts, your air ducts need to be cleaned. Cleaning the ducts can help decrease the insect population that is promoting an infestation. In addition, germs that are present in the insect debris will be cleared away so that they will not be inhaled when the air flows through your system.

Can you see rodent droppings?

If there are small, dark fecal pellets in your ducts, you could have a rodent infestation. If there are rodents residing in your ducts, your family could be exposed to dangerous airborne diseases such as lymphocytic chorio-meningitis (LCM). The disease is carried by the common house mouse and can be contracted when you breathe in air that is contaminated by the urine or feces of an infected rodent. People who contract LCM may develop meningitis. In addition, the disease is known to cause birth defects if it is contracted by a pregnant woman.

Are your ducts dusty?

If there is dust and debris in your ducts, the efficiency of your system can be impaired. Clogged ductwork can hinder airflow and distribute polluted air. 

If ducts in your home contain substantial amounts of dust and other contaminants, they need to be thoroughly cleaned. Contact a professional heating and air service provider in your area today for an air duct cleaning appointment. The hose of a professional duct-cleaning machine is able to reach deep inside your ductwork to clean areas that would otherwise be unreachable.