Dirty air ducts can cause a number of health problems, including allergies, asthma, and even respiratory infections.
If your family is getting sick more than normal, experiencing coughing, sneezing, sore throats, runny noses, nasal congestion, headaches, and low-grade fevers, they may have upper respiratory infections as a result of dirty air ducts.
Risk 2: Health Issues
Clogged air ducts can spread dirt, allergens, pet dander, and debris particles throughout your home, aggravating your allergies and lungs. This irritation can cause increased sneezing, coughing, watering eyes, and even increased asthma symptoms.
Allowing your HVAC system go to the wayside can create a dirty environment that leads to nasal congestion, dust and dust mites, allergies, and bacteria and viruses to name a few.
Decreased Air Quality
Your ducts attract and trap dirt, allergens, and pollutants. Once the ducts are clogged with those particles, your air will no longer be clean, which means you and your family will breathe in more of the contaminants. If you have dirty filters, the problem will be exacerbated.
If you see dust and dirt both inside and outside — especially by the vents that blow cool air out — your ducts most likely need to be cleaned. To prevent future dust buildup, make sure you replace your HVAC system air filters frequently. You can also run an air purifier.
Breathing polluted air over time can cause symptoms such as headaches, a sore throat, sneezing, and congestion. Be aware that these symptoms could be a sign of dirty indoor air. If you or a family member is experiencing these symptoms, there are a few simple things you can do to improve your home's air quality.
Symptoms of Heater Sickness
Here are a few common symptoms to keep an eye out for: Coughing and sneezing. Sinus infections. Allergy symptoms.
Dust and other debris accumulates in ductwork over time, and duct cleaning is beneficial and even necessary under some circumstances. However, duct cleaning might be inconsequential when there is no severe duct system issue, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Many AC units and ducts are high in humidity, as they trap moisture in the air and don't release it. Mold spores can grow inside your ducts, and your system can spread them into the air. They can also grow on your filters or in your vents. Breathing in mold can spark an asthma attack.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average cost for properly cleaning an entire air duct system in an average-sized home ranges from $450 to $1,000.
They Cause Sinus Problems
Symptoms include coughing, congestion, weakness, fatigue, and fever. If you have sinusitis or a family member that has it, clean your air ducts as it could potentially reduce the problem.
Use a brush to loosen any buildup of dust in the ductwork. Lift register and insert vacuum hose as far into the piping as it can go. Turn the vacuum on to capture as much dust as possible that the fan is pushing through the ductwork.
Signs of poor indoor air quality may include excessive amounts of dust or increased difficulty breathing in your home. People with allergies or other breathing problems will often be some of the first to experience the effects of poor indoor air quality. Sometimes you might even smell the problem before you can see it.
Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems. Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts. This is because much of the dirt in air ducts adheres to duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter the living space.
Air Becomes Stagnant: When filters get clogged, air doesn't move. This leads to stagnation of the same air throughout your house. Dust, moisture, odors, and other particles also will stagnate and can often cause allergies.
Experts advise having your air ducts cleaned every 2 to 3 years to prevent many maintenance and health problems before they start. However, homes with pets or children with allergies should have their air ducts professionally cleaned more frequently than the recommended average.
While it may seem like a money-saving deal, the final price tag will probably be closer to that $450-$1000 range. Also, keep an eye out for scams where the price doesn't change once the technicians arrive at your home, but they don't clean all of your ductwork.
Respiratory Infections: When Your HVAC Unit Hosts Unwanted Guests. Dirty air ducts can foster the growth of harmful microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses. When these pathogens are blown into your living spaces, they can increase the risk of respiratory infections.
While in use, heaters lower humidity levels in your home and force hot air through dusty, dirty vents, filters and ducts, if poorly maintained. Constantly breathing extremely warm, dry air that may contain fungi, mold and mildew from the vents can affect your skin, nose, throat and eyes.
Dirty air ducts can cause a number of health problems, including allergies, asthma, and even respiratory infections. Dust, dirt, and other allergens can build up in your air ducts over time and eventually be released into the air that you breathe.
The combined effects of ambient air pollution and household air pollution are associated with 6.7 million premature deaths annually. Household air pollution exposure leads to noncommunicable diseases including stroke, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.