Reliable air quality isn’t the only reason for you to make sure your ducts and vents stay clean. Without regular cleaning and dusting, air ducts become less aerodynamic, and the fans have to work harder to push air through clogged filters. Eventually, rust and dust can cause the motor to overwork itself and break down, or lead to electrical problems. Here are three ways that clean air ducts improve the energy efficiency of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
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A Smooth Surface Is An Aerodynamic Surface
Any time air moves against an uneven or protruding surface, it loses some of its energy to friction. The interiors of household air ducts are made slick and smooth for exactly that reason. When dust builds up on the surfaces, they lose their evenness and take on a rough, clumpy texture. It’s even worse if the interiors get rusty and flaked, or if cobwebs and dust balls start building up. The more friction the air encounters as it moves in your ducts, the more energy the fan needs to expend to push it through. The dirtier the ducts, the harder the fan has to work, and the more electricity it consumes for the same benefit. -
Clogged Grates And Filters Push Back
Dirt and small obstructions along a ventilation duct’s length are minor problems compared to dirty filters and fans. A good ventilation system includes several screen-like air filters responsible for keeping the outdoors’ dust, pollen, and pollution at bay. As the filters deflect these impurities, more and more of the particles end up stuck in the screen, where they clog the air flowing through. The fan has to work much harder than it was built to force the air through a saturated filter. There’s not much that can force an HVAC unit to lose energy efficiency as much as this does. On top of that, the harder the fan overworks itself, the worse your air quality will get as it brute forces dirt through the filters. -
The Mechanism Itself Can Jam
Air ducts are a high-energy environment. As the fan works harder to fight against blockage and friction, flying dust particles get more concentrated and start to back up into the system. Eventually, the fan mechanism, intake tubes, and electric motor and wiring themselves can get covered in this backwash. Once a fan has dust in its gears, it won’t be able to move as fast. Every rotation will require much more energy to fight against the obstruction. Since the air duct interiors have to already be pretty dirty for things to get to this point, this exacerbates all the other problems. After a while, these excessive power demands, combined with a lack of cooling, can lead to the system overheating. This means you’ll need to get your HVAC unit some expensive repairs.
Consult Albany Air Duct Cleaning Technicians Near You
Keeping your electricity bills low is only one of many reasons you should clean your air ducts regularly. To get the most out of your HVAC and save yourself some maintenance, repairs, and money spent on the overuse of energy, you should consider having the air ducts cleaned a few times a year. For more information, the experts at Air Duct Cleaning Albany can answer any questions you might have.