What is air duct contamination?
Mold, water and dirt can stick to the air ducts all across our homes and can be a possible source of harmful particles that are present in many homes which can lead to contamination within those very air ducts. Whether or not you decide to have the air ducts cleaned, committing to a good preventive maintenance program is essential to minimize the risk of duct contamination.
Besides dirt being present in air ducts, duct flooding and becoming wet in general can also cause many problems as it would become moist within the air ducts and biological growth such as mold will occur. Air ducts should be heavily considered to be cleaned if there is visible mold growth inside the ducts, insects or rodents are living in them, or the air ducts have a substantial amount of dust or dirt within them.
The prevention of the accumulation of dirt within air ducts can be quite simple. Having a good, efficient air filter and changing its filters regularly is but one of them, and other methods include simply vacuuming and rid the house of dust regularly. Humidifiers used in the house should also be strictly adhering to what the manufacturers have recommended.
On the other hand, preventing ducts from becoming wet or flooded and possibly risking a vermin infection in the future can be a bit more complicated. The most important thing is that the air duct system is properly installed, if not this risk is greatly increased. Humidity and condensation in the cooling coils within an air duct also play a huge part in the moisture present within them, and although difficult, that condensation must be controlled. Insulation of the coils and the air ducts as well as making sure that they are dry and kept away from air conditioned sports are substantial to making sure condensation and moisture within the air ducts are controlled.
Air ducts can be hard to manage and control, but it definitely plays a part in keeping indoor air quality and health clean and safe from harmful particles, which is essential before, during and even after this pandemic.
