Air Duct Cleaning - What Exactly Needs to Be Cleaned and Why

So what parts of your air conditioning system need to be cleaned, and why?

To answer that question we need to start at the beginning with a quick look at how the AC system lowers the temperature and humidity in your home.

1. The air handler unit is the main part of your AC and is typically located in an attic or a closet. We'll talk about the big thing outside your house later. The warm air is pulled in to your AC unit through your Return Air Grill (the one that has the filter that you always forget to replace). The filter only removes a fraction of the dust and debris entering your AC. If it is too restrictive, it won't allow enough air to be drawn in and your AC can't keep up while trying to cool your home. And since the average house collects over 40 pounds of dust a year (Discover Magazine), over time the dirt builds up on the walls of the return air ducts.

2. The air is actually drawn in by the blower in the main unit and forced through the cooling coils. The cooling coils are chilled by the refrigerant that runs through them, and when the air passes over them they remove heat from the air. Also the excess moisture in the air condenses on them much the same way the moisture from a hot shower condenses on the relatively cool bathroom mirror, so the coils reduce the humidity as well as the temperature of the air in your home.

3. The cooling coils are tubes that snake back and are several rows thick, and the fact that they are always wet makes them a perfect place for dirt to accumulate. The air you breathe is passing over this dirt, and the more it builds up the more it restricts the air flow through the coils. The dirt also coats the coils, so the air being drawn across them is now coming in contact with the dirt instead of the colder coils. As a result, less heat and moisture is removed from your air. Less air is passing through your AC, and less heat and moisture is being removed from that air. Your AC has to run longer, work harder, and use more energy to cool your home.

4. After passing through the coils the air enters the plenum box, to which all of ductwork that feed your AC vents is attached. The air flows through the box, into your ductwork, and back into your home, depositing dirt and debris along the way.

5. And what about the big thing outside? It is called the condenser coil. After the heat from the air in your home is absorbed by the refrigerant in the cooling coils, the refrigerant flows out to the condenser coil where, in a sense, the heat is squeezed out of the refrigerant and blown into the air. If you put your hand over the fan on top of the unit, you can actually feel the heat that was extracted from your house being blown away. None of the air in your home comes in contact with these coils, only the refrigerant. But it is important to keep these coils clean and clear of any vines or other vegetation growing too closely, so that the coils can quickly and efficiently remove heat from the refrigerant to save you energy and cool your home.

The Value of Air Duct Cleaning

The bottom line is that a dirty AC system not only can compromise the air that you breathe, it can also raise utility bills, put more wear and tear on your AC, and make it more difficult to keep your home comfortable. You can see from this primer that it is important to clean your entire AC system and that air duct cleaning alone is not enough.

It is also important to remember that in many states, like Texas, only companies who are licensed by the state can access and clean all parts of the AC system. Companies without a license can only clean what they can reach from your AC vents! In our opinion, that would be a waste of time and money.

Lavender Care is your best choice in keeping your home fresh and inviting. We offer a variety of cleaning services guaranteed to preserve your home’s natural beauty. Find Air Duct Cleaning Services:

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