When a Hollywood film hero needs to escape a building full of bad guys, they usually slip through the air ducts. Sadly, this is a dangerous movie myth. Crawling through air ducts is actually a really bad idea.
Luckily, your air duct problems won’t be as dramatic as needing them for an escape route. You’ll instead have to deal with more costly, stress-inducing ones. At what point do you call HVAC services to see if your ducts need replacement?
Fortunately, the ducts will give away a few telltale warning signs. Let’s look at the most common symptoms that it’s time to hire HVAC services in Woodlands, TX.
Pest Infestations or Mold
To the chagrin of every homeowner in Woodlands, TX, ducts are a prime habitat for pests of all sorts. Especially big ones, such as rodents.
If you smell feces or urine, there could be rodents in your vents. One of them could die, filling you’re home with a terrible smell. Or, you might have a sudden uptick in flies with no obvious explanation.
If it doesn’t smell like animals, it might smell like mold. Thanks to the ventilation, mold spores from outside can spread and grow throughout your vents. If replacing the filters doesn’t remove the bad odor, you know you have a problem.
Cleanings may help in mild cases, but replacement is usually the best solution if things are out of hand.
More Expensive Bills and/or Poor Performance
You may notice that certain areas-or the entire home-don’t remain at a consistent temperature. Your bills may be abnormally high. Running your air conditioning at your usual temperature may seem to overwork the system.
There’s a very good chance that there are gaps or holes in the ductwork. As the ducts deteriorate or rust over time, they create leaks. Air escapes through them, rather than going into your home as it should.
Thus, you notice the above issues. Your HVAC system has to compensate by working harder, driving up electricity costs. Replacing the ducts should solve the problem.
Poor Air Quality or Airflow
Air quality depends in great part on replacing the filters, as mentioned. If you replace them and still notice bad odors or increased allergens, there may be another cause. The ducts themselves could be choked with dust, pet dander, and God knows what else.
Again, cleaning may only prove to be a temporary solution. Old, rusty ducts can harbor year’s worth of contaminants. Replacement may be the only solution.
Circulation is critical to a functional HVAC system. If something is wrong with the vents and ductwork, you’ll notice it. Air coming out of the vents may seem weak or nonexistent.
If circulation is bad, or the temperature is highly inconsistent, duct replacement may be the solution.
Hire HVAC Services Today
Your ducts are a vital, yet overlooked component of an HVAC system. They can harbor pests and mold, reduce airflow and air quality, or even kill your system’s efficiency. A residential HVAC service may need to replace the ducts to get things back to normal.
Texas Pride AC & Heating serves Woodlands, Houston, and the surrounding area. Check to see if we service your area and schedule HVAC services.