How many times have you checked the condition of the ductwork in your home? Once a year? Twice a year? Not as often as needed perhaps. All of us probably have AC at home. However, not all of us have paid enough attention to our cooling system especially the air ducts. The health of your ducts plays a vital role in maintaining the health of your family as well as your home.
An air duct in a bad condition poses many risks — in your home, health, and even in your finances. If your ductwork is not working properly, toxins may enter your home and affects the health of your whole family. Other negative effects of dysfunctional ductwork include the following:
Release of toxins
Dysfunctional air ducts will absorb debris and other pollutants spreading inside your home; no matter how good your system’s air filtration is. This can trigger asthma and allergies in your family. Worst, the health of your family will be at higher risks with lung problems.
It causes unbalanced supply of air
Unbalanced air supply occurs when the air pulled by your air conditioning towards the house is not equal to the air going out of the house, due to dysfunctional ductwork. With this, your home will tend to pull more air somewhere else to balance the pressure. The problem comes when the air being pulled is unfiltered and dirty, disturbing the quality of air inside your home.
It loses humidity control
If your ductwork is no longer working properly, your air conditioning unit will not be able to control the humidity level of your home. And if your home is too humid or too moist, mold can grow easily. Once mold infiltrate your home, it will be prone to leakage and damage.
It increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning
When your ductwork is dysfunctional due to leakage, the exhaust gases won’t be able to fully get out of your house. If the fumes won’t be able to get out of your home, the content of carbon monoxide will also increase, which may lead to toxicity and is dangerous.
It increases energy consumption
Broken or uncleaned air ducts also costs you money. If the air ducts in your system aren’t working properly, your air conditioning unit will also work double time in order to heat or cool down your home. A system that works harder also means more energy will be used, which means, a higher electricity bill.
In summary, a broken ductwork affects greatly not only your family’s health but also your home and your wallet. Early signs of dysfunctional ductwork may not be noticeable at first. You could lose more than 20% of your air conditioning unit’s efficiency if your ductwork is dysfunctional. Don’t wait for the signs to show up. Always have your ductwork checked by a professional for maintenance.
