clean ducts Archives - Hunt's Services

Maintenance of Your HVAC System

Before you do any cleaning, make sure the power to your HVAC system is turned off. That is most important for your safety. The last thing you want is to injure yourself. Even if you think you’ll be careful, it’s better to be safe; turn off your power as the first step any time you plan to work in or near your HVAC system. The reason is you don’t want your furnace or HVAC unit to come on while you are working on it.

There are a couple of ways you can turn off your furnace before you do any spring cleaning. Sometimes there is an on-off switch either on the furnace or close to it. Otherwise, you can go to your electrical panel and find the circuit that goes to the furnace and flip it to the off position. Also if you have a gas furnace or HVAC unit, such as a heat pump, you should turn the gas off to the unit. Find the gas line running into your HVAC unit and turn the gas valve coming into the furnace to the off position.

Clean Heating and Cooling Filters

Remove the filter in your HVAC system and replace it. Air is forced through the filter but that gets harder and harder for your HVAC system to do if the filter is clogged with dirt, dust, and debris. Replace your filter at least once every 3 months, depending on use and whether you have pets, allergies, and level of dust in your home. Only use filters that have been approved by the manufacturer so you don’t risk losing your warranty.

The filter to the furnace is typically where the cold air from the outside comes into the furnace. This can be on the furnace itself or in your house in the intake vent that leads to your furnace. For replaceable filters, there is usually a size of the filter marked somewhere on the filter. Find the filter at your local hardware store and replace it with the same size filter.

Some heating units have washable filters in which case take the filter to your sink or hose outside and run water over the filter until all dirt and debris have been washed off. A good tip is to write the date on the filter when you replace it, so you know when to replace it next. It is important to make sure the arrow on the filter is pointing in the direction of the airflow into your furnace. Central heat pumps and air conditioners will also use filters in the same way where they intake air into the unit.

Air Conditioning

If you have an external air conditioning unit, go outside and look at it. Make sure that the unit is free from debris that often accumulates around it during the fall and winter. Often, leaves and clippings will start to build inside the unit and at the vents.

While you’re looking at you’re air conditioning unit, clean the fan blades and the coils which can also pick up debris.

Clean Your Vents

Walk around the inside of your home and inspect your vents—the ones that blow warm/cool air FROM your HVAC system and the ones that pull air into your HVAC system. Make sure both types of vents are not blocked so that air can freely get in. This will not only ensure that you get clean fresh air throughout your house, it also helps you save money by keeping your HVAC system from doing too much work to draw in air.

Duct Cleaning

Think about the last time you had your ducts cleaned. If it isn’t in the last year then contact a company to come out and clean your ducts. All that dust and debris that accumulated over the winter can be removed so it’s not recirculating.

Proper duct cleaning is really a two part process to be effective. First remove debris and particulate matter that clings to your ducts and then suction to remove that debris. This is usually a job you cannot do without the proper equipment. Hunt’s Services HVAC technicians use Nikro negative air duct cleaning machines with compressed air whips that we run through each duct. The whips loosen all the dust and debris that collects in the duct system and then the negative air machine suck all the debris out of the system.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are a great way to reduce your energy bills by circulating the air in your home or business to either keep you warm or cool depending on the season. Make note of the direction of ceiling fan and make sure it is going in the correct direction. The general rule of thumb is the blades of the fan should turn clockwise in the winter, and the reverse in the summer. Run your ceiling fan at low speed in the winter to circulate your warm air and pull the warm air up and then push it downwards without creating a cooling effect from the fan.

Summary

Springtime is here and that means spring cleaning and enjoying the freshness of a new season. When you clean your home this spring, don’t forget about the HVAC system that has been working so hard all winter long, and reward it with a good cleaning… your HVAC system will run more efficiently and your family will be safer and more comfortable this spring!

Top 5 Reasons To Have Your Ducts Cleaned Regularly

As we move into the coldest months of the year, your furnace will be running more often and, therefore, you’ll want to make note of the air in your home. Have you considered having a professional duct cleaning?

Does your home have a strange smell? Are you noticing dust and other allergens in every room in your house? Do you feel like you’re spending too much money on your energy bills?

All of these problems are symptoms of ducts that are overdue for a thorough cleaning.

Your ducts are responsible for delivering air to every room in your home after it has gone through your furnace or air conditioner. As a result, all of the air that you breathe in your home interacts with these ducts throughout most of the year, so if they are full of dust, mold, and other debris, you’ll end up with these particles in your lungs.

The good news is that our Tacoma duct cleaning this winter can ensure that the air you breathe is completely clean, reducing health problems and saving you money in the process. While you are getting your ducts cleans, let us also take a look at your dryer vents and ducts to make sure they are clean because clogged dryer vents are the number one cause of home fires.

1) Save Money on Bills

The cleaner your ducts, the lower your monthly heating and cooling bills will be. The reason is simple, as the buildup in your ducts means your system has to work hard to push air through your vents. When your ducts are clean, however, the air moves more efficiently and uses less energy in the process. Getting your ducts cleaned even once per year makes a difference in this regard and will ensure that you don’t end up with too much dust or other debris blocking your airflow. You can save even more money if you have an energy efficient heat pump or furnace installed

2) Reduce Issues with Allergies and Asthma

If you’ve noticed a fair amount of dust in the air at your home, you should have your ducts cleaned right away. This statement is particularly true if anyone in your household has asthma or allergies because having dust pushed out through your vents can trigger attacks and make life pretty miserable. The last thing you want is for something entirely preventable to cause problems with your family’s breathing this winter but luckily, a duct cleaning can greatly improve your indoor air quality.

3) Give Your Home a Fresh Start

When you move into a new home, having the ducts cleaned is essential because you never know how the previous tenants treated the property. Did they smoke inside the house? Did they have pets? Was there water damage? All of these things lead to debris in the vents, and if you don’t have them cleaned, you’ll be stuck breathing the particles in. It’s also a good idea to brush your ducts in Bellevue or Puyallup whenever you conduct renovations because drywall dust, paint, or, in some cases, asbestos, can fall into the vents when they aren’t properly sealed. From there, these harmful pollutants are blown all over the house. It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially if you don’t know how previous homeowners treated the place or if the ducts have ever received a cleaning before.

4) Breathe Cleaner Air

Even if you don’t have allergies or asthma, breathing cleaner air is always a good thing. You could keep your house spotless, but dust will still make its way into the vents and, therefore, into the air every time the furnace or air conditioner runs. The good news is that through a duct cleaning, you can have much of this dust removed from your home before it has the chance to be blown into the air, helping ensure that the air you breathe is as clean as possible. You’ll notice a distinct difference once the job is done because the air in your home will smell cleaner and fresher. And since you can’t open this windows as much in the winter here in Seattle, having clean air coming through your vents is essential.

5) Improve the Lifespan of Your HVAC System

Maintaining an HVAC system gets expensive as the unit ages because there are so many problems that you can run into. By cleaning your vents, however, you help the unit to work at a more manageable pace and prevent debris from getting into your system. Keeping your ducts clean also means you won’t have to replace your furnace filter as often, and even though these filters are a minor expense, every little bit matters. Keeping debris out of your ducts can improve the overall lifespan of your system by preventing it from overworking when moving air throughout your home.

Keeping up with your furnace maintenance will also save you money in the long run and improve the lifespan of your heating and cooling unit. When you schedule a furnace inspection or maintenance call to your home or business, ask one of HVAC technicians to take a look at your filters and ducts. Furnace maintenance is a good tie to also have your ducts cleaned.

Who to Trust?

When searching for a duct cleaning company, you’ll have a few different options. Flyers often come in the mail advertising duct cleaning for a rate of well under $100, but the truth is that these companies might not use the best equipment and, often, won’t provide adequate bang for your buck. Its a good idea to avoid duct cleaning scams that sound too good to be true.

Reputable companies, such as Hunt’s Services, use a hybrid system where we not only have a negative pressure vacuum to suck out dirt and debris but also a brush to physically scrub the inside of your vents. This method ensures that no debris is left behind.

Remember, when it comes to your ducts, the quality of the job done is of the utmost importance.

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HVAC Heating and Cooling Spring Cleaning Tips and Tricks