4 Reasons Why Cleaning Your HVAC Is A Must

Regular Maintenance of Your HVAC Will Keep You and Your Home Healthy

If you have an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system at home or in your workplace, you will already know the many benefits they can bring, such as:

• The ability to control your indoor temperature in all seasons
• Improved air quality and purification
• Energy savings when compared to traditional heating or cooling systems
• Great return on investment – a house with HVAC is attractive to buyers

What you might not know, is that just like any other piece of machinery, your HVAC needs to be cleaned, maintained and looked after if it’s going to perform well and have a long lifespan.

While there are simple things that you can do at home to keep the system working well, it’s recommended that you have an HVAC expert like Lockhart Industries take a regular look at your system to ensure it’s working to full capacity.

Why Do I Need to Have My HVAC System Cleaned?

Like any piece of machinery, an HVAC system needs to be kept clean if it’s going to work to its full potential. Dirty air ducts or a damaged HVAC system won’t give you the performance you expect and can in fact have some negative side effects.

4 Reasons Why You Should Clean Your HVAC

1. To Retain Indoor Air Quality – One of the main purposes of an HVAC system is to keep clean air circulating through your home. It does this by filtering contaminants such as dust, pollen and pet dander out of the air. This can be particularly beneficial to those who suffer with allergies, asthma or other respiratory illnesses.

If the system and ducts become too full of dust or dirt, these pollutants may be pushed back into circulation, resulting in lower quality air purification.

• • Having a professional come in to clean your HVAC and air duct systems will ensure these pollutants are removed from the system, keeping the air in your home clean and allergen free.

2. To improve energy efficiency – When dust and other pollutants build up inside the ductwork and machinery of your HVAC machine, it has to work harder to push the same amount of air around. As a result, efficiency decreases and energy use increases. This can also cause an increase in your utility bills.

You might not feel the same heating or cooling results and need to turn the HVAC to a higher setting to get the temperature and airflow you were looking for. This energy inefficiency could lead to higher electricity bills.

• • Having dust and other grime removed from the entire HVAC system, air ducts, vents and outdoor unit will allow it to work to its maximum efficiency and prevent an unexpected electricity bill.

3. To prevent mould build-up – Because HVACs can develop condensation, it’s possible that mould could build up in the system over time. According to Health Canada, mould spores can cause mild illnesses such as sore throat, nasal congestion, eye irritation, coughing or wheezing in some people.

For those with a mould allergy, the side effects can be much more serious and even lead to chronic lung illness.

Since HVAC ductwork circulates air throughout your home, any mold growth in the ducts or around the entrances to the air ducts could lead your family to breathe unhealthy air.

• • Always ask a professional for help removing mould from your HVAC. They can get into every part of the system to ensure the mould has been eradicated.

4. To keep your HVAC working at peak performance for a long time – HVAC systems are an investment, and as such, you want it to keep working for as long as possible. Cleaning and servicing your HVAC regularly is one way to eliminate break-downs and extend the systems’ life span.

• • Dust and mould are not the only things that a qualified technician looks for when conducting a maintenance service. They look for evidence of rodents or bugs in the system that may have caused damage or blockages as well as checking for any signs of wear and tear.

What Can I Do To Keep My HVAC Clean?

The benefits of having a clean HVAC system are clear; so, what can you do to keep your system as clean as possible? Taking the following steps will help to keep your HVAC running smoothly:

• Change or clean the filters – If you have washable filters in your indoor or outdoor units, remove and clean them regularly (monthly ideally) by gently washing in warm water. If you have disposable filters, change them at least every three months, or more frequently if you have allergies or a pet in the home.
• Clean the vents and registers – Dust can collect around the vents and registers which could be pushed into the room, or back into the system. Regularly wiping down the vents and registers with a cloth, or cleaning with a vacuum, will help to keep them dust free.
• Keep your outdoor unit clear of garden debris – It is important to prevent garden debris such as leaves, grass, weeds or branches getting into the unit, as they can cause a blockage or moisture in the system. Clean the area regularly ideally leaving a margin of two feet around the unit.
• Get the professionals in – Set up a regular, (recommended annual) maintenance routine with your installer or other professional HVAC company. These professionals can clean the inside of the heating and cooling units and the ducting while also checking for any other maintenance issues.

Never attempt to clean the inside of the units or air ducts yourself. Professionals have specialist equipment that helps to avoid damaging any parts of the system.

Call Lockhart Industries Today to Get Your HVAC Cleaned

Based in Duncan, BC and serving southern Vancouver Island since 1981, Lockhart Industries has vast experience installing, maintaining and cleaning HVAC systems for many happy customers.

The local experts in GeoExchange heating systems, Lockhart Industries also offers ductless heating and cooling, air conditioning and commercial refrigeration services.

Contact us today for a free cost-saving consultation or to set up a cleaning and maintenance schedule.