01 Feb 9 Benefits of Cleaning and Maintaining Your Ducts

Commercial ventilation systems and air ducts ensure premises such as offices, warehouses, commercial kitchens, and shops benefit from adequate air circulation, higher quality air to breathe and regulated interior temperatures. 

Why Clean Your Commercial Ducts?

Over time, airborne pathogens, mould, mildew, pollen, dust and bacteria collect on the interior surfaces of ventilation systems and air ducts. These contaminants are then re-circulated into the commercial environment, affecting airflow and air quality.

Legislation passed in the UK means that businesses have a legal requirement to provide a healthy indoor atmosphere for their employees. 

Regularly cleaning a premises’ air ducts provides employees and customers with a healthy and sanitary indoor environment. This can be particularly significant for people with health sensitivities or allergies. 

Additionally, periodic professional cleaning improves the entire ventilation system’s efficiency, performance, and effectiveness and saves business owners substantial operation and repair costs.

How does Duct Cleaning work?

Professional air duct cleaning thoroughly inspects the entire duct system, including fans, filters, heat exchangers, diffusers, air registers and the HVAC unit housing. Specialist tools and equipment are used to remove dust and other allergens from the ductwork, preventing contaminated air from circulating into the commercial setting.

Benefits of Cleaning your Ducts

Having air ducts periodically cleaned by professionals can improve airflow and quality, prolong the life of your HVAC system and save money on repairs and running costs. Below, we take a more detailed look at some of the main benefits of air duct cleaning.

1. Improves Indoor Air Quality

Although many ductwork systems use filters, they can not effectively trap and collect every contaminant that comes into contact. As a result, mould, mildew, pollen, bacteria and other pollutants that settle along the interior walls of air ducts are pushed through and re-circulated into the environment. 

One significant benefit of air duct cleaning is that it improves the air quality of indoor spaces by ensuring harmful pollutants are removed and are no longer able to contaminate the environment.

2. Reduce the Levels of Dirt and Debris

If left unchecked, dirt and debris can build up in air duct systems. Not only does this cause a nuisance with having to clean away residue left by dusty air constantly, but it can also attract unwelcome guests such as rodents and insects looking for a comfortable, debris lined duct or vent in which to build a nest.

Periodic commercial air duct cleaning will also safeguard HVAC systems from larger pieces of debris which can cause damage to internal mechanisms over time.

3. Reduce the Levels of Other Toxins

Circulating bacteria, mildew and mould in a contaminated air duct system can cause severe health and safety risks to employees and customers. 

Additionally, the humid conditions of some vents and ducts can cause the growth cycle of these pollutants to proliferate. As a result, ductwork heavily infested with mould or mildew would need to be replaced.

Properly cleaning and maintaining air duct systems saves businesses expensive repair and replacement costs in the long term.

4. Removes Unpleasant Smells and Odors

Cleaning products, smoke, paint fumes, and even food preparation can accumulate stale and musty smells in air ducts. Each time the system runs, these odours will re-circulate into the environment.

Frequently cleaning the air ducts removes these stagnant odours and freshens the circulating air. 

5. Reduce Symptoms from Allergies and Asthma

In addition to the contaminants mentioned previously, air ducts can also harbour toxic allergens and micro-organisms. Mould spores, pollen, and similar harmful particles circulating in the air can seriously impact the health and well-being of allergy sufferers or people with sensitivities or existing health conditions. Even people with no known allergies or respiratory issues can benefit from cleaner air. Breathing in dust and other pollutants can irritate the nose and lungs, triggering coughing and sneezing and leading to sinus congestion.

Cleaning air ducts and vents regularly can reduce employee illness and create a more comfortable and pleasant working environment.

6. Prolong the Life of your HVAC System

Ductworks which have a heavy build-up of dust and debris can negatively affect the performance of the rest of a HVAC system. When contaminants restrict the airflow to and from other parts of the unit, the whole system must work harder to force air back through and keep it flowing evenly around the environment.

Expensive replacement parts, such as the HVAC motor, will experience less wear and tear when the air ducts have been appropriately maintained and cleaned.

Regular preventative cleaning will benefit businesses in the long term by saving costs of repairs or even whole system replacement.

7. Maintains Comfortable Temperatures

A HVAC system congested with contaminants will negatively impact the performance of the heating and air conditioning components. Improving airflow to these vital mechanisms by properly cleaning ducts and vents of debris and other contaminants will ensure that the HVAC unit will function at an optimal level. As a result, businesses will benefit from a noticeably more efficient heating and air conditioning system, maintaining the working environment at comfortable temperatures.

8. Reduces Running Costs (monthly electricity costs)

Any ductwork that has become blocked with dirt and debris has to work harder and use more electricity to function correctly. On the other hand, the improved airflow in a clean system means that the heating and cooling elements will perform better and consume less electrical energy. 

A correctly maintained and cleaned HVAC system will increase energy efficiency and save money on utility bills!

9. Reduces Repair Costs

As previously mentioned, a heating or cooling system clogged with contaminants will have to work much harder to circulate air through the ducting system. In addition, the added strain and wear and tear on some of the mechanisms involved will eventually lead to expensive repair and maintenance costs as parts fail. Businesses may also need to replace whole HVAC systems should debris blockages cause too much damage to essential workings.

Restoring the airflow through regular air duct cleaning will decrease the pressure on the heating and cooling components and prolong their useability and longevity.

If you’d like to know more about cleaning and maintaining your ducts, give us a call on 0333 772 0089 or get in touch via our website.