Nationwide, May is recognized as Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. However, in Austin we don’t need an awareness month… we deal with it daily! Like so many Austin transplants, I never struggled with seasonal allergies until I moved to Central Texas.
A common strategy for coping with allergies is to address indoor air quality (IAQ), and many would suggest that duct cleaning is an integral part of managing IAQ. Every day, we receive calls at Champion AC & Plumbing from customers looking for duct cleaning, and our answer is simple:
NEVER GET YOUR DUCTS CLEANED!
If your duct system was properly installed, you should never have to clean your ducts because they would have been properly sealed upon installation. When ducts are properly designed and sealed, they are impenetrable and harmful particles cannot get into your duct system. That being said, I realize that unfortunately many duct systems are not properly sealed upon installation, and that is why people experience major issues with IAQ.
Another factor to consider is that duct cleaning is not a gentle process. It aggravates the duct system and ultimately degrades the duct. It also kicks up dust and particles, compromising the integrity of your entire HVAC system and most likely making your allergies even worse.
SO WHAT IS THE TAKEAWAY?
Do not listen to other HVAC companies that tell you your ducts need to be cleaned or try to take your money for such a service. Duct cleaning is a band-aid fix, and actually exacerbates the issue. The proper solution is to seal the ducts and to consider a whole-home air purifier. These easy steps are guaranteed to fix your IAQ problem and to help you live more allergy-free! If you’re experiencing IAQ issues, Champion AC & Plumbing would love to help you out — the right way.