HVAC ductwork consists of a system of trunks, pipes, and flues. The ductwork distributes airflow throughout your house. Air gets sucked into your heater or cooler, properly conditioned, and then blown back out into your home all through the system of ductwork.

With so much exchange of air taking place, the system of ductwork can potentially send contaminants into your home. Said contaminants can make you sick or your home dirty. Below are five signs that you have dirty air ducts that necessitate cleaning.

One danger of dirty air ducts is that the flow of air will become impeded. In this case, debris in the ductwork will prevent the air from flowing freely. As such, your HVAC unit will have to work harder because the conditioned air isn’t moving as efficiently through the air ducts as was designed to happen.

You can test if the air is being impeded yourself. Turn on your air conditioner and observe the vents in every room. Notice if the flow of air is different in any of them, indicating that the duct has a blockage. You may also hear a whistling or otherwise noisy airflow, which is another sign of air duct blockage.

Your air ducts aren’t completely enclosed. Obviously, they have vents out into the house. Well, they also have vents to the outdoors. Unfortunately, pests such as cockroaches and rodents can easily invade your ductwork through these vents or through faulty seals where duct pipes are supposed to be joined.

You can look inside your ducts by opening some of your vent covers. Look for the obvious signs such as carcasses, skeletons, or the pests themselves. You may even see full droppings. However, be aware that even “dust” might be composed of rodent and cockroach droppings. If you spy any of these signs, you may need to call an exterminator and then have your ducts cleaned.

Mold can grow anywhere that has too much moisture, including your air ducts. What’s more, when your HVAC system sucks air into the ductwork, it can inadvertently pick up mold from other areas and transfer it into the air duct system.

If you smell mold whenever you turn your HVAC system on, you likely have mold in your ductwork or even in your air conditioner. You might also see the mold itself. It can look like a black or brown powdery substance. Examine your vents or just inside your duct for such a sign. You might also notice damp areas around your ductwork, which may be the origins of the mold.

Modifying your ductwork is an important part of any remodel job if you’re adding livable space. However, even if you’re not having an addition installed, your air ducts can be impacted by the remodel job. Contractors are supposed to seal them off during the renovation, but the protection isn’t always adequate.

If you’ve had a comprehensive remodel job completed recently, considering having your air ducts cleaned just to make sure there’s no lingering dust or debris. If you’ve had asbestos abated or lead paint removed, air duct cleaning should be an automatic add-on for the job.

Dust, especially in an enclosed space like HVAC ductwork, can be composed of some disgusting materials. As noted above, rodent and cockroach droppings can crumble down to the dust level. Mold can mix with dust. Even human and pet dander can be sucked into the system and settle into the dust.

Besides being disgusting, such contaminants can cause upper respiratory distress. If you or a family member has been suffering from lingering allergy symptoms, dust in the air ducts is a likely culprit.

If you notice any of the above signs that you have dirty ducts, call the HVAC experts in to clean your ductwork. AirGanic can solve any of your HVAC issues.