Do you know the importance of duct cleaning? Has it been a while since you’ve had your home’s air ducts cleaned out? If so, it’s a good idea to schedule a professional service appointment before running your heater this winter.

“Your air ducts are a great place for dirt and other debris to accumulate,” says Phil Montgomery, owner of Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning. “When you run your heater for the first time, all that dirt and debris will get mixed in with your air, spreading the particles throughout your home.”

So what does professional duct cleaning do? It improves the quality of the air inside your home by:

• Removing dirt and dust, thereby preventing it from entering the air your family breathes.
• Eliminating germs and bacteria associated with dirt.
• Improving the efficiency of your home’s heater.
• Reducing the effects of winter allergies on your family.

Additionally, you should have the ducts in your home cleaned regularly if someone in the home suffers from asthma or allergies, anyone smokes inside the home, or you have pets that shed.

“Think of it this way – the average six room home can accumulate up to 40 pounds of dust in a year,” says Montgomery. “And the duct work of your home can be compared to the lungs – they take air in and push air out. If the ducts are laden with debris, that debris will enter the air your family breathes in.”

In addition to that, when dirt and other particles clog your duct work, they cause your HVAC unit to work harder. A cleaner unit will run more efficiently, hopefully adding to energy savings for you.

If it has been a while since you’ve had the ducts in your home cleaned, it’s a good idea to call Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning before you run your heater for the winter. This is especially true if you or anyone in your family suffers from asthma or allergies.

If you already have a standard service appointment schedule, simply ask the technician to add duct cleaning to the services provided at the appointment. Your family will breathe easier this winter if you do.