Out of sight, out of mind. Often, because we don’t see what’s going on behind our air vents, we don’t think about it. But if you’re living with dirty ducts, it does affect the rest of your home in significant ways. If your ducts are dirty, that means the air you’re breathing in is dirty, and it could make you vulnerable to viruses and could exacerbate other health problems. In fact, the invisibility of this issue (if you’re not having your ducts cleaned regularly) can make it worse, because you won’t notice a difference until it’s already gone too far. Here are a few dangers of dirty ductwork.

Allergy/Sinus

Autumn through spring can be a rough time of year for seasonal viruses. In fall, it’s ragweed. In winter, dry air can exacerbate the sinuses. In spring, the pollen levels can have every nose red and raw from the constant kleenexes. And dust and debris that gets into your indoor air quality will only exacerbate any of these problems. The problem with having this kind of buildup in your vents is that every time the heating or cooling blows through, some of that dust and debris gets into your home. You might not be able to see it right away, but you’re breathing it in, and your sinuses will definitely feel it.

Respiratory

Dirty ducts could also release bacteria into the air that could cause respiratory infections. Respiratory infections have similar symptoms to that of allergy, sinuses, and colds. They even last roughly the same amount of time in most cases. However, the longer your ductwork is left uncleaned, the more susceptible you’ll be to respiratory infections and you may find them a frequent occurrence. If you have children, they could be especially vulnerable to respiratory infections.

Asthma

Dirty ductwork could also be a problem for those in the household with asthma. Asthma is characterized by spasms in the lungs that make even fresh, clean air difficult to breathe. Imagine how much harder asthmatic lungs have to work when breathing in dusty air full of bacterias and allergens. If someone in your home has had an uptick in asthma attacks and there’s no obvious cause, look to your ductwork. Chances are you’ll find your answer there.

Mold

We’ve talked about the dangers of dust and debris as well as other bacterias in your ductwork. However, one of the most threatening issues could be mold. Not only is mold in your ductwork bad for the structure of your ducts, but as it filters into the air in your home, it’s most likely to spread. In fact, many widespread mold problems in the home start in the ductwork, because it’s dark enough to allow the mold to flourish.

It may be that your ductwork is fine behind your vent, but chances are if it’s been neglected for long enough, you may have any of these issues. Contact Air Solutions in Bryan-College Station today for more information on keeping your ductwork clean and avoiding these common issues with dirty ductwork.