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Can Dirty Air Ducts Make You Sick?

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You do your best to avoid pollution when you are outside; but what if you’re inside your own home? Are you still as protected? Dirty air ducts at home can be a common source of airborne illnesses. There are many potential health risks involved when they are left to accumulate dust, dirt, and mold. If you’re asking “can dirty air ducts make you sick” then you may have already made your point.

Can Dirty Air Ducts Make You Sick?

The short answer is yes. When your air ducts are dirty, it can affect the quality of indoor air in your home and this could lead to a wide range of health concerns and illnesses. 

This is why regular cleaning of air ducts is recommended. If not, your family could be at risk of suffering pulmonary health conditions. If you or any in your family have existing allergies, the presence of air contaminants can trigger an allergic reaction. Don’t wait until this happens, be proactive and keep your air ducts clean at all times. 

If you don’t have the tools and equipment to do an extensive cleaning of your air ducts, you can hire a professional to clean it for you. There are plenty of specialized services out there that can get the job done well and keep your home safe for the entire family. 

7 Ways Dirty Air Ducts Affect Your Health

Now that you are aware that dirty air ducts can make you sick, it’s time to investigate further and discover how. These are some of the ways that a dirty air duct can affect your health. 

Dirty Air Ducts Lower Indoor Air Quality

The presence of dirt, dust, and other particles in the air ducts can cause the air quality to drop significantly within your home. With the presence of these particles in the duct, it can be distributed throughout your home through your cooling and heating systems. Once it is in the air, your family can breathe those particles through your indoor air. 

It can be hazardous especially if anyone in your family has existing pulmonary health issues.

Dirty Air Ducts Cause Colds and Allergies

If the quality of indoor air in your home is low, it can lead to allergies, colds, sore throats, and coughing. This is because the allergens present in the indoor air are distributed and circulated through your home via the air ducts. 

This can cause anyone with asthma or respiratory allergies to suffer from colds, flu, and trigger coughing. It can also be potentially dangerous if you have newborns or babies at home. Some people also develop dry and itchy skin due to the presence of pollutants in the air. If anyone in your family is suddenly suffering from rashes or eczema, even without a prior history, then dirty air ducts could be to blame. 

dirty air ducts possible health effects

Dirty Air Ducts Lead to ‘Sick Building Syndrome’

Air ducts that are not well-maintained can collect dust pollen, insects, pets, and other debris. If these particles and allergens accumulate in the air ducts, it can be distributed throughout your home (or a building). When you breathe polluted air for an extended period of time, it can lead to severe respiratory diseases. 

Dirty Air Ducts Cause Unpleasant Odors

When there is mildew or mold that has settled in the air ducts, it can cause a musty odor in your home or building. At first, this odor is less noticeable. However, as more mold and mildew form in the air duct, this can become more pungent. Anyone who is new to your home will notice the unpleasant odor that you might not notice because you’ve grown accustomed to it.

Dirty Air Ducts Can Invite Insects and Rodents

Insects and rodents have no place in your home. However, dirty air ducts can invite them into your home because they thrive in these conditions. The presence of rodents and insects in your home is not just an annoyance; it can become a serious health hazard. If you want to eliminate them, you have to hire a professional pest exterminator to safely get rid of them.

However, failing to clean your air ducts would mean that they will eventually find their way back into your home. A good long-term solution for pest and rodent control is to clean your air ducts regularly.

Dirty Air Ducts Cause the HVAC System to Fail

The presence of dirt and other types of debris in your heating and cooling system at home can cause the entire system to not function properly, if not fail. If the system is not functioning as it should, it means that your indoor air is not properly filtered. In fact, it can even be the medium with which you can breathe the harmful substances inside your home. 

Make sure you have your air ducts professionally cleaned if you don’t want to incur the expense involved with the repair or replacement of the HVAC system. 

Dirty Air Ducts Can Make You Feel Tired

Stress is one of the indicators that your air ducts at home are dirty. When there are bacteria or other harmful substances in the air that you breathe, your body is compelled to go into a defensive mode. Your immune system has to work harder than usual to protect itself against these health hazards. 

If you notice yourself feeling chronically tired and run-down, then it could be a result of dirty air ducts at home. It is a simple, even unnoticeable factor, but it can impact your health (and that of your family) significantly. 

 

how dirty air ducts can make you sick

Signs Your Air Ducts Need Cleaning

Is it time to schedule a professional cleaning for your air ducts? There are tell-tale signs that you must be on the lookout for, such as the following:

  • There is a presence of mold inside your air ducts. 
  • There are insects and pests that live inside your air ducts.
  • There is dust and debris that clog your air ducts. 

Professional air duct cleaning is the best way to eliminate any dirt, dust, mold, or allergens in your air ducts. It’s a small investment you have to pay in exchange for improving the quality of air inside your home and protecting your family’s health. 

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