Your air ducts serve as the lifeline of your entire home or, in other words, they’re basically the lungs of the home itself. That said, they aren’t really taken care of as well as they should be if you’re asking me, at least.
From my point of view, you should view your air ducts with more importance. I mean, calling them the lifeline of your entire home wouldn’t be appropriate if the ducts themselves weren’t important.
As if that alone isn’t enough, consider your wallet. Air ducts systems are expensive. They may not be a new Ferrari expensive; however, they are definitely too expensive to buy or fix them more often than necessary.
So, to recap, it’s fully in your best interest to ensure the longevity of your air ducts. But how? That’s what we’ll be exploring in the following paragraphs, so stick with us! Let’s start with the basics.
What helps air ducts last longer?
Clean them.
This part is actually pretty straightforward, and you don’t have to be an engineer to understand. Because like a lot of machinery and (hopefully) most of us, your air ducts like to be clean.
See? That’s not hard to wrap your head around at all.
Air ducts don’t like to buildup dust or other grime that just gums up the system, yet, they, unfortunately, do that a lot. It simply comes with the territory as you’re pushing that amount of air around for that many hours a day.
So, if you prioritize giving them a good cleaning every once in a while, they’ll be able to thank you by lasting much longer down the line.
Note: Don’t just go in there with some all-purpose cleaner because that’s not what I’m talking about. If you want to do the job right, there’s only one thing to do– pass it off to the professionals.
The odds are that you can’t get in the walls and reach inside the ducts where most of the dust and debris is, but professionals and their equipment can do it easily. So, don’t waste your time or energy. Let them take over and ensure that the job is done right.
Don’t overwork them.
This is another thing that I imagine we can all agree on– being overworked is not fun at all, nor does it exactly promote efficiency in the long run.
In fact, I’d gamble to say that if your employer is consistently overworking you, you wouldn’t belong for that position. So, it’s fair to say that your air duct system may want to clock out a bit sooner as well.
If you want your HVAC system to last longer or your ducts themselves to stand the test of time, consider taking it easy on them here and there, you can think of it as a breather for them. It shouldn’t be too hard as well! Just think about how many days it feels fantastic outside. On those occasions, you hardly need the system to be running.
To sum up this point, treat your ducts how you want your ducts to treat you. They’ll show you appreciation through working for a long time.
Ask for some advice.
Unfortunately, this is where a lot of people will draw the line. Hire professionals? Sure. Consult an article or two (Not that it’s a bad thing)? Sure. Now, ask a professional who works on the air ducts for a career? No– that’s what too many people say. Often, without even considering it, it’s almost like it’s too much work, or they’d rather pay the price for a new system.
Why, though? It’s easy! Because practical and intelligent advice from people who know the ins and outs of your entire system is right there! The only thing that’s needed from you is asking.
You only stand to gain by asking them for a point or two, and you only run the risk of decreasing the longevity of your system if you don’t. So, don’t wait any longer. Hurry up and take advantage!
Perform the small repairs before they turn big.
Final tip, don’t ignore a squeaking or rattling sound. Things like that can often mean there are loose joints throughout your duct system–causing the plastic to rattle. That may seem like a fairly tame problem. However, like a lot of things, it can snowball into a larger issue.
If you let that happen, it could mean having to replace a massive part or even the whole system. So, pay attention to your system! If it seems like there’s a problem–even a small one– get it fixed.
That’s it! If these tips don’t help your system last longer, then I’m afraid that few things can.
But to recap everything that we’ve discussed so far, clean, ask for advice, perform repairs and don’t overwork them. If you do all of these things and be on the lookout for any other recommendations or tips from professionals, then I’m sure that your duct system will last for a long time to come! All that’s left is to put it all together and get going!
Good luck with your air ducts, and if you need help, we’re here.
But always remember, treat your ducts how you want your ducts to treat you.
