I assumed that this would be an invasive and expensive project.
Last winter, I noticed that cooking odors were spreading throughout the entire house and lingering for hours and hours. When we’d head to bed at night, our bedrooms would smell of whatever I’d prepared for dinner. With the outside temperature down into the teens, there was no chance of opening a window and airing out the house. We were running the furnace at maximum capacity. The presence of the cooking odors made me more aware of the amount of dust floating around. I started getting concerned about the health and cleanliness of our indoor breathing air. I finally contacted a local HVAC contractor and asked him to take a look at the heater. The technician inspected the inner workings of the furnace and found no problems. He then tested the ductwork and discovered an alarming amount of debris built-up in the pipes. He said that this accumulation of dust and dirt was absorbing odors and spreading them to every room in the house whenever the furnace operated. Because our breathing air passes through the ductwork multiple times per day, any toxins concealed within the system are a big concern. Mold spores and bacteria can easily become airborne and cause health risks. The technician suggested duct cleaning. I assumed that this would be an invasive and expensive project. Instead, he brought in a machine that resembled an oversized vacuum cleaner, complete with a hose and brush attachment. The brush works to dislodge stubborn contaminants that then get sucked into the hose. The duct cleaning resulted in a significant improvement in the comfort and hygiene of the home. It also increased the efficiency and capacity of the furnace.
ductless mini split