Houston, Texas (NAPSI) - Heating, ventilating and air-conditioning your home is a big job that requires a lot of energy. In fact, it accounts for 30 percent of the energy used in an average home, the largest source of energy use by far.
Ironically, these systems also tend to be poorly maintained. Because they’re used every day of the year, they can become heavily contaminated with dirt, dust, animal dander and more. Contaminated systems contribute to poor indoor air, increased airborne particulate and reduced comfort. Dirty systems are also prone to failure and use more energy than clean systems.
The Importance Of Airflow
For a productive, energy-efficient heating and cooling system, airflow is everything. When systems are dirty, airflow is reduced. Dirty filters, clogged coils, dirty blowers and other parts all impede airflow and increase energy costs.
The solution is to have the heating and air-conditioning system professionally cleaned. This entails cleaning not only the ductwork but the vents, registers, blower, coils and other components...any surface exposed to the airflow within the system.
Cost Study
How much does running a dirty heating and cooling system cost? The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), a not-for-profit trade association, determined to find out. To do so, it enlisted researchers at theUniversityofColoradoatBoulder’s Larson Building Systems Laboratory, one of the world’s most technologically advanced facilities for researching heating and cooling systems.
According to the study, cleaning even slightly dirty systems in accordance with NADCA’s standards—which includes cleaning ductwork, coils, blower and other air-side system components and changing the filter—can produce substantial energy savings: on average, an 11 percent off the energy used for heating and airconditioning. The more clogged the system, the greater the savings cleaning it can bring.
Expert Advice
Explained NADCA President Matt Mongiello: “We live with economic instability today and finding ways to be more cost effective and energy efficient can save money and give consumers peace of mind. NADCA embarked on this study to quantify savings affiliated with clean air conveyance systems, to define ‘clean’ and to make consumers aware of the industry standard they should expect when hiring a duct cleaner.”
Learn More
For further facts on having your heating, ventilation and cooling system cleaned, visit www.nadca.com.
