Winter has officially settled in across the Jersey Shore, which is why countless Sea Isle homeowners are currently bracing for higher monthly energy bills.
You’ll inevitably be running your heating system much longer throughout the next couple months, your windows will mainly stay shut, and you’ll be spending more time indoors—which can all add up to higher utilities. And although most people focus on things like insulation, thermostats and furnace maintenance, one overlooked home improvement factor that undermines heating efficiency is dirty ductworks.
We recently interviewed Apex Clean Air’s ductwork cleaning experts in Broomfield, Colorado to get a more in-depth glimpse into how ductwork cleaning appointments can often be the missing step that a lot of homeowners forget about when they’re scratching their heads at escalating energy bills.
So, check out the below sections to see how ductwork cleaning could make your home more comfortable and efficient this season!
It’s no secret how coastal homes experience unique challenges during the winter months. Rapidly fluctuating temperatures, cold winds, and lingering moisture can all put heavy strains on residential heating systems.
And when ducts are clogged with pet hair, debris, dust and salt-laden particles from the shore, your property’s heated air can have a much more difficult time moving freely as it’s supposed to. This results in longer furnace run times, uneven temperatures across various rooms, and higher than normal energy consumption—which all contribute to your monthly bills.
Older homes just so happen to be especially vulnerable to these dilemmas due to them being built long before recent energy-efficiency standards!
Your home’s HVAC system relies heavily on unobstructed, clean ducts efficiently distributing warm air. When accumulated buildup occurs deep inside your ductwork system, your entire property’s airflow becomes more restricted, which forces your heating system to work harder and consume more energy.
During the winter months, this type of inefficiency typically gets magnified. Even small duct obstructions can create noticeable levels of heat loss, which can leave certain rooms feeling chilly and others overheated.
Beyond basic energy costs, dirty ducts can also impact your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ) and comfort.
Allergens, dust and mold spores often get trapped deep within ducts and then unfortunately circulate throughout coastal homes by contributing to lingering odors, dry air, and all sorts of respiratory irritations.
Ductwork cleaning ends up helping families create a healthier living environment, and this is especially the case during the winter when we’re all spending more time indoors.
Sea Isle’s coastal climate also includes another very important factor that homeowners must keep in mind: moisture.
Even during the winter, condensation and humidity builds up inside duct systems. This is particularly an issue when ducts just so happen to run through unconditioned areas like attics or crawlspaces. When moisture mixes in with dust, it ends up developing the perfect living conditions for mold growth.
Professional ductwork cleaning services go a very long way to effectively remove this type of organic material, which is what mold feeds on. This subsequently allows homeowners to recognize early red flag warning signs before they get worse!
A lot of local homeowners hold the assumption that ductwork cleaning appointments should be made during the fall or spring months, but the truth is that winter can actually be the perfect time—particularly when you’re recognizing abnormally high energy bills.
By cleaning your ducts during the middle of winter, you can effectively restore your home’s airflow efficiency and ultimately improve your entire HVAC system’s performance when you truly need it most.
These types of maintenance appointments are also a proactive step to take shortly before peak cold snaps occur. Instead of waiting for unexpected system strains or uneven heating to happen, winter ductwork cleaning helps guarantee that your home’s warm air will effectively reach every room as it’s meant to.
Although you shouldn’t consider ductwork cleaning as a standalone fix for all high energy bill issues, it does typically complement many other winter efficiency strategies like maintaining your heating equipment and sealing up any drafts.
By reducing airflow resistance deep within your ducts, your HVAC system will be more easily able to heat your home and cycle off much sooner—which will inevitably lead to significant energy savings throughout the course of a winter season.
And for Sea Isle homeowners who want to balance rising utility costs with indoor comfort, this overlooked home improvement service can often be the biggest difference maker!
We’re all continuing to see winter energy bills rise, which is why a lot of local homeowners are currently reconsidering where their home efficiency losses are actually deriving from.
Ductwork cleaning might not be the type of upgrade that you visibly notice, but it’ll show itself through improvements in indoor comfort, airflow and heating costs.
That’s why this winter you should consider addressing what’s going on behind your walls when you’re looking to make your energy bills more manageable!
