Last winter we had some major concerns with indoor air quality.
There was an unpleasant smell in the house that no amount of cleaning would get rid of. I needed to dust and vacuum several times a week because there was a continual buildup of contaminants on surfaces. I figured out that the dust was getting blown out of the heating ducts. I also noticed that the furnace was running far longer than usual and yet the house was a bit chilly. Turning up the thermostat didn’t seem to make much difference. There was a significant temperature fluctuation from one room to the next. I contacted a local HVAC company and explained all of my concerns. They sent an HVAC technician to inspect the furnace and he found problems with the duct system. There was an accumulation of all sorts of debris concealed inside. That buildup was restricting airflow from the furnace, preventing the heated air from reaching various rooms. This was forcing the furnace to work harder and use more energy. Plus, every time the heating system started up, it was spreading all sorts of allergens throughout the house. My family was then breathing in these harmful toxins and at risk of health problems. I expected the duct cleaning process to be extremely involved and expensive. It only took a couple of hours, and there was no mess or damage. The HVAC technician used a tool that looked a lot like a giant vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment. The brush scrubbed away stubborn debris which was then sucked up into the hose. After the duct cleaning was complete, there was an immediate improvement in the smell, cleanliness and comfort of my home.