Have you noticed that a lot of your employees have missed work because they’re sick? Have they been complaining about sore throats or sinus infections?
Allergy season may not be the problem. It could be the air in your building.
If you haven’t had your air ducts cleaned lately, they could be the source of your issues. Failure to fix this can not only throw a wrench in your productivity, but it can also make you liable.
Can Dirty Air Ducts Make Your Employees Sick?
Yes, improper cleaning or neglect of your air vents can have a devastating effect on your employees’ health. It may be particularly difficult for those who have asthma or allergies.
Signs Your Air Ducts May be Affecting the Health of Your Employees
Cleaning your air ducts doesn’t only demonstrate a concern for your employees’ health. It also protects you from liability and improves your productivity because you aren’t hampered by absenteeism.
If your employees consistently demonstrate the following symptoms, you should contact First Call’s air duct cleaning services near you.
Symptoms may indicate:
- Congestion
- Coughing and sneezing
- Sore throats
- Difficulty breathing
- Itchy eyes
- Worsening allergies
- Fever
- Headaches
- Dry Skin
- Rashes
Granted, many of these may just be signs of a bad allergy season, but if you’ve noticed it consistently throughout several months, it’s important to get your air ducts evaluated immediately.
How Often Should Air Ducts Be Cleaned?
Air ducts should be cleaned at an absolute minimum of every three to five years. However, because they can have such a wide-reaching effect on health and productivity, we encourage you to have them cleaned more often.
There are several benefits to having your air ducts cleaned regularly. These include:
- Increasing the efficiency of your HVAC
- Lowering power bills
- Avoiding contamination
- Improving indoor air quality
- Helping ensure healthy employees
- Avoiding Sick Building Syndrome
What Is Sick Building Syndrome?
Have you ever noticed that certain inside environments tend to trigger your allergies or asthma? Do you find yourself getting sick more often when you spend time in certain buildings? If so, you may be in an environment that suffers from Sick Building Syndrome.
This syndrome occurs when a building’s air quality is so poor that it affects the health of everyone in it.
In the 90s, a series of lawsuits was filed against business owners for failing to address the concerns raised by “sick buildings.”
Don’t wait until your employees start getting sick. This is why we recommend periodic air duct cleaning and inspection to address a problem before it starts.
What Happens Without Air Duct Cleaning?
Are you aware of what may be lurking in your vents? We’ll outline some of the dangers of putting off this chore for too long.
Dust Mites
These tiny creatures love the organic matter that settles in your air ducts. It’s a feast for them! More than 500 dust mites could be making their home in your air ducts. Dust mites can cause severe allergic reactions for some of your employees.
As if that weren’t disgusting enough, the excrement and dried shells the mites shed can be blown through the ventilation system. This makes the situation even worse!
You can see why you shouldn’t delay with air duct cleaning near you from First Call.
Mold
Mold can silently invade your HVAC system. By the time you realize there’s a problem, it’s too late. Mold has already established a “colony” and is causing problems for both your employees and your productivity.
Viruses
You know how when one employee gets sick, it seems like the disease makes its way around your entire workforce, gradually infecting everyone?
While basic handwashing and disinfecting can take care of a lot of that, don’t overlook the fact that your air ducts may be making a contribution to the sickness.
Damp and dirty ducts provide a perfect environment for bacteria and viruses to thrive. Stagnant air further complicates the problem, meaning your employees can be infected more easily.
Rodent Infestations
What you don’t know CAN hurt you. Or at least, it can cause you to overlook some unwanted guests.
Rodents or other vermin can easily make your air ducts their new homes, leaving behind feces and damage to your system.
First Call can seek out these creatures and clean your air ducts, eliminating their nests and kicking them out of their “home.”
Air Duct Cleaning Near You With the Service You Deserve
Our customers are at the heart of all that we do. We’ve served those who have smaller homes as well as large warehouses and universities. No job is too large or too small.
Our dedication has resulted in incredible customer loyalty. It’s something we treasure.
You see, we’re not satisfied until we exceed your expectations. It’s why we’ve been the regional leader in air duct cleaning services in the Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro and Burlington areas.
See for yourself why First Call is always the right call. Ask about our air duct cleaning services today.