How often should I clean my ducts in Tampa?
NADCA recommends professional duct cleaning every 3 to 5 years for most homes, sooner if you have pets, recent renovation dust, smokers, or visible mold at the registers. Tampa humidity accelerates dust loading and microbial growth compared to drier climates, so we lean toward the 3-year side of that range for homes with allergy sufferers. Not sure if yours actually needs it? Call (813) 343-2212 for a FREE diagnosis. We will scope the trunks and registers and show you photos. If it does not need cleaning, we will tell you.
Do UV lights really work against mold?
Yes, when they are sized correctly and installed in the right spot. UV-C kills mold, mildew, and bacterial colonies on contact, but the lamp has to be mounted within roughly 6 inches of the evaporator coil and aimed at the wet surface where mold actually grows. A UV bulb stuck in the return plenum 4 feet upstream does almost nothing. We install Halo-LED units because the LED platform runs cooler, lasts about 25,000 hours, produces zero ozone, and outputs across a broader germicidal spectrum than a standard mercury bulb. Sized to your coil and CFM, not one-size-fits-all.
What’s the lifespan of flex duct in Tampa?
Roughly 15 to 20 years in a Tampa Bay attic, even though the manufacturer rating is closer to 25. Attic temperatures over 130 degrees, sustained UV exposure through soffit vents, and humidity cycling break down the inner liner faster than the spec sheet predicts. By year 15 we commonly see torn inner cores, sagging runs that pool water, and outer jackets that crumble when touched. If your home was built before 2010 and the ducts have never been replaced, it is worth a visual inspection.
How do I know if my ducts are leaking?
Common signs: rooms that never get cool no matter where the thermostat sits, electric bills that creep up year over year despite the same usage, a dusty home no matter how often you change the filter, and an attic that feels noticeably cooler than it should during a hot afternoon (that is your conditioned air leaking into it). The definitive answer is a duct leakage test, which pressurizes the system to 25 Pascals and measures total CFM loss. We include it as part of any air quality FREE diagnosis when symptoms point to leakage.
Do you offer financing on duct replacement or UV lights?
Yes. We work with GreenSky and Wisetack for HVAC and air quality financing, both with same-day approval. Plans range from 0 percent promotional terms for qualified buyers up to longer fixed-rate options on full duct replacements. Apply at the kitchen table on your phone, no paper packet, no waiting. The FREE estimate is yours whether you finance, pay outright, or hold off entirely.
Why is my house so dusty even with AC running?
Triage in this order. First, check the filter, a clogged or low-MERV filter (MERV 6 or below) lets dust pass straight through. Step it up to MERV 11 or MERV 13 if your system static pressure can handle it. Second, the return duct is the most common culprit, a leaky return pulls unconditioned attic air loaded with insulation fibers, rodent dander, and roof-deck dust straight into your living space, then the supply blows it out the registers. Third, the duct interior itself may be coated with years of buildup that no filter can stop downstream. Fourth, gaps around register boots and the air handler cabinet bypass the filter entirely. A FREE diagnosis will identify which of the four is actually driving your dust problem. Call (813) 343-2212.
