There was a significant buildup of contaminants inside the pipes.
This past Summer was especially tepid and muggy. While the season is respectfully quite mild, my buddy and I experienced temperatures in the upper eighties and low nineties for several months straight. The humidity levels were brutal. My air conditioner had a hard time keeping up with demand. While the whole home felt slightly overheated, there were certain rooms that were extra uncomfortable. I noticed a musty odor coming from the vents and an abundance of dust and other particles. There were concerns with condensate running down the windows and problems with mold and mildew growth. Although I lowered the thermostat several times, it made little difference. The air conditioner was running nearly all the time yet not providing sufficient cool air. My yearly electric bills were super high. When I realized that my family was complaining of headaches, congestion, insomnia and sore throat because of the cooling system, I hired a professional Heating plus Air Conditioning contractor for repairs. A thorough inspection and diagnostic testing of the entire system identified the ductwork as the source of the concerns. There was a significant buildup of contaminants inside the pipes. During the cleaning process, the worker found dust, dander, lint, construction debris, bugs, webs, decomposing rodents and mold growth. Every time the air conditioner started up, it was spreading harmful toxins into our breathing air. Plus, the accumulation was restricting airflow and adding to the workload of the cooling unit… Fortunately, the duct cleaning service was handled separate from detriment to the apartment and restored official performance of the air conditioner. I now plan to have the ductwork took care of every couple of years.