I’ve only been a homeowner for 3 years and it’s been one incredible experience. Nowadays, there are many challenges that hinder young people from purchasing homes. Many opt to rent until they can have enough money and a good income to sustain a home. That was me 3 years ago before I got the best news ever. I had about $85000 in student loans and rented an apartment with 3 other roommates. Then, by a stroke of luck, I won $300000 in the lottery. The money I received was enough to clear my student loans and put a downpayment on a house. Then came the responsibility of owning property. Among the biggest lessons I’ve learned in 3 years has been the importance of proper HVAC maintenance. I did get an HVAC inspection when I moved into my house. This included ensuring the ductwork and vents were in good working condition. The HVAC technician also made sure the HVAC unit was good to use for some time. Then, he told me to always schedule HVAC maintenance to keep this pattern going. But, I never did until my indoor air quality started deteriorating. I was getting ill and my doctor suspected this was because of poor indoor air quality. Her advice was to hire an HVAC technician for proper HVAC maintenance. This included air duct cleaning and dusting the air vents. Truly, this was the cause of the poor indoor air quality because the ductwork and air vents were filthy and there were even traces of mold. That was a tough lesson to learn and now I make sure I get duct cleaning every 6 months.