Is Duct Cleaning Necessary? Know When You Should Hire a Pro
Estimated Reading Time: 4.5 minutes
Duct cleaning can help save energy and will increase the life of your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump. Assessing when to have your air ducts cleaned is difficult without professional assistance as the average person cannot tell if there’s excessive dirt build-up in ducts. However, most people know that an adverse house smell means it’s time for a pro to come out and clean them up.
Homes have hundreds of feet of ductwork
Most people fail to realize that the inner channels of our heating and cooling system span very long to accommodate all of the rooms throughout the house. Contamination can start to build up in any section of the ductwork resulting in higher dust levels in the home, odors, and even noises caused by rodents.
Common signs you should consider duct cleaning:
Have you been forced to sweep more often?
Does dust build-up on countertops faster than normal?
When you regularly change your furnace air filter, is it becoming more polluted sooner?
Have you recently renovated your home?
Dust and debris are the most common and easiest indicator. One of the worst types of indications is odor. For example; in some cases, rodents find their way into the vents. Rodents may decide to nest and live in the vents, and sometimes they may not always survive. This results in noises in the ductwork and/or strong bad odors. In extreme cases such as rodents and animals, it takes a professional company to safely remove live animals, and/or thoroughly clean out the remains.
Another aspect of odor is the possibility of mold growth. Professional duct cleaning and sterilization can clean out mold in the HVAC system, however when it comes to mold; eliminating the source takes priority so regrowth does not occur.
The HVAC system and duct work may also become dirty from recently completed construction or renovation in the home. This could be from remodeling, adding new insulation, replacing windows, painting or sanding, and more. Even in newly built homes, professional builders choose HVAC duct cleaning companies such as ours to clean the dirty air ducts before the homeowner moves into the home. We’ve found items such as rolls of nails, pieces of wood, excess insulation, drywall dust, and more!
Some companies claim duct cleaning can prevent health problems; this is a bold statement and one we do not make. However, the duct work can contain allergens, molds, bacterias, and more from the particulates that sit inside the vents. In a few cases, individuals with allergy problems in homes without any type of indoor air quality filtration have stated to us that their symptoms were reduced after duct cleaning.
Energy costs
Believe it or not, the restriction caused by dirty ducts in the HVAC system reduces the efficiency as a whole. Reduced airflow or dust blockage in the airflow means that your system is working harder to produce the same results in heating or cooling the home.
Another aspect of improving energy costs is duct sealing. Our technicians are trained to block any gaps in the vents using industrial-grade duct tape, but this method only works on visible and accessible duct vents. Leaky ducts can reduce the heating and cooling system efficiency by as much as 20 percent according to ENERGY STAR. If you believe you are experiencing leaking ducts, give us a call; we have duct sealing options we can help you out with.
A simple handheld vacuum alone is not able to reach the depths of the ducts, and unable to loosen the dirt on its own.
How duct cleaning is performed
Duct cleaning can be done by a variety of methods and there is more than one effective way to clean ducts. Our method involves a powerful truck-mounted vacuum and compressor whip system to loosen the dirt and debris, you can learn more by visiting our duct cleaning page.
It is worth us mentioning that while there are other effective methods of duct cleaning; using a simple vacuum or shop-vac is not. Some skeptics believe that simply using a vacuum hose and reaching down each individual vent is all you need; this is not the case as it is unable to loosen the dirt and debris and in most cases, reach as far as necessary to be effective. It is, however, good for general maintenance and cleanliness but does not substitute the need for professional duct cleaning.
Duct cleaning is necessary depending on the situation
The answer to whether or not duct cleaning is necessary depends on the time since it was last done. Vent cleaning in general; such as dryer vent cleaning, furnace cleaning, heat recovery ventilator vent cleaning, energy recovery ventilation vent cleaning, and even bathroom exhaust fan cleaning are all necessary because particulates of all types (such as fibers, pollen, dust, etc) eventually build-up in our vents and cause some sort of blockage. Dust alone, without odors or airflow restriction, is not necessary for duct cleaning.
While some say duct cleaning services are not necessary because dirty vents are not considered hazardous, dryer vents can be. Dryer fire prevention statistically is best prevented by maintaining clean dryer vents and lint traps.
Dirty Exhaust of Dryer Vent
Bottom Line: Is duct cleaning worth it?
We recommend duct cleaning every 3 years on average for the best maintenance. Other professional duct cleaning companies and agencies recommend duct cleaning every 3 to 5 years. If you have recently done a renovation or notice signs of increased dust and debris in your vents it is another reason to consider cleaning the vents every 3 years or possibly sooner. Cleaning your HVAC system helps keep the duct systems, furnace, air conditioner, and ac cooling coils running smoothly without restriction.
