Air duct cleaning is a service that’s been cropping up over the years for heating and cooling systems. It is a topic of debate whether it is necessary for your home maintenance.
So is duct cleaning worth it? Read on for some helpful information on duct cleaning and situations where it is a good idea.
What Is Duct Cleaning?
Air duct cleaning services clean the supply, intake, and return ducts in forced air systems. This cleaning service uses special blowers, vacuums, and brushes to remove dust and debris from the ducts.
Is Duct Cleaning Worth It?
While cleaning out ducts isn’t a proven method to improve air quality in your home, your ducts will get dirty over time without cleaning.
Cleaning your ducts doesn’t need to be part of your regular home maintenance, but it’s something to consider every few years. There are a few specific scenarios in your home that will require you to clean your ducts sooner.
Mold
Mold can be harmful anywhere in your home, including your ductwork. If your ducts have any visible mold growth, you will want them cleaned for the health and safety of your family.
Remodeling Work
If you’ve been doing any renovations in your home, especially if it’s an older home, cleaning out your air ducts is a smart thing to do. Old homes often have lead paint or asbestos, which can be dangerous if regularly inhaled or ingested.
Any renovations will produce dust in your home that can become stuck in your vents. After the remodeling is complete, consider hiring a duct cleaning service to keep harmful dust out of your system.
Vermin or Other Animals
If any vermin, such as rats or mice, work their way into your ducts, they might nest there and cause an infestation. If vermin or other types of animals make a home in your ductwork, you will want your ducts cleaned after the animals are removed to avoid any contamination.
Allergy-Related Illnesses
Someone in your house suffering from allergy-related symptoms with no other explanations may be reacting to allergens in your ducts. Large amounts of dust or mold can filter into the air and trigger allergies.
If you have eliminated other possible sources, you may want to give your ducts a cleaning to find out if they were the cause.
Debris
If you clean the registers in your home often but still find that dust, debris, pet hair, or odors filter into the room, you may have blocked ducts.
Blocked ducts can push contaminants into rooms through the air. If this occurs, a duct cleaning might be in order to remove the excess debris.
Is Air Duct Cleaning a Ripoff?
While duct cleaning isn’t a cleaning service that is necessary for every homeowner, there are situations where it might be beneficial for the air quality in your home.
If you’ve been on the fence wondering “Is duct cleaning worth it?”, we hope this article gave you the information to make an informed decision for your home. Read some of our other posts for more home improvement tips!
