If you want to keep your house comfortable and healthy, you need to keep up with necessary maintenance for its HVAC system. Professional duct cleaning is an often overlooked part of this upkeep. Over time, air ducts can accumulate debris such as dust, grime, mold, and other contaminants, which can diminish the effectiveness of your system. Understanding how often you should get your air ducts cleaned is a key part of making your home safe and comfortable.
Why Is Professional Duct Cleaning Important?
The air ducts in your home are like the lungs of an organism. They transport the air you breathe into every room of your house. If you allow contaminants to accumulate in them, air drafts will carry the harmful particles around the house, lowering the quality of the air inside and possibly making household members’ breathing problems worse. Having clean air ducts is especially important for individuals who suffer from allergies, asthma or other respiratory disorders.
Dirty ducts aren’t only bad for your health — they can also make your HVAC system work less efficiently. The system will have to work harder than usual if dust and other materials clog the filters, obstruct the vents or lower the airflow. This causes energy costs to rise and may necessitate expensive repairs in the future.
How Often Should You Schedule Professional Duct Cleaning?
The National Air Duct Cleaners Association recommends having a trained expert clean your air ducts every three to five years. You might need more frequent duct cleaning if you reside in a heavily polluted area, have pets that shed, or smoke indoors. More frequent cleanings are also beneficial for homes that have recently undergone renovations, especially if there is drywall dust or construction debris.
Signs That It’s Time to Get Your Ducts Cleaned
No matter when you last had your system serviced, a musty smell emanating from the vents or apparent mold growth surrounding the ducts is a clear system that it’s time for a cleaning. Abnormally high energy bills — a result of your HVAC system having to work harder than usual due to clogged ducts — are another clue that it’s time to hire a professional duct cleaner. If you clean your furniture and other surfaces frequently but still find a lot of dust, it could be a sign that the air is recirculating the particles. Another indicator that particles are contaminating your home’s air is if anyone in your household has unexplained allergy symptoms or respiratory concerns.
What to Expect During Professional Duct Cleaning
Having an idea of what to expect can make you feel more at ease when you arrange expert duct cleaning. A professional HVAC technician will start by checking the state of your ducts. To see inside the system, they might employ cameras or other specialized equipment. During this inspection, they will be able to determine the extent of the cleaning required and spot problems like mold development or obstructions.
The specialist will clean your ducts thoroughly after the examination by using strong vacuums and brushes to remove any dust, dirt, and debris that may have accumulated there. To make sure your HVAC system is running at its best, the expert may also clean the blower motor, coils, and drip pans, among other things.
Depending on your home’s size and the state of your ducts, the cleaning operation could take a few hours or more. During the cleaning process, it is wise to keep small children and dogs away from the work area to prevent any potential interruptions.
Your specialist may provide you with aftercare instructions to help keep your ducts clean as long as possible. Some examples of this include installing a whole-house air purifier, changing the air filters more frequently, or having inspections more often to detect problems early.
How to Find a Reliable Duct Cleaner
Always choose businesses that have good references and positive reviews from previous customers. Get a written quote before they begin, and make sure you ask about their cleaning process and tools. Make sure they have insurance to avoid any problems.
O'Brien Heating & Air Conditioning is the company to call when you need your ducts cleaned in Drexel Hill, PA. We also help homeowners with boiler service, radiant heating, indoor air quality, ductless mini-splits, water heaters, and more.
Call us today to learn more or schedule duct cleaning for your house!
