HVAC systems are a staple of American homes. They help keep the cold at bay during winter and protect us from the searing heat in summer. However, despite their usefulness, most homeowners don’t give their HVAC systems the attention they deserve.
Diligent HVAC maintenance is imperative for a well-functioning and efficient HVAC system. One crucial aspect of HVAC maintenance is air duct cleaning. It’s pretty obvious that the air ducts need to be cleaned, but how often do you need to clean them?
Cleaning your ducts every day would have the greatest effect, but that’s highly impractical. Maybe you should clean them once a year or maybe once in two years, who knows? Well, we do, and we’re here to tell you how often you should clean your air ducts and everything you need to know about air duct cleaning.
Expert Advice on Air Duct Cleaning
According to experts, you should clean your air ducts after every three years or five years at most. Trusting expert advice is way better than using your intuition. The only problem is telling when it’s the ideal time to clean air ducts.
The Environmental Protection Agency has tons of recommendations on cleaning your air ducts, but not a timeframe for doing so. All this seems pretty confusing, given there’s no mention of a precise interval for cleaning your ducts. To ease your confusion, let’s look at a few indicators that it’s time for some duct cleaning.
Tell-Tale Signs That It’s Time to Clean Your Ducts
Are you’re unsure whether it’s time to clean your ducts? Keep an eye out for the following signs:
Visible Gunk and Debris in the Ducts
Take a peek into your ducts with a flashlight and check whether you can see any dust or debris clusters. Lots of dust accumulation means it’s time to clean your ducts ASAP. Too much gunk and debris mean you haven’t cleaned your air ducts for a very long time.
More Sneezing and Stuffy Noses Inside the House
If you’ve noticed a lot of sneezing and sniffling or nose in your home, don’t blame the weather; clean your ducts instead. Increased allergy symptoms are an indicator that you need to clean your air ducts. Apart from sneezing and a stuffy nose, other allergy symptoms include watery eyes, itchy throat, and itchiness.
The dust and debris that accumulate in air ducts eventually find their way into your home. This is what triggers the said allergic symptoms that pose a serious health hazard to your home’s inhabitants. Pollutants like black mold spores can have adverse health impacts on house occupants.
Musty and Moldy Odors
Mold thrives in dark, humid, and damp areas. Air ducts present the ideal conditions for mold to grow and proliferate. Mold growth in your air ducts results in a sickly mold smell that is a turn-off for most people.
Any funny musty smells when you turn on your AC means it is time for some air duct cleaning. You’ll have to put up with the funny smell until you do so. You can only use air fresheners for so long before you get sick of them.
Your Home Is a Bit Dusty
Have you noticed your home is a lot dustier even after vacuuming? If so, then you probably need to clean your ducts before things get out of hand.
A dusty home indicates that your air ducts have too much dust. It also means it’s time to swap out your filters for new ones.
Visible Bugs or Signs of Bugs in Your Home
Bugs love to crawl into dirty unoccupied spaces. Dirty vents are an ideal place for all sorts of bugs to call home. Cracks and gaps that lead to your air ducts are entry points for these insects.
If you’ve noticed a lot of bugs in and around your home, they’re probably breeding in your ducts. Arrange for duct cleaning to get rid of these bugs
Is Duct Cleaning Worth It?
It’s super difficult to clean air ducts yourself, which means you’ll have to hire professionals to do it for you. This also means you’ll have to pay for your air ducts cleaning, which begs the question, is duct cleaning worth it?
The answer is a resounding yes, and here’s why:
To Get Rid of Mold
Mol is not only responsible for that musty smell but also leads to illnesses and triggers allergic reactions. Air duct cleaning gets rid of mold in your ducts to ensure your indoor air is mold-free.
To Check for Animal Infestation
Dark and dirty spaces are the perfect camping spot for little critters. Cleaning your ducts gives you the chance to check them for any small animals like rats or squirrels. These tiny creatures can wreak havoc in your home.
To Remove Contaminants
Your ducts will gather tons of contaminants over time. These contaminants include pet dander, hair, and other debris.
These contaminants not only compromise your indoor air quality but can also contaminate your food. Clean your ducts as soon as you can to get rid of these contaminants.
Post-Renovation Safety
Cleaning your air ducts is extremely important if you have just renovated your home. That’s because harmful substances like asbestos or lead paint can remain in your ducts. Duct cleaning ensures that you get rid of these harmful substances after renovation.
It’s worth noting that air duct cleaning is only worth it if you get the right air duct cleaning company to do it for you. Companies like Capitol Duct Cleaning do a bang-up job at cleaning vents. You can check it out the next time you need to clean your vents.
How Often Should You Clean Your Ducts?
There’s no specific time interval for cleaning your ducts. However, you shouldn’t let your ducts stay for more than four years without proper cleaning. Contact professional duct cleaning services for professional and diligent air duct cleaning.
Don’t forget to check out the other posts on the site for more informative reads.
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