When is air duct cleaning worth it?
We'd rather be straight with you: not every home needs its ducts cleaned. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's guide, Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned?, suggests considering cleaning when:
- There's substantial visible mold growth inside hard-surface ducts or on other parts of the heating and cooling system
- Ducts are infested with vermin, such as rodents or insects
- Ducts are clogged with excessive dust and debris, or particles are actually blowing out of the supply registers
Other common reasons homeowners schedule cleaning:
- After a remodel or renovation that produced drywall dust, sawdust or other debris
- Moving into a home where the system's history is unknown
- After smoke exposure, for example from a nearby wildfire
If we look at your system and don't think cleaning is warranted, we'll tell you.
What's included
- Inspection of accessible supply and return ducts, registers and the air handler area
- Registers and grilles removed and cleaned
- Supply and return ducts agitated with brushes and whips, with debris captured by vacuum
- Return air plenum cleaned where accessible
- A reminder about filter replacement, because a fresh filter matters as much as clean ducts
Benefits of cleaner ducts
- Less visible dust blowing from registers when the system turns on
- Removal of debris such as construction dust, pet hair and pest droppings
- A cleaner starting point after renovation, or when you move into a new-to-you home
- Better airflow where ducts were actually clogged
A note on mold: if you suspect mold in your ductwork, it should be confirmed and the moisture source fixed, otherwise it will return. The EPA also notes that wet or moldy duct insulation can't be effectively cleaned and should be replaced.
Also consider: dryer vents
If you're having your ducts cleaned, it's a good time to have the dryer vent cleaned as well. It's a separate system and one of the more important fire-safety tasks in the home.