How often should you get your ductwork cleaned?

Homes come with a lot of maintenance. You have your basic cleaning like sweeping and laundry, but you also have to get your HVAC systems and appliances cleaned out as well. You may be wondering how often you should be having your air ducts cleaned. The answer is that it ranges from 1-3 years, depending on a variety of factors.  

Keep reading to find out which factors affect the frequency of duct cleaning. Hopefully you can get an idea of when you should contact Pro Duct Solutions for your next duct cleaning.  

Why do you need ducts cleaned at all?

You can’t see the dirt in your ducts, so why does it matter if your ducts are clean? When it comes to duct cleaning, the purpose is a lot more about function than appearance, though a nice, clean duct is pretty satisfying to look at.  

Think of dust in your air ducts like a tea bag, and the air is the water. When the water hits the tea, it gets infused with everything in the teas bag. It’s the same way with dust and ducts. When the air is forced through a dust-clogged duct, it picks up particles and brings them into your home.  

Dirty ducts can be a huge issue for anyone struggling with allergies. Everything that’s in your ducts can potentially be circulated throughout your home, along with the treated air. If you have a dust, pollen, or pet dander allergy, having those particles circulating throughout your home won’t be good. Pro Duct Solutions cleans your ducts in a way that will remove all of those allergens and help you breathe a little easier.

Another thing to consider about clogged ductwork is that it could be costing you more on your energy bills. When ducts are new and clean, the air flows through them effortlessly. When your ducts are clogged and dirty, your HVAC appliances need to work hard to circulate that air. This means that they have to work harder which in turn leads to more energy consumption.  

Having your ducts cleaned is also a good thing for your furnace and air conditioner. When they to work harder to get the air out, the mechanical pieces are being put under greater strain. This can cause them to break down faster than they would otherwise. Having clean ducts is just better for your entire system.

What is the longest you can go without having your ducts cleaned?

If there are no factors affecting the overall cleanliness of your home, you can go about three years between duct cleanings. Make sure you keep an eye on the signs your ducts need cleaning, like dusty smelling air, noises in the ducts, or dirty air vents. If it has been three years and you still haven’t noticed any of these signs, it still might be a good idea to have an HVAC technician do a quick inspection.  

How pets affect your ducts.

One major factor that is going to affect the cleanliness of your ducts is pets, pet hair, and pet dander. Pets produce far more debris than humans, they shed, they track in outdoor dirt, and they produce dander. All of this can find its way into your duct system but not back out again.  

If you have multiple, large, heavily shedding dogs, you’ll probably want to schedule a yearly duct cleaning. If you have a single hairless cat, it might not affect your ducts in the same way and you could stick with the three-year timeline. If you have birds, you might want to have your ducts cleaned more often as their respiratory systems are delicate and you’ll want to make sure the air they breathe is clean.  

How smoking affects your ducts.

The smoke from cigarettes often finds its way in your duct system and then gets circulated throughout the whole thing. Cigarette smoke can leave behind a residue which then produces a smoky smell long after the smoke itself is gone. Pro Duct Solutions has the required skills and experience to be able to go into your vents and clear away all that residue to keep your air feeling clean and fresh.  

If you’re a heavy smoker, you might want to have your ducts cleaned yearly, whereas if you’re a lighter smoker, every two years might be fine. If you’ve recently quit smoking, it’s a good idea to get your ducts cleaned ASAP so you can get started on removing the smoke smell from your home for good.  

How kids affect your ducts.

Children are messy, but they generally tend to be more of a danger to the walls and furniture than the duct system. Consider how appealing dropping things down a floor vent might be for a toddler. I’m sure many parents can think of multiple times their children have lost things down the vents. That debris could potentially end up being circulated through your duct system.  

Larger pieces of debris can cause wear and tear on duct systems. They can loosen the joints and get caught up in a variety of places. It’s not usually a good thing when solid objects are introduced into a system designed to circulate nothing more than air.  

If you know there’s something large or important in your vents, and you can’t get it out yourself. You’ll have to call an HVAC technician to get it out immediately. The deeper the items get into the system, the harder it’s going to be to get it out. After you’ve had the objects removed, speak to the technician about how to child-proof your air vents.  

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However often you decide to have your ducts cleaned, call Pro Duct Solutions to get it done. They’ll clean your ducts thoroughly the first time so it will be longer before you need another cleaning. Our prices for duct cleaning are very straightforward and won’t change.  

You can find our packages and pricing here.  

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