Our maintenance plans are designed to keep your system running smoothly and efficiently for many years to come. The EPA does not recommend that air ducts be cleaned routinely, but only when necessary or if your home has gone through a recent construction project or other major problems. You may want to consider cleaning the air ducts simply because it seems logical that the air ducts will become dirty over time and that they should be cleaned from time to time. As long as cleaning is done properly, there is no evidence to suggest that such cleaning is harmful. The EPA recommends that if you have a furnace, stove, or fireplace that burns fuel, they be inspected for proper functioning and maintained before each heating season to protect them from carbon monoxide poisoning.
When deciding how often duct systems should be cleaned, a few factors are taken into account. Generally, it is recommended to clean them every 3 to 5 years, but you might want to consider doing it more often depending on certain factors. The benefits of duct cleaning are that it removes all debris from the duct system, not just the last few meters that the owner can remove with a vacuum. While each company's air duct cleaning process will look slightly different, they will all have a similar overall process. That said, people with sensitive respiratory systems or severe allergies should consider cleaning their ducts more often to reduce the buildup of dust and dirt before it becomes excessive. Whether or not you decide to clean your home's air ducts, it's essential to commit to a good preventive maintenance program to minimize duct contamination.
It should also be noted that sharing your home with pets that lose hair will increase the amount of dust, dirt, and hair inside the ventilation grilles, requiring ducts to be cleaned more often. In addition to regular duct cleaning by an authorized contractor in air conditioning and indoor air quality systems, under the circumstances listed below, it may be necessary to make an appointment earlier to get the ducts in order: if you smell damp or burnt when the oven is turned on; when building a new house; if there are signs of rodents or insects in the air conditioning system; or if there are children, elderly people, or newborns living in the house. While there is little evidence to indicate that simply cleaning the duct system increases system efficiency, there are several advantages of duct cleaning. It removes all debris from the duct system and not just the last few meters that can be removed with a vacuum. It also helps reduce dust and dirt buildup before it becomes excessive. Whether or not you decide to clean your home's air ducts, preventing water and dirt from entering the system is the most effective way to avoid contamination (see How to Avoid Duct Contamination). Most organizations that deal with duct cleaning, including the EPA, NADCA, NAIMA, and SMACNA (the National Association of Metal Plate Contractors and Air Conditioning), do not currently recommend the routine use of sealants to encapsulate contaminants in any type of duct. In conclusion, while the EPA does not recommend that air ducts be cleaned routinely, it is important to consider certain factors when determining how often they should be cleaned.
Every 3-5 years is a standard recommendation but this may need to be done more often depending on certain factors such as having pets in the house or having sensitive respiratory systems. Cleaning your home's air ducts can help reduce dust and dirt buildup before it becomes excessive and can help improve indoor air quality.
