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Air ducts are critical to the effectiveness of your home’s heating and cooling system. They are also important for general air quality in your home or office building. They filter and clean the air before it is delivered, so it should ideally be cleaned regularly. But how often? It is a fair question considering that air ducts are often out of sight and not thought about until they become a problem. This article will shed some light on this question.
What are Air Ducts?
Your home’s air ducts are the passages that suck in the air from your furnace, clean it up to remove dust and other contaminants like pollen or mold spores, heat it if you want warm air (you should turn this feature off during summer), bring it into various rooms of your home through vents, before finally releasing it. It’s basically a highway system for delivering fresh indoor air from the outside to where you live, work, and play.
Why Do You Need to Get Your Air Ducts Cleaned?
There are a number of reasons why your air ducts should be cleaned out at least every few years. For one, dust and other particles from the outside can pile up inside your ducts, which will make it difficult for you to breathe. In fact, long-term exposure to dust can lead to health problems like chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, and asthma.
On top of that, a clogged air duct will hamper the flow of heated or cooled air from your unit to the rooms where it’s needed most. This means you’ll have to run your heating/cooling system for longer periods of time in order to achieve optimal temperature inside – this leads to higher energy bills.
Finally, a dirty air duct is more likely to cause a breakdown or malfunction to your heating and cooling systems which lead to costly repairs or replacements in the future. This is because the heating and cooling components are working harder than they should to keep the air in your home clean and comfortable.
All of this is reason enough why you need to make sure that your air ducts get a regular professional cleaning from a trained, experienced duct cleaner.
How Often Should You Get Your Air Ducts Cleaned?
Three to five years is the optimal time frame for cleaning your air ducts according to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. However, this is also dependent on various environmental factors such as humidity, the number of pets in your household, and your location. For example, people who live in humid areas where there are many trees probably need to have their air ducts cleaned more frequently than those who do not share their living space with furry friends or reside out West where pollen isn’t quite as abundant.
If you notice a decrease in the heating and cooling efficiency of your system or an increase in your utility bills, this may be an indication that your air ducts should be cleaned. Additionally, if you notice excessive dust accumulation inside of the vents or hear sounds coming from them when they are turned on, it’s probably time to call a professional for help!
Factors That Influence the Frequency of Air Duct Cleaning
There are many factors that may play a role in how often you need your air ducts cleaned. Here are some of the most important ones:
Number of Pets
The number of pets you have in your home and the amount of shedding they produce will affect how often you want your vents cleaned. If you own a pet with long hair, such as a cat or dog, this will cause more dust to accumulate on your air ducts leading to faster accumulation than those who don’t have pets.
Lifestyle Factors
If you or anyone in your home smokes, you’ll want to get your vents cleaned much more often than those who do not smoke at all. Tobacco smoke contains carcinogens that can build up quickly inside air ducts and cause respiratory problems including cancer if the person is exposed over time.
Size of the Home
If you have a large home or multiple floors, it is more difficult for your HVAC system to circulate air throughout the whole building so naturally, there will be dust accumulation on your vents. If you live in an older house with plaster walls and ceilings instead of sheetrock, this can cause even more issues since plaster absorbs moisture from cooking as well as the air conditioning system.
Location
Living out West where pollen is more abundant will likely require a professional cleaning sooner than those who do not have so much exposure to pollen or other allergens. Homes located in the country or surrounded by trees will also need to have their air ducts cleaned more frequently than those who do not live near any vegetation that may emit pollen into your home.
Frequency of use of Heating and Air Conditioning
The frequency that your heating and AC system is used can also determine how often you should get professional cleanings for it. If the home has a large family of more than four people and uses the AC or heating system more than once a day, it may be time to clean your air ducts sooner.
Air Duct Cleaners Near Me
Air ducts are essential components of your HVAC system. They help to circulate air throughout your home, which provides much-needed relief during hot summer days and cold winter nights. Over time, they can become dirty due to dust particles that are present everywhere in the environment you live around.
You need to have them cleaned regularly and you need to have it done by a reputable and experienced company to ensure the safety of your family and home.
Air Quality Express is the premier choice when it comes to the best air duct cleaning service. We will ensure that your air ducts and the air quality in your home is nothing less than perfect.
How Often to Clean Air Ducts – Conclusion
Getting your air ducts cleaned regularly is a great way to improve the air quality of your home and keep you and your family from breathing in dust and allergens. However, air ducts don’t have to be cleaned out every single year. If we follow the recommendation from the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, which is 3-5 years, and factor in the many different considerations then you may get a rough idea of how often you should get your ducts cleaned.
