When Is the Best Time to Clean Your Ducts?

Like most homeowners, you likely already understand the importance of regular duct cleanings. Keeping your ducts clean can improve your home’s air quality and may help safeguard your respiratory health. Dirty duct filters can also hinder airflow, which can cause your furnace to overheat and even catch fire.

Like most homeowners, you likely already understand the importance of regular duct cleanings. Keeping your ducts clean can improve your home’s air quality and may help safeguard your respiratory health. Dirty duct filters can also hinder airflow, which can cause your furnace to overheat and even catch fire.

But how often should you actually have your ducts professionally cleaned? It really depends on how much dust and debris typically collects in your ducts, which varies from house to house.

Professional duct cleaners can tell you how often your home’s ducts should be cleaned based on your home’s unique needs, what sort of maintenance they currently require, and how you can tell if it is time to schedule a cleaning.

Recognizing When Your Ducts Need Cleaning

There are several things that you should look for that may indicate that your ducts are due for a professional cleaning. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, you should have your ducts cleaned if:

1. There is visible dust, debris, or other particles being released from your supply registers
2. If your ducts or duct filters are clogged with dust or debris
3. There is mould growing inside your ductwork or on other components of your heating or cooling system
4. Your ducts are infested with vermin such as rodents or insects

You should also have your ducts cleaned if you or one of your family members is experiencing an unexplained respiratory illness, and you should have your ducts cleaned regularly if a member of your household has a dust allergy.

The National Association of Air Duct Cleaners suggests that you should have your ducts cleaned before moving into a new home or completing home improvements. When you move into a new home, you don’t necessarily know when the previous owners had the ducts last cleaned, so getting them cleaned yourself means that you can rest assured that you are up to date on your duct cleaning. Construction can create drywall dust or other fine debris, which can be pulled into your ducts and moved around your home, compromising air quality.

Schedule Regular Duct Cleanings

The National Air Duct Cleaners Association does not provide an exact schedule for cleanings, but most homeowners opt to have their ducts cleaned every three to five years. How often you should have your ducts cleaned depends on a variety of factors, including personal preference.

However, households that contain smokers, residents with allergies, or pets that shed should have their ducts cleaned more frequently, as should households situated in dusty climates.

You should also have your ducts checked periodically if you have experienced duct related mould problems in the past so that you can make sure that your ducts aren’t spreading mould spores throughout your home. If you find mould in your ducts, you should schedule a professional duct cleaning as soon as possible.

As a general rule, you should check and replace all air filters related to your heating and cooling systems at least once per year. Many homeowners choose to replace their air filters and get their ducts cleaned in the spring as part of their spring cleaning routine. Changing your filters and getting your ducts cleaned at the same time each year helps ensure that you don’t forget.

Staying on Top of Your Duct Cleanings

Although some homeowners may balk at the cost of air duct cleanings, having your ducts and your heating or cooling system professionally cleaned may reduce stress on the overall system, prolonging its life and increasing energy efficiency. Regular cleanings can also reduce the number of allergens in your home and improve air quality.

If you haven’t had your ducts cleaned recently, you should consult a professional duct cleaning company. These experts will let you know if your ducts are due for a cleaning, and give you an idea of how often your ducts should be cleaned.