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Homeowners get bombarded with ads and deals about home services. It can be overwhelming and confusing about which services are legit. So, let's tackle if you should get your ducts cleaned or not.
The short answer is no.
There are minimal circumstances that require you to have your ducts cleaned. Furthermore, a condition requiring duct cleaning indicates a significant problem with the ductwork. Likewise, you should consult an HVAC technician to prevent a recurring issue.
If you ask the National Air Duct Cleaners Association or any local air duct cleaning services, they will tell you that you need regular duct cleaning. They may sell you on the idea that clear air ducts can help with respiratory problems or energy bills through increased energy efficiency. However, it’s not true.
Indeed, the indoor air of your living space may have pet dander, dust mites, mold spores, and other particles that lead to allergic reactions or health problems. In addition, some homeowners feel they have excessive amounts of dust. However, it is not likely that cleaning your air duct system will help this. In fact, it can make it worse.
If there is dust and dirt in your ducts, it is inert or plated out. In simpler terms, it is not going to move. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency performed studies that showed that dirty air ducts don't affect the indoor air quality.
Moreover, the EPA's findings demonstrated that frequent duct cleanings actually made the air dirtier.
This is because professional duct cleaning companies use a rotary brush cabling system that agitates the ducts. As a result, inert dust inside the ducts becomes airborne. Then, its distributed into the rest of the home.
If you want to improve the air quality in your home, choosing suitable filters and replacing them often is more effective. In addition, proper filters and prompt replacement also protect the other components of your heating and air conditioner system.
For example, dust and dirt in your system clog up the blower motor, heat exchangers, and evaporator coils.
Check out our comprehensive guide for choosing the best air filters for your home.
In addition, the National Air Duct Cleaners Association makes a careless claim about energy savings.
However, no studies or evidence support the claim that clean ducts would save any of that energy. On the contrary, countless studies find that leaky ducts, insufficient insulation, and exhausted heat, account for nearly all of the energy loss.
Likewise, it is a good idea to have your entire HVAC system cleaned for maximum efficiency, but more importantly, to prolong the system’s life and prevent expensive repairs.
Contracts have used various materials over the years to make ducts. Notably, they have used metal and then then duct board. However, almost all new homes have soft plastic flexible ducts. These soft ducts connect to metal air vents where they connect to the ceiling, walls, or floors. It is possible that a service provider could damage these ducts while trying to clean them.
Sometimes, you do need a professional to clean your ducts. For example, ducts infested by pest need a professional cleaning. Plus, mold growth from leaks and water damage impacts the air quality. And ducts not sealed during a large remodeling project get verty dirty.
Sometimes it’s just the supply registers. My registers are in the floor and I have four kids. The supply registers get nasty. Luckily, I have an 8 and 12 year old who are very capable with a shop vacuum cleaner . I have them clean the supply registers and that’s it.
If your ducts need to be cleaned, they need to be repaired. You should never have your ducts cleaned without finding out why you have dirty ducts in the first place.
If you do decide for a professional to clean your ducts, make sure you choose a reputable company.
Most importantly, never ever choose a company offering cheap duct cleaning services. Consider that it generally costs about $400-$1000 or more to have your ducts cleaned. So, if you see a deal for $79, or $119 it’s probably a scam that goes like this:
Professional mold testers use a third-party laboratory to analyze their samples. Plus, "black mold” doesn't exist. Simply put, it is a sensationalized term used to invoke fear, and fear sells.
Use Google Reviews, ask your friends, or give me a call. Ask them if they’re going to examine the system to see what improvements need to be made to prevent future cleanings. If they say you have a mold problem ALWAYS get a second opinion from a third party specializing only in mold or environmental testing.
Your ducts don’t need regular cleaning. There is no evidence that clean ductwork results in cleaner air or improved energy efficiency. If you do have ducts that need to be cleaned, you need to figure out what compromised the system and have that addressed. Never hire cheap service providers.
