Spring Is Here! Are Your Ducts Clean? Here’s When To Schedule Your Next Air Duct Cleaning

The air ducts in your home are a lot like your drainage pipes in your plumbing. They have no moving parts, are simply designed to carry something from one destination to another, and are built to last. This means that for many homeowners, the ducts you have in your home will last the entire time you live in it!

But while you may not have to worry about the physical condition of your air ducts, you do still have to worry about their state of cleanliness. While an air duct cleaning is not something you should be doing on a frequent basis, it’s still something you need to think about. But why?

Dirty Air Ducts Mean More Health Risks

Dirty air ducts can, at best, give your home a musty smell whenever the heating or air conditioning starts up and begins circulating air. At worst, dirty air ducts can actually make people sick, especially if they’ve already got pre-existing conditions such as asthma or other respiratory conditions, lowering your overall air quality.

Even if they don’t, if you have mold in your air ducts, this can causes illnesses in the home, while pet dander and even pollen can cause allergic reactions. This means that the home, which should be a refuge from the outdoors during riskier periods such as allergy season in spring, can actually be worse for health than other spaces.

Once contaminants take hold in air ducts, there is simply no escape from them in a home, since ventilation goes into every major room. An air duct cleaning is the only way to restore a safe, healthy environment to a home once allergens and other possible contaminants have gained a foothold in the ventilation system.

When Should You Clean Your Ducts?

You should not require an air duct cleaning on a regular basis unless there is something wrong with the air in the region you live in. A cleaning every 3-5 years for preventive maintenance is acceptable, but if you need this done every year, something is very wrong.

In most other instances, you should consider an air duct cleaning only when you have specific cause to do so. Renovations, for example, may involve a lot of drilling, cutting and the creation of a lot of dust.

If you had rodents exterminated, and were told they took up residence in your ducts, prioritize an air duct cleaning to get rid of potential virulent contaminants. And if you’ve just bought a home, and the air ducts haven’t been cleaned for many years, get this done now for a proper, fresh start!

What To Do In The Meantime

If you want to keep air duct cleaning to a minimum there are plenty of things you can do at home to help minimize these issues. This is especially true when it comes to the prospect of dirt getting caught in the ducts.

Be diligent about replacing the HVAC filter in your system on a regular basis. Every three months at the latest is recommended, though if you want extra security, you can switch to a monthly schedule.

You should also take your housekeeping duties seriously. Sweeping and vacuuming the home for dirt, dust, pet dander and other allergens means that these contaminants go into your vacuum or trash, and not into the ducts. By following these tips, you can keep your ducts in your Bloomington, MN clean, safe, and healthy for everyone!