Duct Cleaning: How Do I Know It Is Time To Have The Ducts Cleaned – 2024 Guide

This is not something you think about every day, but having your ducts clean is essential for your comfort. Quality of life can be endangered if they are not up to standards, and you do not want for this to happen. The tubes that create the duct system are connected to your HVAC unit and are in charge of delivering both hot and cold air. They can also take the warm air from the room, and make sure there’s enough circulation. To put it simply, it gives you and your family a breath of fresh air. The issue with ducts starts with the passing of time. If not inspected regularly, it can accumulate dust, pet and human hair, insects, and even rodents. All of this can clog your system, which creates real problems. 

If not cleaned, clogged ducts can be bad for the health of people who live in the house or apartment as it’s a fertile ground for the birth of various bacteria. HVAC can quickly push some of these bacteria back into your rooms, and all of a sudden, you can get sick. Yes, most HVAC and duct systems have filters, but with time they are those who get filled with debris, and then circulation is gone. In most cases, when this happens, you’ll need professional help, and you can find it if you click here. Now, let’s move to the subject you came here for, and that’s Duct Cleaning: How do I know it is time to have the ducts cleaned? 

The Signs that You Need Residential Duct Cleaning

Ducts need to be clean. It’s simple as that. If they are not, you’re in for nights and nights of inadequate sleep due to bad quality air. In the worst cases, it can even be filled with bacteria and germs. But how are you going to recognize the signs that something is wrong? This where we are going to help you. Below you have some of the most significant signs that your ductwork needs an inspection.

• It all starts with your eyes. It’s possible to see that something is wrong. How? Well, if you come close enough, the dirt is going to be visible. All you need to do is to remove one cover and look for debris or dust. 
• If your eyes aren’t showing you anything, then it’s time to turn on the HVAC system. When turned on, it would push the dust into your room, and it would be impossible not to notice it. In addition, it will change its standard sound, and more whoosh will be present. You won’t be able not to hear it if the system is clogged. 
• The next step would be to check out the HVAC filters. Some homeowners almost never do this, which is shocking. If your filter is dirty or clogged after removing it, you should clean it or completely replace it. 
• Another sign that your duct system needs cleaning is reduced airflow. If you notice that the HVAC system isn’t pushing enough air out or sucking enough of it back in, it means that there’s a clog that prevents it. 
• The last one is the most severe one. It would be best if you never waited for this to happen to know that your duct system is in need of cleaning. We are talking about allergies. If the members of your household start coughing and sneezing, you don’t need to look further from the ductwork. On a side note, you should clean it every couple of years. The period is from five to six years. 

Do You Need a Professional Inspection? 

Of course, you do. Sometimes the signs that you need a duct inspection are going to be mild and unnoticeable. This doesn’t mean that ductwork doesn’t need control. Ducts don’t get clogged during one day. It’s an accumulating process. With time it only gets worse, and this is why you need to have it inspected more frequently. 

The best way to be sure if everything is right or is something wrong is by hiring a professional. This is not something that needs to be done weekly or monthly. What you need is a yearly inspection of air handlers, and supply and return of ducts every other year. In addition to these two, the HVAC system also needs monitoring and maintenance. 

How to Clean Ducts? 

After inspection proves that your ducts need cleaning, it’s time to hire professional contractors to do the job. The job which would be done will be done differently depending on who you hire, but they will most certainly do the following. 

• The first step is the cleaning and sequential testing of the HVAC unit. After doing this, they will do thorough tests with both hot and cold air. After they made it sure that this part works, they would vacuum clean the entire HVAC and filtration system. 
• The next in line are ducts and grills. All of them need to be removed and washed thoroughly. After this, the entire system of tubes needs to be cleaned. This should be done with specialized equipment. 
• After the above was done, it’s time for cosmetics – decontamination and deodorization. If your duct system needs cleaning, then it must be filled with unpleasant odors. By going through this process, they should be removed. 
• The last step is the installment of filters. When you put the new ones, in this age and time, you should look for them to be electrostatic. Furthermore, it would help if you also sought to add additional odor control products to ensure the freshens of your air. When you are doing all the work we listed above, you should look to have the best equipment installed to ensure your airflow for an extended period of time. 

Conclusion

As you can see, cleaning your ducts would not only improve your lifestyle but also can save your health. So, be sure to have them inspected frequently, to save yourself time and money, but also to keep your installations clean and up to date.