There’s a lot of information floating around online about how often homeowners should clean their air ducts — some experts say once a year, some suggest once every three to five years, and others urge once every eight to 10 years.
But the most reliable sources, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), avoid recommending an arbitrary duct cleaning schedule for everyone, advising people to simply clean their air ducts as needed.
Clean air ducts are important because they improve indoor air quality, reduce allergens, and prevent health problems.
But First, What are Air Ducts?
A part of your home’s HVAC system, air ducts are typically made of sheet metal or fiberglass. Their job? To serve as conduits for airflow in your house, be it cooled air from your air conditioning in the summer or heated air from your furnace or heat pump in the winter.
Maintaining indoor air quality by consistently recycling the air in your home, return ducts pull in air from various rooms, filter that air, and send it to the heating or cooling system. Then, the supply ducts push that air back out into your living spaces with help from a blower.
Learn more about HVAC maintenance with our guide: How to Maintain Your HVAC System.
How Often Should You Clean Your Air Ducts?
As stated earlier, the EPA and NADCA recommend only cleaning your air ducts as needed. But what exactly does that mean? Basically, if you see extreme dust or mold, have recently had home renovations done, or notice a pest infestation in your ducts, you’ll need to get them cleaned.
Every household lives under its own unique conditions. For some, it may be possible to go 10 years or longer without an air duct cleaning, while others (particularly those living with asthmatics, smokers, and pets) might need a cleaning much sooner.
A general rule of thumb, though, is to have your air ducts inspected annually to make sure everything is working properly.
How Long Does It take to Clean Air Ducts?
Like most jobs pertaining to your home, how long it takes to clean your air ducts depends on your home’s square footage.
“Duct cleaning can vary depending upon the size of the home and the number of vents it has,” says Ryan Osterkamp, owner of Quality Comfort Home Services in Cincinnati, Ohio. “For a small home, it can be as little as two hours if vents are easily accessible and vent covers [are] easily removed.
“For larger homes (4,000+ square feet), it can take about seven to eight hours.”
Cost to Clean Air Ducts
Pricing not only depends on the size but also the location of your home. According to the EPA, the average cost ranges from $450 to $1,000.
“If there is more than one furnace in the home that also will increase the pricing, as each furnace will have its own set of ductwork that needs [to be] cleaned,” Osterkamp said. “There are a lot of $49 and $99 advertised duct cleanings around, but most of the time, these are a scam and don’t actually clean the ductwork.”
FAQ About Clean Air Ducts
A few reasons you may need an air duct cleaning, include:
• Visible mold growth
• Pest infestation
• Significant buildup of allergens
• Recent home renovations
For more signs and details on each, be sure to read 7 Signs Your Air Ducts Need Cleaning.
No. Research has never shown that dust and other allergens in air ducts represent any type of danger to human health. There’s also no evidence that professional air duct cleaning improves indoor air quality, as contaminants more often enter your home in the following ways:
• Shoes and clothing worn outdoors
• Smoking inside
• Cleaning with chemicals
• Regular movement that stirs up dust and allergens
The act of cleaning your air ducts will not lower your energy bills; however, if you discover your air ducts have any leaks, sealing those leaks can help make your air duct system more energy efficient, cutting those energy costs.
Additionally, studies have shown that cleaning your HVAC system’s individual components (rather than the air ducts) — think fans, coils, valves, and heat exchangers — may help increase energy efficiency and lower costs, as well.
Find an Air Duct Cleaner Near You
Again, air duct cleaning is a service you’ll need under special circumstances like extreme layers of dust and dirt, visible mold, or pest infestations. If such signs arise, enlist the help of a professional who will give your air duct system a thorough inspection, protect pets and furnishings from harm/damage during cleaning, vacuum out ducts, and repair any damage they find.
Here’s how to know you’re hiring the right air duct company, according to the EPA:
- They don’t promise improved health benefits.
- They follow the National Air Duct Cleaners Association’s standards.
- They don’t tout air duct cleaning as part of regular HVAC maintenance.
- They have excellent references/reviews.
- They don’t claim to be EPA-certified, as that doesn’t exist for air duct cleaning.
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Main Image Credit: TRAVELARIUM / Adobe Stock Free / License
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