How Often Should Your Duct Be Cleaned?

Getting the ducts cleaned isn’t exactly at the top of most people’s priority list, even if they have had a recent reminder of the benefits. To know if you need them cleaned there are several considerations to take into account.
The first question is can you take a deep breathe in your house easily? If you have absolutely no problems breathing indoors then you either have good air or are used to it. A better measure is if you notice what it feels like to breathe outdoor air when you walk outside. Getting your ducts cleaned will make the air in your home much easier to breathe, and will have the greatest effect on those with breathing sensitivities. Some people cite a lack of scientific consensus on the efficacy of duct as proof that the benefits are over-stated, but this has more to do with the average business size. As small, local businesses there aren’t many duct cleaners inclined to sponsor a study.
Cats and dogs in the home are the next concern. Animals slough off their skins cells twice as fast as humans, and there is their hair coming off as well. So having pets in the home will make it ougher for your to breathe, and all that good stuff gets into and through the ducts. Animal dander is in fact one of the main allergens there is, so it’s important to keep it out of general circulation if possible. Besides, have you ever gotten a lungful of dog fur filtered air? No matter how much you love them (and their smell) are you sure you want your house to smell like that? Maybe you would like that smell But your guests will feel differently.
How about the occupancy level? Humans have the same effect on air quality as animals – the more there are, the dirtier the air is . Human skin in the number component on houselhold dust, adn it stands to reason that ther more people there are, the more if it will be in the ducts. But also, people have the habit of dropping things down the ducts as well, be it garbage, grit from their shoes, or the odd wrapper or piece of food. It’s a simple correlation – the more occupants in a house, the dirtier the ducts get.
There is also the question of ambient humidity. We’ve received many calls from people who have decided to peek under the carpet in the basement and found mould all over the floor and wondered if it was inthe ducts too. Walls and floors don’t usually present much of a repair problem, but getting the ducts in order requires a professional with the proper training and equipment. We advise people to have their ducts cleaned regardless, as there doesn’t need to be a visible mould infestaiton for it to potentially threaten your health.
There are a few other majors points to think about too – if you’ve done some work on your house recently, if you’ve put in a new furnace, if you smoke indside, if your cold air vents are on the floor, and others too.
It boils down to wanting to live in a clean home. Nowadays most people don’t think their home is clean unless it is clean in its’ entirety, and for that to be true the ducts have to be clean as well. At what intervals you have your duct cleaned will depend on the issues raised above, but if you have never had it done you should start right away.
So the answer to “Should I have my ducts cleaned?” is yes, although how often you get the service done spends on the conditions in your home.