3 Signs That You Need Your DuctWork Cleaned

You’ve probably heard of air duct cleaning before and you may have even been considering getting it done in your home this year. But how do you know if you really need it or not? Is there a way to tell?

 

Each home is different, but here are 3 telltale signs that you should probably go ahead and schedule your duct cleaning appointment:

 

Sign #1 – No matter how many times you dust there’s still tons of dust everywhere

Dust is a mixture of dead skin cells (I know, gross…), hair, pet hair, crumbs, lint, and the remnants of a billion other things in your home. I want to say right up front that you will NEVER totally eliminate dust and the need to dust your home unless you just plastic wrap everything and call it a day.

 

But you also shouldn’t be seeing large amounts of dust buildup on all your home’s surfaces every day or even every other day if you regularly dust and clean. If you’re starting to feel like you need to dust more frequently, it could be because all of these materials are building up in the home. And if there’s lots if it hanging out in the ductwork, it’s being re-circulated throughout the house.

 

Unfortunately, that won’t go away until you remove all the build-up in the ductwork.

 

Sign #2 – Family members have been sick more often this past year and/or everyone’s allergies are out of control

Poor indoor air quality is one of the leading causes of illness and allergy irritation. If it seems like this past year everyone’s been sick more than usual or it feels like everyone’s just passing colds around but not really getting better, then it could be your air.

 

The same goes for allergies. I know this summer so far has been particularly brutal for allergy sufferers, but it should be better inside your home.

 

If you find that you and other household members can’t stop sniffling, sneezing, and coughing then your air quality may be the culprit. Allergens and bacteria can build up on the surfaces in your ductwork. In small amounts, it’s virtually unnoticeable. But as it builds up over time it can start to affect your health.

 

There’s no need to panic, though. Having your ductwork cleaned by a pro means that all the dust, bacteria, fungi, and debris build-up will be removed from your home and a sanitizer sprayed throughout the ductwork to kill anything lingering that could make you sick. (And yes, the sanitizer we use is EPA-approved, safe for humans and pets, and will not harm anything).

 

Sign #3 – You haven’t had it done in the past 5 years

Currently, the recommendation from the National Air Duct Cleaning Association is to have your ductwork cleaned every 3-5 years. Since most families aren’t aware of that recommendation, most homes have gone much longer without a cleaning.

 

Having said that, all homes are different. If your home fits any of the following scenarios, then you should plan to have it done in that 3-5 year window:

• If your home was built prior to the 1980’s
• If there are lots of people in the home
• If you have pets (especially if you have more than 1 or 2)
• If you have allergy-sufferers in the home or anyone with a compromised immune system
• If you live in an area with lots of construction (because extra dust WILL find its way into your ductwork)

 

If none of the above points applies to your home, then you may be able to get away with waiting longer than 5 years. But if you said ‘yes, that’s me’ to any of them, then it’s probably time.

 

As previously mentioned, these 3 signs are not exhaustive and all homes are different. But these are the 3 most reliable indicators that you should get your ductwork cleaned. If you’re in doubt about it, why not give us a call? We would love to talk about your home’s unique situation and make a recommendation that will work for you.