One of the questions we at Hi Tech Duct Cleaning hear a lot is “how often should ductwork be cleaned anyway?”. It’s a good question, but as with many things in life, the answer is often “it depends”.
The average home will need to have it done every 3-5 years. That’s a safe estimate to ensure that your ductwork stays clean and that no problems like caked-on debris or mold have a chance to get a foothold in there over the years. However, some homes can reasonably go longer than that and some should have it done more often.
If you aren’t sure where your where your household falls along this spectrum, take a look below for some helpful guidelines:
Have your ductwork cleaned every 3-5 years if….
- You only have 1-2 pets (or no pets)
- You have 1-2 children in the home (or none)
- You have a medium level of traffic coming through your home (meaning you aren’t throwing parties every weekend)
- Your home isn’t in an area or neighborhood undergoing lots of construction
- You keep your home relatively clean and don’t have any reason to suspect mold or health hazards
- No one in the home has any serious health concerns or a lowered immune system
Have your ductwork cleaned every 5-8 years if all of the above was true and/or…..
- You have no pets
- You have no children in the home
- The home is newer and the ductwork was already cleaned recently
- You have a regular household cleaning routine
- There is no construction happening anywhere near your home
- Everyone is very healthy and have no chronic issues such as allergies or asthma, either
- You rarely have anyone come to your home, reducing the foot traffic and dust stirred up
Have your ductwork cleaned every 2-3 years (possibly more often) if….
- You have more than 2 pets
- You have more than 2 children in the home
- You or someone in the household is a smoker
- You burn candles or incense regularly
- You have a steady stream of traffic coming through the home every day or frequently throughout the week
- You live in a home that’s been newly renovated or live in a neighborhood with lots of construction
- You or someone in the household has a health condition, a compromised immune system, or a severe chronic issue such as allergies and/or asthma
- You have an ongoing issue with mold, pests, or other health hazards which you are trying to remediate
And of course, when in doubt give us a call. We would be happy to discuss your particular household and make a recommendation that makes sense for YOU.