You’ve likely seen many ads for air duct cleaning, or received countless annoying calls from telemarketing companies trying to get you to sign up for the service (see here on how to stop those calls), but is duct cleaning really necessary? In this article, we’ll give you some of the facts to help you decide for yourself if it’s something you need to consider.
One sure way to figure that out is by looking at your furnace’s filter. How often do you change it, and when you do, how dirty does it look? If its filthy and clogged, it could be a sign that your home is more susceptible to accumulating dust than others. This could be due to:
Living on or near a dirt road
Using wood fireplaces
Construction/renovation dust
Furry pets
Dirty shoes and clothes coming in constantly
Constantly wearing outdoor shoes indoors
Living near construction, agriculture or a polluted city
Excessive dry or flakey skin
Smoking or previous smoking owner
Having young children that are always on the move
Carpets (especially brand new or several years old)
One important point to recognize that if your furnace isn’t filtering the dust that goes through your house, your lungs are doing the filtering. Some of the signs that indicate duct cleaning may be right for you are:
Dust settles on surfaces within only a few hours after you just cleaned
You see dirt, debris, and other things in the vents
You find you’re having to vacuum constantly due to dust
You or a family member are constantly sneezing or coughing
Allergy symptoms exist all year round
Your furnace filter is full of dirt, debris, hair and fur
You’re having to replace your furnace filter more than 2X per year
You’ve just completed renovations
You notice mold inside the ducts or furnace when you replace the filter
You turn on your furnace/ac and the whole house smells
You’ve had mice, rodents or an insect infestation in your home
You’re not getting heating or cooling like you’re used to (blocked ducts)
Duct cleaning has never been done in the home before
You just moved in to a brand new home
All bathroom fan collects dust, and we can visibly see this. This happens because the moisture from the bathroom being drawn out combines with the dust, making it stick to the fan, and it doesn’t take long to accumulate enough heavy dust on a bathroom fan for it to need cleaning. The same applies to your cooking vent – it sends moist air to the outside of your home.
Your furnace has moving parts as well, which also collect dust, but unlike the bathroom or kitchen fans that send air to the outside of your home, your furnace keeps recycling the moist air within your home, and that statically-charged dust sticks to every surface. Animal fur compounds this issue as well. In the summer, the AC coils can condensate and attract dust, reducing the efficiency of its cooling ability.
Some Circumstances Where You May Want to Forgo Duct Cleaning:
If you’ve had it done in the last few years (unless you’re in a very dusty environment)
If no one in your home suffers from allergies, excessive coughing or sneezing
You live in an apartment
You keep your home relatively spotless, and air it our frequently
You have no pets
You live in a low-pollution area with no dirt roads or agriculture near by
Air duct cleaning can be performed on most commercial buildings & offices, many townhomes, condos, and apartments, depending on the type of heating system installed. You would need to check with your landlord, HOA, member board, or management company for details.
Hopefully we’ve given you enough of the facts to make the decision up for yourself. A thorough job can take up to 3-4 hours to complete (depending on the size of your house). The cost should range between $250-$500, depending on square footage, number of ducts, and other tasks such as dryer vent cleaning.
Canaduct Cleaning offers both commercial and residential duct cleaning. If you feel that duct cleaning may be right for your home or office, to get an immediate no-obligation quote, fill out the information to the right, or call 416-410-3777 to talk to a live person.
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