Does Air Duct Cleaning Improve Indoor Air Quality?

Air duct cleaning involves sanitizing, disinfecting, and deodorizing the air vents in your home. This helps reduce the build-up of dirt, dust and dander that can contribute to poor indoor air quality and cause health problems.

Getting your air ducts cleaned is typically a simple process, although each company tailors their service. During the cleaning process, your technician will start by closing all of your supply vents to create negative pressure in your home’s ventilation system. Then they will hook up the large vacuum collection device to a duct that leads to your home’s air handler. From there, they will insert the hose into all of your other ducts, starting with your main return and supply vents. They will use brushes and compressed agitation air whipping tools to dislodge settled dust from the inside of your ducts and then vacuum it all up.

Once the ducts are cleaned, your technician will seal each duct and then reattach the hose to the air handler. Next, they will clean the return and supply vents in each room of your home, working through one room at a time. Depending on the type of ductwork you have in your home, this process can take anywhere from an hour to a couple of hours.

The EPA recommends having your ductwork professionally cleaned every three to five years, although some people may need it more often than that. Dirty air ducts can contribute to poor indoor air quality, which can trigger respiratory symptoms such as coughing and wheezing. It can also aggravate asthma and other auto-immune disorders in those who suffer from them. Even for those who don’t have respiratory issues, poor indoor air quality can result in irritated eyes, nose and throat and headaches.

Having your air ducts cleaned can help improve the overall function of your HVAC system, reducing energy consumption and making it run more efficiently. Additionally, it can help get rid of any contaminants that may be contributing to the build-up of mold and other bacteria in your home.

The debate over whether or not Visit their air duct cleaning site actually improves your indoor air quality is still ongoing. Some studies have shown that cleaning your air ducts can decrease the levels of particles (e.g., dust) that are circulated throughout your home, while others have found no evidence that it is effective. However, there is no doubt that your ducts will collect debris over time. Whether or not you need to have them cleaned, it’s a good idea to do a visual inspection periodically and ask your trusted HVAC professional about the best course of action for your particular situation.