With the festive season and holidays around the corner, everyone is busy cleaning their homes. Making sure their guests get the most appealing look at their homes during the Christmas and new year celebrations.
However, have you included your air duct cleaning in your cleaning checklist? Many people often think that air ducts do not require cleaning. But the truth is your air ducts contain a massive amount of dirt, debris, and allergens which you must clean regularly.
Now you might be wondering how often should air ducts be cleaned. Because cleaning the HVAC air ducts is not easy, you need the help of a professional air duct cleaner to get the most desired results.
Check out how often should air ducts be cleaned. Along with some other frequently asked questions about air duct cleaning.
Unlike other areas of your home, air ducts do not require cleaning very often. Air ducts of an average house should be cleaned every 2 to 3 years. However, several factors affect how often should air ducts be cleaned. Let’s have a look at those factors in brief.
Factors That Affect The Frequency Of Air Ducts Cleaning
⇒ Use of HVAC
If the family has 2 members, it is quite predictable that the use of HVAC will be less compared to a family with 4-5 members. The lower the use, the lesser dirt, and debris will accumulate in air ducts which do not require cleaning very often. Houses with less use of HVAC can get their air ducts cleaned every 3-5 years.
⇒ People with Allergies
Another factor that affects the cleaning of your air ducts is people with allergies in your house. The allergens accumulated in your ducts enter your home through HVAC and can create a problem for them. So, if somebody in your family has allergies, you might need to get your air ducts cleaned more often.
⇒ Pets in Home
A common problem associated with pets is shading hair and dander. Pet hairs and dead skin often accumulate inside the air ducts, which need regular cleaning. So if you have a pet or pets, you should clean the air ducts more frequently.
What if I don’t clean the air ducts for a long time?
There are many drawbacks of uncleaned air ducts that can significantly impact your family. The accumulated dirt and debris lower the air quality of your home and increase the health issues like allergies and breathing problems.
Moreover, avoiding cleaning for a long time can cause damage to the parts of the HVAC, which results in higher electricity bills and even expensive repairs. The accumulated dirt and debris also reduce the efficiency of your HVAC system.
The most affecting factor is the high chance of mold growth in unclean air ducts. Air ducts create the most suitable environment for mold growth. Unclean air ducts also cause a musty, unpleasant smell, which becomes intolerable at a point.
Signs That You Should Get Your Air Ducts Cleaned
- Visible dirt and debris in air ducts.
- Signs of mold and mildew growth.
- Growth of insects and bugs.
- Damage to air ducts
- A recent renovation of home.
- Water contamination in ducts.