How to Tell if Your Ducts Need to be Cleaned

February 09, 2017

 

On average, air ducts need to be cleaned every three to five years according to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. Depending on a lot of factors—like your home’s location, how many pets you have, and how often your air filter has been swapped out, to name some—you may need to have air duct cleaning more or less often. So, how can you know for sure when it’s time to have your ducts cleaned? There are certainly some revealing signs when it’s time.

Look for these clues:

  1. Are your cold air returns covered with dust or pet hair?
  2. Is there a blockage in your cold air return vent?
  3. Are your registers carrying out dust?
  4. When you gaze inside with a flashlight, can you see an accumulation of debris or pet fur?
  5. Have insects or rodents found shelter in your ductwork?
  6. Can you hear clatter other than your blower motor when you listen to the airflow?
  7. When your vents are fully opened, do any have less airflow than others?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s probably time to ask Western Mechanical, Inc. in Logan about air duct cleaning.

Prolonging Time Between Air Duct Cleaning
There are a few things you can do to help keep your ducts cleaner and lengthen the amount of time between expert cleanings.

Above all, schedule regular HVAC maintenance with the specialists at Western Mechanical, Inc.. A maintenance check of your furnace each fall and your AC each spring, which should include inspection, and prospective replacement, of your air filter, will help keep your HVAC system running effectively, and should help keep your ducts clean.

You can also converse with the team at Western Mechanical, Inc. about installing an air purification system. We offer the Lennox PureAir Air Purification System, Healthy Climate Carbon Clean 16 Media Air Cleaner, Healthy Climate 11 Media Air Cleaner, Healthy Climate High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filtration System and Healthy Climate UV Germicidal Lights.

Other actions you can take include:

  • Regularly dusting and vacuuming your home.
  • Checking your air filters habitually and replacing them when the manufacturer recommends replacing them. Most filters will display dust on them after a brief stint in service, but they may not demand changing.
  • Sealing leaks in air ducts that allow dust to come in from areas like your attic.
  • Trading poor or broken air-duct insulation.

With a professional air duct cleaning and some proactive measures, you can help keep the air in your Logan home clean and healthy. Give the experts at Western Mechanical, Inc. a call at 435-753-5515.