Is your home getting dustier than before? Or, your electricity bill might be increasing rapidly without you noticing. Are you feeling the air in your home or office a bit more uncomfortable? If your answer is yes, chances are, your air ducts may be the prime reason for these.

Air duct and vent cleaning is something that is ignored most of the time, if not always. We feel that it’s not a big deal until it becomes a huge headache. 

Let’s know more about why you must clean your air duct and vent regularly, what problems can arise if they’re not cleaned, and how to get rid of the stinky smell with the help of a professional duct and vent cleaning service.

What Is Air Duct and Vent Cleaning?

Air duct and vent cleaning is the process of cleaning clogged ducts that help circulate warm and cool air around your home by removing dust, debris, or any other components that might be stuck through years of use. 

It can also entail cleaning other parts of your home’s heating and cooling system, such as your furnace fan, coils, heat exchangers, etc.

Deciding When You Should Clean Air Ducts

Experts advise you do air duct and vent cleaning in every 2 to 3 years to prevent many maintenance and health problems. Apart from that, if you notice excess dust or debris sitting on your air vents you should clean it up.

However, homes with pets, children, or people with allergies should have their air ducts professionally cleaned more frequently than the recommended maintenance plans. 

Why Do You Need Air Duct And Vent Cleaning?

Most people are not aware of the importance of air duct and vent cleaning. They go about their lives without giving it a second thought. However, the reality is that air ducts play a crucial role in our health and well-being. Below is a breakdown of why air duct cleaning is important for homes and businesses.

Dirty Air Ducts Can Effect Your Health

Dust and air particles stored in the air ducts for a long time can cause health issues for you and your family. These air ducts contribute to respiratory issues from the cold and the flu to asthma.

If you already have any respiratory health condition, dirty ducts can trigger and worsen these health conditions.

Improved Indoor Air Quality

Cleaning the ducts helps to remove dust, debris, mold, and other contaminants so that your home and health get fresher air to breathe in.

According to WHO, improved air quality can deliver substantial health benefits; reducing air pollution levels means reducing premature deaths and diseases from stroke, heart disease, lung 

cancer, and both chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma.

Having clean air in your home will improve everyone’s health while also lowering medical expenses.

Your Systems Performance Enhances

The health of your air ducts contributes directly to how efficient your system is. Cleaner ducts mean better airflow and more energy efficiency. Cleaning your air is a great way to save money on heating and cooling costs all year long.

Clean Ducts Increase HVAC System’s Lifespan

One of the biggest investments you can make is in your heating and cooling system. And, the last thing you want to do is neglect something as important as this. 

Air duct and vent cleaning will cause your HVAC unit to increase its lifespan because it keeps dirt from entering through the vents, which could damage our fan blades or cause them to freeze up.

Dirty Air Duct & Vents Can Make Your Room Dirty Too

Cleaning ducts is necessary if they have accumulated so much dust that those particles are emitted into your home. Not only is this unhealthy, but it’s also unsightly.

You Smell A Stinking Odor

If you smell something strange when your air conditioning is on, it could be that the dirt and dust in your ducts have become moldy. This can cause respiratory problems for your family members, especially if anyone suffers from allergies or asthma.

It Keeps Your Home Safe

Various sorts of wastes can be stored in Air Ducts and can enter the system easily. This can cause overheating issues to HVAC system and the malfunctioning could even turn into a fire. 

Cleaning Ducts Can Reveal Problems with Your System

While cleaning air ducts, professionals can also detect problems with your HVAC system, if it has any. 

How To Choose an Air Duct And Vent Cleaning Service Provider

By choosing a professional air duct and vent cleaning service, you are already thinking of your and your family’s well concern. Cheers for that! 

But the process of selecting a reputable air duct and vent cleaning provider can be a little hectic as you might not know where to start. It might be challenging to determine whether a business has the superior service, unwavering dependability, and outstanding ratings that you require. 

We have put together a how-to guide to assist you to reveal these desirable characteristics. We assure you that selecting an air duct and vent cleaning service will be simple if you follow the recommendations below.

Check Out Reviews

Trustworthy and experienced air duct cleaning services will always have reliable feedback on their services.

Take close attention to how the company responds to reviews that are critical of it. Check to see if the company owner comes across as reasonable, fair, and committed to making things right for the client.

Verify Professional Certification

Professional air duct and vent cleaning service companies should have The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (commonly referred to as the IICRC). It is a prominent non-profit organization that sets standards for solving emergency situations, and helping keep homes clean and safe.

Ask All Your Queries

Remember when you are hiring a company for any service, you have all the right to ask relevant questions and get assurance. A professional air duct and vent cleaning company should answer all your queries patiently.

Inspect the Site After They Are Done

When their whole procedure is done, inspect your system and see if everything is working fine. If you sense any problem report it to them immediately. 

What to Expect from an Air Duct And Vent Cleaning Service Provider

Using a reputable, local air duct and vent cleaning company is the safest and most efficient option. While methods and costs vary between businesses, the following are some features of a high-quality AC duct and vent cleaning service that you can count on:

Trained Professionals

Any air duct and vent cleaning service worth the investment will ensure only well-trained professionals go near your ducts. Hiring a trusted technician means you won’t have to worry about potential duct damage or unprofessional results.

Attempting to clean your air ducts yourself can take hours and pose a danger to your home. You’re better off leaving it to a professional and save yourself the time and energy.

Air Duct Knowledge

Any air duct and vent cleaning service worth the investment will ensure only well-trained professionals go near your ducts. Hiring a trusted technician means you won’t have to worry about potential duct damage or unprofessional results. Attempting to clean your air ducts yourself can take hours and pose a danger to your home. You’re better off leaving it to a professional (and saving yourself the time and energy).

Professional Equipment

Professional air duct technicians use equipment that is powerful and effective. Like,  the vacuums used by experts to clean your ducts are far stronger than the typical home vacuum. 

With the help of this and other tools, the duct debris is properly removed without degrading the quality of your indoor air. They also speed up the cleaning process, allowing a professional cleaning to be quicker than any amateur cleaning.

High-Quality Inspection

You’ll have a better idea of what’s going on inside your ducts if you hire a qualified air duct technician. You may think that all your ducts are simply blocked, but a skilled expert can spot more subtle indicators of infection.

An expert’s general duct inspection can help discover issues, like mold growth, that, if not addressed, could lead to more serious issues in the future.

Reliable Service and Honest Prices

Top-tier air duct and vent cleaning companies provide reliable services and help you feel more at ease about the cleaning process. Throughout the procedure, you won’t have much to worry about, and you could learn something about your heating and cooling system that you can utilize later.

A trustworthy air duct cleaning company would also have a transparent pricing structure. It is crucial to understand exactly what you will be paying for and to settle on a cost that represents the caliber of the service. Professional air duct cleaning services will take good care of your ducts and save you money over time compared to amateur services, even though it may seem like a modest expense.

How Do Professionals Clean Air Ducts?

The air duct and vent cleaning expert will begin by briefly describing what they will be cleaning and how they plan to perform it. Here, you can ask questions or bring up any concerns you might have regarding the procedure. Even if it takes some time, they should be willing to walk you through what to anticipate.

If necessary, you can also confirm the price for cleaning the air ducts. It’s a good idea to review the price even if you already have a quote so there are no unpleasant surprises.

Pre-Inspection

The technician will examine the ducts leading to the supply and return registers. You should focus here so you may examine the differences between the before and after for yourself. Before they start, your expert may utilize a camera to perform a complete inspection of your ducts.

The expert will then address any duct problems they find. Your ducts may have leaks, kinks, or other damage that needs to be repaired or replaced.  

Creating Negative Pressure

Your professional takes a large vacuum system to the furnace which is basically the heart of your HVAC system. This highly efficient air vacuum will create negative pressure in your ducts. The hose of the vacuum collection device will be connected to an air handler-area duct. The technician must make an access hole in the duct and tightly seal it so that the dust doesn’t spread in your room. 

In order to increase the negative pressure, all of your supply registers are then shut. Next, they will start cleaning each duct one at a time after turning on the vacuum.

Agitate The Dust

Your specialist will use some strong vacuuming gear to clean the ducts as they go through the air duct cleaning procedure vent by vent. This equipment for moving settled dust includes revolving brushes and pressurized agitation air-whipping instruments.

Both the return vents and supply side ducts will be cleaned by your specialist. This will move accumulated dust into the main lines, where it can be more easily sucked up by the vacuum.

Sanitation

The commercial duct cleaning service will thoroughly clean and sanitize every area of your system after everything has been removed from the ducts. Any leftover dust, allergies, or bacteria will be eliminated by this. Also, it will enhance the air quality and produce a healthier atmosphere inside the ducts, preventing the spread of mold.

Air Filter Replacement

Your HVAC filters will then be changed by the technician. Otherwise, your freshly cleaned ducts would be pumped full of dirty air by the air conditioner.

Final System Test

The technician will test your HVAC system one last time before departing. They will check that everything is operating as it should and that the air leaving your vents is fresh and odor-free.

How to Determine If the Duct Cleaner Did a Thorough Job

After the duct and vent cleaning service, you might be unsure how to assess the quality of their work. To ensure that the duct cleaner did a decent job, we will now talk about a post-cleaning consumer checklist of things to look for.

No Visible Dust

First of all, there shouldn’t be any visible dust or other particles that your unaided eye can detect. Check to see if the HVAC contractor gained access to and cleaned the complete system, including the ductwork, drain pans, humidifiers, coils, and fans.

Moreover, make sure the contractor can demonstrate that the ductwork and plenums are clean.

Eliminated Odor

You can anticipate smelling something unpleasant in the house if there is mold and mildew inside the ducts. Home duct cleaning services can get rid of any unpleasant odor when done properly. In fact, you would almost instantly notice a significant improvement.

Make Sure Your System Is Working Accurately

If the procedure is done right, your system will be working flawlessly even better than before. Check no vents are bent or anything. Make sure the professional secured all access doors with the appropriate rivets or screws in addition to cleaning the surfaces, as this will attest to the quality of the work done.

Average Cost of Duct & Vent Cleaning

The average cost of air duct cleaning is about $500. Homeowners can typically anticipate spending between $270 and $1,000 on air duct cleaning. However, a variety of variables, like the ductwork’s size and accessibility, condition, and cleaning technique, might affect the cost. Owners of smaller homes might anticipate paying less, while those with larger properties can anticipate paying more. Check out this amazing blog from Forbes to get details about air duct cleaning prices.

Conclusion

In conclusion, keeping a healthy and pleasant living environment requires regular air duct and vent cleaning. Air ducts and vents can be clogged with dirt, dust, and other pollutants over time, which can have a negative impact on indoor air quality and cause respiratory problems.

You may increase the effectiveness of your HVAC system, reduce the chance of indoor air pollution, and extend the lifespan of your equipment by making an appointment for professional cleaning services. Regular cleaning can also save energy costs and help you avoid future expensive repairs. Hence, if you haven’t had your air ducts and vents cleaned in a while, it’s time to do so in order to keep your house or business as hygienic and sanitary as possible.