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. Contingent on a lot of factors—like your home’s location, if you have pets, and how frequently your air filter has been swapped out, to name some—you may require air duct cleaning more or less frequently. So, how can you know for sure when it’s time to have your ducts cleaned? There are certainly some telltale signs when it’s time.

Look for these clues:

  1. Are your cold air returns caked with dust or pet hair?
  2. Is there a blockage within 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 nestled in your ductwork?
  6. Can you hear noise 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 more than likely time to ask North Mechanical Heating and Cooling in Payson about air duct cleaning.

Prolonging Time Between Air Duct Cleaning
There are a couple things you can do to help keep your ducts cleaner and extend the period of time between specialized cleanings.

Mostly importantly, setup regular HVAC maintenance with the experts at North Mechanical Heating and Cooling. A service of your furnace each fall and your AC each spring, which should comprise of inspection, and prospective replacement, of your air filter, will help keep your HVAC system operating effectively, and may help keep your ducts clean.

You can also talk to the team at North Mechanical Heating and Cooling about installing an air purification system. We have 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 measures you can take include:

  • Regularly dusting and vacuuming your home.
  • Checking your air filters routinely and changing them when the manufacturer recommends changing them. Most filters will present dust on them after a short time in service, but they may not require replacement.
  • Sealing leaks in air ducts that let dust to move in from areas like your attic.
  • Replacing poor or impaired air-duct insulation.

With a professional air duct cleaning and some preventive measures, you can help keep the air in your Payson home clean and healthy. Give the professionals at North Mechanical Heating and Cooling a call at 928-263-8570.