“Is cleaning air ducts necessary for a unit owner to do?” This question might have gone in circles inside your head. With your HVAC system requiring regular maintenance and tune-up, you might start to ponder getting your ductwork next in line. But is it a needed thing to do?
This article will be talking more about duct cleaning and its role in your HVAC maintenance. Is it something that you have to do? Or is it an overrated, additional expense?
What is duct cleaning?
Before we move forward in answering the question, “Is cleaning air ducts necessary?” let us first look into what the duct cleaning process involves.
Experts usually perform duct cleaning with the help of specialized tools. These types of equipment dislodge the debris accumulated within the ducts and loosen them. Once loose, they turn into airborne particles, which will be subject to vacuum. During the process, experts assure careful movements as reckless cleaning could cause holes in the system. It is a primary reason why doing a DIY cleaning is against our recommendation.
Is this a step you can’t skip?
You sure have asked yourself, “Is cleaning air ducts necessary?” While it may seem logical to do so, experts seem to tell us otherwise.
You can’t find any professional recommendations saying that you should integrate duct cleaning. As a matter of fact, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) argues that it is not needed! They have emphasized the unsupported claims of benefits that you get from cleaning your ductwork. It means that the promise of cleaner indoor air is deemed untrue and unproven. According to studies, dust particles settle on the surfaces of the ducts and do not accumulate internally. They get stuck and adhere to the exterior portion of the vents. Hence, there is no need to clean your internal duct walls because they are “dirty.”
So I don’t need duct cleaning at all?
Aside from our first dilemma, it might be another tricky question: “Is cleaning air ducts necessary?” While experts say that you don’t need to schedule a duct cleaning as regularly as you do for HVAC maintenance, they don’t say that you won’t need this at all.
If correctly done, duct cleaning helps in various situations unit owners might have in their homes. For example, rodents or insects observed to be lingering around your vents and registers might signal the need for cleaning. You don’t want to keep any rats or flying insects in your ducts, do you? Another sign of a need for duct cleaning is an observance of mould growth. If you see mould developing in areas where it can get in contact with the air blown into your home, it is best to perform a cleaning right away as it can impact your health.
Conclusion
Duct cleaning is not overall bad. But is cleaning air ducts necessary? It depends on the scenario. You have to step back if you’re only looking into duct cleaning because of the promise that it is “beneficial” and “a vital step” in maintaining your ducts. As mentioned above, these are false claims and could be a company’s way of luring you into their service. But if you have several factors that could signal a potential need for this, always make sure you run to the professionals in town.
