Are you fed up with cleaning the house frequently and still find it dirty as before? We don’t blame you for getting frustrated. It is a tedious job, one in which you would rather indulge just once a month. Despite the thorough cleaning regime you follow, if your house still looks dirty, it’s because maybe the dirt is coming from inside the ducts.
Often, most of us clean the house month after month but rarely ever think of all the dust accumulating inside the ducts. Apparently, when the dust and dirt buildup inside the ducts becomes substantive, the air passing through becomes laden with its particles. It settles them on surfaces inside the house, giving it a dirty and unkempt appearance.
If you have no idea when your ductwork was last given a professional cleaning or if you have recently moved into a new but already lived-in home, it’s time to think of duct cleaning. Now that the seed of thought has germinated in your brain, you would typically have a lot of questions regarding its cost, frequency, and whether it’s actually worth the trouble or not – good news for you. You are on the right track for all the information you seek. You shall find it right here.
What Do You Mean By Professional AC Duct Cleaning?
A lot of homeowners think they can clean the ductwork themselves. After all, the only equipment you need is a vacuum cleaner which everyone has. Sadly, you are way off the mark running with this assumption. Yes, you need a vacuum cleaner, but not a regular household one. Instead, an industrial-grade vacuum cleaner with a long hose is required for duct cleaning. Therefore, the emphasis is on getting the ducts cleaned by a professional. Their vacuum is very powerful and can reach deep into the ducts while the household one can’t. So when we talk about professional AC duct cleaning, we mean hiring a licensed contractor who provides this service.
How Much Does AC Duct Cleaning Cost?
The cost of AC duct cleaning can range anywhere from $269 to $486. The national average is approximately $373. Nevertheless, these figures can climb quickly depending on several factors like:
1. The length of the duct.
2. Ease of access to the ductwork.
3. Condition of the ducts.
What EPA Has To Say About Duct Cleaning
Since we don’t want to hide any information, we are going to put forth the US Environment Protection Agency’s point of view as well. According to them, indoor air pollution is a thing of grave concern. They say that dust and dirt stick to the walls of the ducts. So you should think of duct cleaning only when there are visible signs of mold in your house.
What Professionals Of The HVAC Industry Say On The Subject Of Duct Cleaning
According to the professionals involved in the HVAC industry, the ducts are also a part of the house. Although they remain hidden from view, they should still be cleaned once every 5 years. It will help to
1. Get rid of all the dirt and filth accumulated inside the ducts over the years.
2. Bring to light if there is an infestation inside the ducts by critters or small pests.
3. Eliminate odors from the house for which you have until now found no possible source.
4. Highlight whether there is mold or mildew inside the ductwork.
Signs Of Dirty Ductwork
If you wish to know how you can recognize the signs of dirty ducts, here are a few things that you should be on the lookout for –
1. Dust blows from vents when the AC is running.
2. Mold is growing around the vents. It will appear like a black cottony substance growing on the walls.
3. If you suspect some animal has most likely made its abode inside the ducts.
4. If the clean surfaces inside your house become dirty more frequently despite regular cleaning and keeping the doors and windows closed.
Is Professional AC Duct Cleaning Worth It
Whether professional AC duct cleaning is worth it or not is a matter of one’s point of view. It all depends on how comfortable you are in ignoring the unknown status of the ducts in your home. Typically, young adults may not mind it at all and hence, consider air duct cleaning worthless. But, when kids are also a part of the equation, they may change the tune altogether. After all, their welfare and continued good health are of prime importance.
Similarly, older people, too, may consider air duct cleaning an unnecessary waste of money, considering they never got it done even once in their lifetime. Nonetheless, when wrought with allergies and other ailments due to poor indoor air quality, their opinion, too, may undergo a sea change.
From a professional perspective, what we can guarantee is that when you opt for air duct cleaning by a professional company, you will get the following benefits –
1. There will be no infestation of any kind inside the ducts. So you no longer have to worry about animal droppings or their dead and decaying bodies.
2. There will be no dust, dirt, dander, allergens, VOCs, or any other air pollutant residing in the inner reaches of the ductwork.
3. You will not have to worry about allergens, mold, and mildew.
4. Professionals take absolute care when cleaning the ducts. Consequently, there’s no need to worry about damage to your ductwork. In case of an unforeseen incident, rest in the knowledge that they are insured, and hence, you will not have to bear any unnecessary financial burden for no fault of yours.
Bottomline
AC duct cleaning is an expensive activity, with the national average coming to around $373. Thankfully, it just needs to be done once every 5 years. So if you can save around $70 a year, it will not be too difficult to plan for it. The good thing with clean ducts is that you know there is nothing inside the ducts that will damage them or your good health anytime soon. Repeating the activity every few years will make for a clean, healthy, and happy home.
