Today's Homeowner published an article asking the question HVAC Duct Cleaning: Scam or Worth It?, and Ms. Day makes a few really good points.
- Duct cleaning has become a popular service in recent years.
- Duct cleaning should also involve a thorough cleaning of the air handler, registers, grilles, fans, motors, housings, and coils of the HVAC system.
- There is evidence that cleaning all the parts of the HVAC system makes the machine more efficient.
However, her claim that there is no evidence that having your ducts cleaned improves the air quality of your home... Having your ducts cleaned by a professional company like ours who has specialized equipment to do so is one of the best things you can do for asthmatic or high allergy sufferers.
Duct Cleaning is Worth it.
It's not a scam. We promise. Cleaning your ductwork is not an every year adventure. It is only advised to do it every 5-7 years based on the area you live in, your cleaning habits, and whether you have smokers, kids, or pets living with you.
If you think about it, your furniture (if it is anything like mine) gets dusty, and I am polishing it once a week. I live in a rural area. I have fields by my home. I have animals and kids in my home. If all the dust is settling on my furniture, it is also settling in my carpet, in my floor vents, and traveling down, down, down to my HVAC equipment too. So, if you need to keep the HVAC equipment clean, you need to keep all roads that lead to it clean too. It only makes sense!
So maybe there is not actual evidence that it helps with your allergies, breathing, or asthma. But it sure seems like it. Ever since I have been cleaning duct work and having mine done, we all breathe better. I used to have an inhaler I used once a day that now I use a few times a week. No, I didn't just grow out of asthma. I just have less dust floating around my home. I can always tell when it is time to clean because I start to wake up with puffy eyes, a runny nose, and I need my inhaler. Sure enough, if I check my floor vents, I can see the dirt accumulating and it's time to get the rotobrush down in there.
Knowing if Duct Cleaning is right for you.
It is. It's right for everyone. Dust comes together like lint in the dryer creating a blanket of fire feeder if you think about it. But here is a few times in life that we recommend you get us in to clean for you:
- When you have a new baby coming. You always want to start your baby off with the best care. So why not the best air? You would want to have the ducts cleaned as apart of your nesting.
- When you quit smoking. You don't want the smell of cigarettes in your home if you don't want to smoke them anymore. Slap on a fresh coat of paint on the walls, then call us. We will do a combination duct and carpet cleaning to get all the tar and toxins out of your home.
- Sadly, when someone gets sick. Cancer patients especially need to focus on keeping the house clean. As well as anyone on oxygen. If you're using oxygen, the doctor wants you to have clean air. It's good to get the dust out of the air around you too.
- When you remodel. We said in a previous post that you should always clean after a remodel. Here's why: All the contractors working on your home probably wore masks... They are advised to not breathe in gypsum dust, wood dust, tile dust. And now we are advising you not to breathe it in either. Once the remodel is done, call us and get the potentially dangerous dust particles out of your ducts before they end up in your lungs.
Call us today to schedule your free onsite estimate! 618-719-7741
