Why You Should Clean Your Air Ducts

The obvious answer to this very common question put simply is, air duct cleaning improves the air quality in your home. On average people spend approximately 80-90% of their time in doors. So it makes sense that we would want to make sure the air that we’re breathing is the cleanest and safest quality that we can make it.

Over time, your air ducts and HVAC system accumulate dirt, pollen, germs and other contaminants. The most common contaminants found in air ducts are:

Each time your fan turns on it can push particles of these through your air ducts and into your living room, bedrooms, etc.. While these particles are flying through the air we can breathe them in. It also gets re-circulated back into your HVAC system. On average this re-circulation could happen 5-7 times per day under optimal conditions. Once these particles enter your system over time they can clog your filter, clog your fan and eventually create a buildup of dirt lining the inside your duct work. We have seen build ups of close to 2 inches in height. That’s a lot of dust! Especially if your vents are located on or near the floor, you’d be surprised what could makes its way down into your air ducts.

In some cases while your air conditioner is in use, or there’s enough humidity in the air this can cause your system to get moist. When your air duct system is kept moist it can become a breeding ground for bacteria, mold and fungus. The air being pushed through your air ducts can lift some of these particles up and out of the duct work and back into your environment. Sometimes you can even see mold forming on your vent covers known as registers or at times when you turn on your A/C you can even smell the mildew coming from your HVAC system. In many cases a good air duct cleaning and sanitation will help solve the issue.

All these things building up over time can cause blockages resulting in your HVAC system working less efficient and can stir up allergies, asthma, and other lung related problems. It’s also recommended for most HVAC systems to replace your filters every few months. Most people completely forget about doing this which causes the filter to completely get covered in all sorts of dirt and other particulates which reduces the air flow going through it making the HVAC less efficient. Cleaning your air ducts properly removes these build ups which results in a clean and healthy air duct system. It also helps to reduce allergy flare ups, funny odors and helps the HVAC system work most efficiently.

How often should I get my air ducts cleaned?

Some companies may say that you should get your air ducts cleaned on a regular basis, getting them cleaned once every year or two. This is actually not correct. While most other Los Angeles air duct cleaning companies would love to have such repeat business, air ducts don’t necessarily need to be cleaned that often unless specific problems arise that call for them to be clean again, i.e. mold, allergies flaring up, etc. under optimum conditions we recommend that you clean air ducts once every 3 – 5 years. Some households like to get them cleaned on a yearly basis which is also great, but it’s on a personal preference at their end.