How to Determine Whether You Need Duct Cleaning, Repair, or Replacement

Your household duct system plays a critical role in the performance of your HVAC system and, believe it or not, your indoor air quality. When your ducts are filled with dust and debris, they can negatively affect the efficiency of your heating and cooling system and even trigger allergy symptoms by circulating particulate matter into the air you breathe. When they’re damaged, they can also reduce the efficiency of your heating and cooling system.

To keep your HVAC system efficiency and indoor air quality high, it’s important to pay attention to the state of your ducts to determine when cleaning, repairs, and replacement may be necessary. Check out what you need to know below.

When Should You Schedule Professional Duct Cleaning?

Generally, a thorough duct cleaning every two to five years is sufficient, but some homes require service more often than others. If you have several pets or any household members who smoke indoors, you’ll likely need to get your ducts cleaned more often.

Here are some other common signs that it’s time to bring in a duct cleaning specialist.

You Notice Respiratory Issues While You’re Indoors

Whether or not you suffer from seasonal allergies, it’s possible to experience sinus and lung issues caused by an excessive accumulation of health-harming debris in your ductwork.

If you notice you’re sneezing, sniffling, or more congested than usual, your symptoms may be caused by dirty ductwork. Similarly, if you start having trouble breathing while you’re in your house or you develop a scratchy throat or a cough, particulates in your air ducts could be to blame.

You Develop Unexplained, Allergy-Like Symptoms

Just as allergy-like respiratory issues can show up when your ducts harbor excessive particulate matter, other allergy symptoms can make an appearance, too. These include:

●        Skin rashes

●        Itchy, watery eyes

●        Persistent headaches

●        Unexplained brain fog

●        Constant fatigue

These types of symptoms often stem from exposure to mold, mildew, pests, insect feces, and other disgusting substances that like to hang out in your ducts. So if you’re dealing with new or worsening allergy-like issues that just won’t go away, a duct cleaning appointment may be in order.

Your Vents Smell Bad

Does your house smell weird and you can’t figure out why? If so, walk up to one of your air ducts and take a big whiff — what do you smell? Anything unpleasant? If your vents are putting off an off-putting odor, it’s likely time to get your ducts cleaned.

Dirty ductwork can hang onto unpleasant odors for a long time because dirty ducts contain large amounts of debris that naturally absorbs household scents. So even if you do your best to keep your house clean, your ducts can still smell weird if they’re harboring too much gunk.

Check out When Do You Need Professional Duct Cleaning? to learn more about appropriate times to schedule service.

When Do You Need Duct Repairs?

If your ducts are aged and you’ve noticed your HVAC system seems to be running more frequently than usual, that may indicate a leak in the ductwork. Debris buildup in your air ducts may also affect HVAC performance, so if you haven’t had your ducts cleaned in a while (or ever) particulate matter may be contributing to the cycling issue.

Other issues that may indicate the need for ductwork repair include:

●        Uneven heating and cooling throughout your home

●        An unusual, musty odor inside your home

●        Weird noises that appear to be coming from your ducts

●        An unexplained increase in heating and cooling costs

●        Filters that get filthy faster than usual

To find out whether you need duct repairs, duct cleaning, or both, get in touch with a contractor who can inspect your ductwork. He’ll advise you on the best course of action for improving the efficiency of your HVAC system.

When Should You Replace Your Ductwork?

As a general rule, you should replace your ductwork at 10-15 year intervals. However, any time your ducts are showing significant wear and tear or they’re outright damaged, it’s a good idea to go ahead and replace them.

If your ducts are coated in filth — even if they haven’t reached the end of their functional lifespan — it may be in your best interest to replace them too. It can be difficult to clean heavily soiled ductwork thoroughly, and for your health’s sake, it’s best to ensure your indoor air is flowing through a completely clean duct system.

Dust Doctors: Your Twin Cities Source for Comprehensive Duct Cleaning Service

Are your air ducts in need of a thorough cleaning? Our team at Dust Doctors is at your service. For over 10 years, we’ve proudly served residents throughout Little Canada, MN and the surrounding areas with comprehensive duct cleaning, HVAC maintenance, and indoor air quality improvement systems. We understand clean ductwork plays a critical role in the performance of your HVAC system and that’s why you won’t find our proprietary tools or techniques anywhere else in the industry.

To schedule an appointment or learn more about how we can help you, give us a call today at 651-319-9777 or request a free quote online, and we’ll be in touch.