Have you seen those commercials for duct cleaning? The ones that suggest that your ducts are lined with a mat of dust, dirt, pet dander, mold, mildew, and dust mites? After seeing those commercials, just the thought of turning on the central air conditioning can make some homeowners start sneezing.
Fortunately, the air ducts in most homes are not like the ones in those scary commercials. Regularly changing your furnace filter and using a high efficiency pleated filter will prevent most dust accumulations inside your ductwork. Duct cleaning is probably unnecessary under these circumstances.
However, if your home is more than a few years old and you haven’t exactly been diligent with changing your furnace filter, your ducts are probably lined with a layer of dust. If moisture has found its way into your duct system, mold and mildew may also be growing inside your ducts.
To prevent mold spores from being spread throughout your home via your air conditioning system and to improve indoor air quality, have your ducts cleaned by an HVAC contractor. There are companies that specialize in air duct cleaning, but the better option is to have your ductwork inspected and cleaned by an experienced HVAC contractor.
HVAC technicians can not only clean your ducts, but they can also spot and correct other air duct issues like poorly sealed ducts, improperly sized ductwork, or a poorly designed and installed duct system. They can seal leaky ductwork which will not only improve the efficiency of your system, but also reduce the amount of airborne contaminants the enter the ducts and contribute to the dust buildup.
