Generally, air ducts need to be cleaned every three to five years according to the
National Air Duct Cleaners Association. Dependent on a lot of factors—like your home’s location, whether or not you have pets, and how frequently your air filter has been changed, to name a few—you may need to have air
duct cleaning more or less often. So, how can you find out for sure when it’s time to have your ducts cleaned? There are definitely some telltale signs when it’s time.
Look for these clues:
- Are your cold air returns caked with dust or pet hair?
- Is there a blockage inside your cold air return vent?
- Are your registers wafting out dust?
- When you look inside with a flashlight, can you see a collection of debris or pet fur?
- Have insects or rodents made a home in your ductwork?
- Can you hear noise other than your blower motor when you listen to the airflow?
- When your vents are fully opened, do any have a smaller amount of airflow than others?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s more than likely time to ask Connolly Electric & Mechanical in Cottonwood & Prescott about air duct cleaning.
Prolonging Time Between Air Duct Cleaning
There are a few things you can do to help keep your ducts cleaner and prolong the period of time between specialized cleanings.
Mostly importantly, schedule routine HVAC maintenance with the experts at Connolly Electric & Mechanical. A tune-up of your furnace each fall and your AC each spring, which should consist of inspection, and possible replacement, of your air filter, will help keep your HVAC system operating well, and should help keep your ducts clean.
You can also chat with the team at Connolly Electric & Mechanical about installing an air purification system. We provide the Lennox PureAir Air Purification System, Healthy Climate Carbon Clean 16 Media Air Cleaner, Healthy Climate 11 Media Air Cleaner, Healthy Climate High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filtration System and Healthy Climate UV Germicidal Lights.
Other actions you can take include:
- Consistently dusting and vacuuming your home.
- Checking your air filters routinely and replacing them when the manufacturer recommends exchanging them. Most filters will show dust on them after a short period in service, but they may not require replacement.
- Sealing seepages in air ducts that allow dust to move in from areas like your attic.
- Replacing poor or broken air-duct insulation.
With a professional air duct cleaning and some preventive measures, you can help keep the air in your Cottonwood & Prescott home clean and healthy. Give the pros at Connolly Electric & Mechanical a call at 928-251-4327.