10 Benefits of Air Duct Cleaning

June 02, 2022

How Does Duct Cleaning Work and Why Should I Do It?

It’s time for some deep-cleaning projects around the house, but you need to do more than just clean the garage and backs of the closets. It’s time to clean all of your air ducts.

No matter the season, air ducts in your home collect particles and allergens that can be circulated through your home, causing problems to your AC system and your family’s health. Cleaning ducts can be a pain, but fortunately, A.J. Perri offers professional duct cleaning services to our New Jersey neighbors.

See why cleaning your air ducts is so important and the benefits of air duct cleaning.

Why Should I Have My Air Ducts Cleaned?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, levels of pollutants may be 2-5 times greater inside than outdoors. It’s no wonder indoor air pollution has become a top concern among many households.

How do so many contaminants accumulate in your house? In a typical six-room home, up to 40 pounds of dust is created annually just through everyday living.

The dust in your home can contain:

Chemicals
Dirt
Pollen
Animal hair and dander
Mold
Pesticides
Dirt
Volatile organic compounds from household products

Your AC and heating systems suck in these particles and re-circulate them five to seven times per day. Imagine what that buildup looks like inside your ductwork.

Dirty ducts don’t necessarily mean there is unhealthy air in a home. However, dirty ducts could contribute to larger health issues and cause serious problems for people with respiratory health conditions.

Cleaning your ducts regularly can remove contaminants from the re-circulated air in a home and keep your air clean.

The Benefits of Air Duct Cleaning

Regularly cleaning your air ducts produces 10 benefits for your home life and overall comfort.

1. Better Indoor Air Quality

The American Lung Association explains that because indoor air can have more pollutants, it can have negative health effects. All the particles circulating through the air ducts can lead to poor air quality and adverse health effects. Regularly cleaning your ducts will clear out most contaminants and keep your air clean.

2. Save Energy

Clogged ducts can cause your home’s HVAC system to work harder to push air through the house, decreasing the HVAC’s lifespan and wasting energy. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 25% to 40% of energy used to heat and cool your home is wasted. Cleaning ducts will save energy, decrease your utility bills, and extend the life of your equipment.

3. Reduced Odors

The odors travel through your HVAC system whenever you cook, paint, or do anything that emits strong smells. If the system is clogged with debris, these odors can become embedded, and you may keep smelling them for days or even weeks.

If mold or mildew accumulates in the ducts, you will also experience strong, unpleasant smells throughout your home. These will not go away until the system is thoroughly cleaned.

4. Improved HVAC efficiency

When ducts and filters are clogged, the system must work even harder to push air through. Your home may only experience gentle air flow instead of the powerful flow it’s supposed to have. Cleaning the ducts allows your system to operate at full capacity, getting you the fresh air you need without overworking the system.

5. Prevents Allergies

When your air ducts aren’t cleaned regularly, they can build up layers of dust, debris, and even dust mites. Then, the air that circulates through your home can carry these, leading to allergy-like symptoms. Keeping air ducts clean will prevent sneezing, coughing, and the irritated eyes accompanying unwanted particles in the air you breathe.

6. Helps Eliminate Irritants

If your ducts are clogged or dirty, harmful microorganisms and bacteria can survive and circulate through your home.

These can take the form of:

Mold
Pet dander
Pet fur
Pollen
Smoke or ash

These particles can irritate your lungs and eyes. Keeping ducts clean will decrease irritation and protect those more prone to respiratory issues, such as the elderly and infants.

7. Prolongs the AC Unit’s Lifespan

When your air vents are clean, they can work at peak efficiency. When ducts and filters are clogged, the system has to work harder, which can shorten its lifespan. An overworked system is more prone to unexpected breakdowns that could leave you without valuable AC during the hottest time of the year.

8. Prolongs Filters’ Lifespans

The air filters in an AC system are key to preventing debris from entering your system. If your air filters constantly have to trap particles from clogged ducts, they aren’t as efficient and could become completely clogged or even rip. If ducts are clean, your filters won’t have to work overtime and will last longer.

9. Better Cleanliness

Air ducts full of contaminants and debris will distribute that debris through your house as air passes through the vents. If vents are cleaned regularly, the system has no harmful particles to redistribute.

10. Keeps Your Home Safe

Clean ducts will work efficiently to move air through filters and into your home. Clogged and dirty ducts can become a fire hazard. A simple spark or the heat of a summer day could light the debris and quickly spread fire through your home. Cleaning your ducts will keep the risk of fire out of your AC system.

When to Get Your Air Ducts Cleaned

You know you should clean your ducts regularly, but how do you decide when it’s time for a thorough deep clean? Generally, you should have your ducts cleaned every three to five years. However, there are five clues that indicate you should get your system cleaned sooner.

1. Changes to Your Home

If you are a new homeowner, getting your ducts cleaned is always a good idea. This is especially true if the previous owner was a smoker or pet owner or if they neglected to clean their ducts.

If you’re building a new home or doing renovations, it’s also a good idea to have your ducts cleaned due to all the drywall, dust, and construction debris that can accumulate.

2. Visible Mold or Musty Smell

Mold commonly grows in humid and damp places, like your air ducts. If you see physical mold on your air vents or ducts or notice a musty smell coming from them, you need to get your air ducts cleaned.

3. Excess Dust

Contaminants like dust and allergens can build up in your ductwork over time. This debris can often be seen in visible poofs of dust that come out of your vents when your air or heating is turned on.

4. Pets That Shed

If your pets shed, the hair and dander can get caught in dirty vents and recirculate through the home. If you have furry or feathered pets, you’ll need to clean your ducts more regularly because they will accumulate more hair and dust than homes without such pets.

5. Cold or Allergy Symptoms

Dust, debris, and dust mites can all live in your air ducts and cause cold and allergy symptoms. Your dirty ducts could be the culprit if you’re experiencing unusual or heightened allergy symptoms.

How Does Duct Cleaning Work?

While you can try cleaning your own ducts, it’s a complicated and painstaking process. To avoid accidentally damaging your system and to make sure your ducts are cleaned perfectly, it’s best to call a professional.

At A.J. Perri, our technicians use specialized tools to remove dirt, dust, and debris from your system during your professional duct cleaning. We will also completely sanitize the vents and grills throughout your home. After a thorough duct cleaning, your home will feel fresher and cleaner than ever before, helping you breathe easily and beat the summer heat.

In a typical duct-cleaning appointment, one of A.J. Perri’s technicians will:

Clean registers and air vents
Clean supply and return ducts
Clean the furnace or air handler interior
Clean all parts of the blower assembly

Duct Cleaning FAQs

What Happens if I Don't Clean My Air Ducts?

If you don’t clean your air ducts, they will accumulate dust and other debris. This can lead to:

Clogged ducts becoming a fire hazard
Poor air quality in your home
Various respiratory issues aggravated by air contaminants
An overworking system prone to breaking down quickly

To avoid these issues, you can schedule a duct cleaning appointment with A.J. Perri!

How Often Should I Clean My Air Ducts?

In general, you should clean your ducts every three to five years. However, if you have just finished renovations or moved into a new home, it’s a good practice to get ducts cleaned right away.

How Do I Know if My Ductwork Needs to Be Cleaned?

You can tell your ducts need cleaning if the AC system isn’t cooling the home properly, dust is blowing out of your vents, or you notice a distinct odor coming from your vents. When that happens, it’s time to call the professionals.

Schedule Your Duct Cleaning With A.J. Perri

Cleaning your ducts doesn’t have to be difficult. Save yourself time and energy by calling A.J. Perri. We can handle the complete cleaning of your ductwork so you can breathe easily and enjoy a fully operational AC system. We can also handle any AC or heating tune-ups, repairs, or replacements and provide you with the best air-cleaning products around.

Call A.J. Perri today at 732-733-2541 or book online to schedule your own duct-cleaning appointment.