Everybody knows how important it is to take care of the things in their home, but that doesn’t mean we all do a good job of it. This is especially true when it comes to HVAC systems because so many homeowners take them for granted. Even if you’re having maintenance done every once in a while, you’re not doing everything you can to keep the HVAC system in your St. Paul, MN, home in great shape. If you really want to make sure your HVAC system is clean and efficient, you need to hire a duct cleaning service every once in a while.
What Is Duct Cleaning?
In a standard HVAC system with a forced-air furnace and central air conditioning, all the warm or cool air that enters your home does so via ducts. These ducts are what allow the air to remain at a consistent temperature as it works its way toward your home; they also help keep outside contaminants out of the air you breathe. Unfortunately, all the air that passes through your ducts tends to leave behind dust and debris that can build up on the inside of them.
The dirtier your ducts are, the dirtier the air you breathe is going to be. On top of that, dirty ducts can also cause your air filter to get clogged quicker than it should, which means even worse indoor air quality and more money spent on replacement air filters. A duct cleaning service can remove some of the dust from the inside of your ducts so it’s not being pushed out with the air that enters your home. This makes your heating and cooling more efficient, improves indoor air quality and helps prevent problems.
It’s important to note that some homes actually don’t need duct cleaning. If you have ductless mini splits or some other type of non-central heating and cooling in your home, there won’t be any ducts to clean. If you do have central heating and cooling, you should make sure you’re hiring a duct cleaning service every now and again.
How Often Should Ducts Be Cleaned?
One of the most difficult parts about keeping your ducts clean is the fact that they don’t need to be cleaned or serviced as often as other parts of your HVAC system do. When you have somebody come to your St. Paul, MN, home for seasonal HVAC maintenance, you don’t necessarily need to have your ducts cleaned. So, how often should you hire a duct cleaning service?
At the very least, you should have your ducts cleaned every three to five years. This is the minimum recommendation according to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA). If your home seems to collect dust a lot quicker than others or you use certain types of air filters, you might need to have your ducts cleaned more often. Some people may be able to go longer without duct cleaning if their home generally stays pretty free of dust.
If you’re not sure how often you should have your ducts cleaned, a duct cleaning service expert can help you make the call. This depends on how dirty your ducts are, how efficiently your HVAC system is running and how thorough you want to be. Ultimately, many people find having their ducts cleaned every year or two works out best.
Duct Problems
Every time you have somebody clean your ducts, you should also have them take a look at the general condition of them. Just like all the other parts of your HVAC system, the ducts in your home can wear down a bit with time and eventually cause problems. A leaking duct can cost you a lot of money and cause your HVAC system to work much harder than it should, ultimately shortening the lifespan of various components.
The good news about air duct leaks is that they’re not the most complicated thing to spot or fix. A duct cleaning service expert will be able to search your ducts for leaks and get them fixed up in a hurry if any are present.
If there are a lot of leaks in your duct work or it’s about time you have your ducts replaced anyway, it might be better to opt for new ducts. The same HVAC technicians who handle seasonal maintenance and duct cleaning service can get new ducts installed so the air in your home is fresh and clean.
Air Filters
When you’re talking about indoor air quality in your home, there’s more to keep up with than simply hiring a duct cleaning service every few years. One of the most important things you can do to promote good indoor air quality in your home is make sure you have a clean air filter at all times.
At the very least, you should change your air filter every six months or so. If you live with others or have a pet in your household, you should change the filter every three months. For larger households with a lot of occupants and multiple pets, you might want to consider changing your air filter as often as once every month. While it might seem like a lot to keep up with, changing your air filter keeps your HVAC system in better shape and keeps you and your family breathing cleaner air.
Here to Help
Whether you have a respiratory condition or you simply don’t like breathing stale, dusty air, keeping your ducts clean is important. Fortunately, a good duct cleaning service makes it easy to do that without investing too much time or money.
If your St. Paul, MN, home has dirty ducts, you don’t have to keep breathing dirty air. Instead, have Blue Ox Heating & Air clean them up so you can breathe freely again. Next time you need your ducts cleaned, give us a call at (952) 213-3956.
