Should I have my Air Ducts Cleaned?
The Environmental Protection recommends that air ducts be cleaned as needed, and there are factors that dictate that you should have your ventilation system checked on a fairly regular basis, especially in situations where:
- There are people living in the home who have allergies or asthma
- The home is older, and the ventilation system is more than 15 or 20 years old,
- In homes where any kind of mold, insects, or allergens have been identified anywhere
- The home has a system that is collecting excessive debris in the HVAC filter
The NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaning Association) points out that the need for cleaning your air ducts also depends on whether you have pets, if there is any smoking in the home, if you’ve had recent home renovations, and – importantly – local weather conditions, especially in urban areas with excessive smog. This is because the quality of indoor air is actually deteriorating because of the energy efficient doors and windows in new construction. The seals are so extensive that there is actually almost no outdoor air coming into a new home unless a window or door is opened. Homes were less energy efficient 25 to 30 years ago, but the air quality inside was better because of the drafts. Now we have lower heating and cooling bills, but our air inside is often stagnant unless an open window or door allows fresh air in. When the windows are closed for any length of time, the air ventilation system is actually recycling the exact same air over and over, and the quality declines eat time. This means that if there’s any debris anywhere in your air duct system, it’s being regularly recycled through your ventilation system.