ductwork cleaning

QUESTION
How often do you advise to have my ductwork cleaned? When I removed the cold air returns recently, the ducts seemed to be pretty clean. I change the filter on a regular basis, have no pets, and the house is about 36 years. Are there guidelines for this?

ANSWER
The guidelines for ductwork cleaning are based on the uniqueness of each household. You can decide according to how dirty the ductwork interior appears, how fast your filters fill with dust, or how dirty your house is from a dust standpoint.

With a house as clean as you describe, we suggest every 5 – 7 years, and even then, keep an eye on the ductwork to see if there’s any substantial build-up of dust. If you’re experiencing no allergy or respiratory problems, regular duct cleaning may be an unnecessary maintenance expense.

For households with pets, or many active people coming in and out, or if you like to keep windows open for fresh air and ventilation, ductwork can get dustier. Cleaning it every 2-3 years is recommended, if you see substantial dust build-up.

If there are health or allergy issues, please talk with your doctors for their recommendations on keeping a healthy house, and how often your ductwork should be cleaned.

Preventing dust build-up is as easy as regularly changing the furnace filter. It does the heavy-lifting of keeping dust and dirt out of the ductwork.

When choosing an air duct cleaning service, please review their status with the Better Business Bureau, and that the cleaning includes the entire heating and cooling system along with the ductwork.  In Metro St. Louis, we use and recommend Wellington Environmental.

For answers to home improvement questions, visit the Mosby Home Improvement Library. And for remodeling and repair help in the Metro St. Louis area, call Mosby at 314.909.1800, or contact us here.