How to Tell if Your Ducts Need to be Cleaned

February 09, 2017

According to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, air ducts need to be cleaned every three to five years on average. Your home’s location, your pets and the lifetime of your air filters—along with many other factors—can influence this timeline. How can you see if it’s time to have your ducts cleaned? We’ve got some signals that you should watch for.

Look for these clues:
1. When your vents are completely opened, do any have less airflow than others?
2. Can you hear noise other than your blower motor when you focus on the airflow?
3. Is there anything blocking your cold air return vent?
4. When you look inside with a flashlight, do you see a buildup of debris or pet fur?
5. Have bugs or rodents fashioned a home in your ductwork?
6. Are your cold air returns layered with dust or pet hair?
7. Are your registers driving out dust?

If you replied “yes” to any of these questions, it’s likely time to contact B & B Heating & Cooling in Florissant about air duct cleaning.

Prolonging Time Between Air Duct Cleaning
While professional cleanings are important, there are steps you can take to maintain your ducts and extend the time between professional visits.

Most importantly, schedule regular HVAC maintenance with the pros at B & B Heating & Cooling. A yearly evaluation of your furnace in the fall and air conditioning unit in the spring will keep your HVAC system operating at peak performance. Inspecting your system on a regular basis and replacing the air filter when necessary will also help keep your ducts clear.

The pros at B & B Heating & Cooling can also show you more about air purification systems. We offer 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. Installing one of these systems can also help keep your ducts open.

Other ways you can help care for your ducts:
• Seal air duct leaks that let dust in from places such as your attic.
• Check your air filters on a regular basis and switch them out when necessary.
• Regularly dust and vacuum your home.
• Replace air duct insulation if it is in poor or damp condition.

Keeping your ducts open will help you make sure the air in your Florissant home is clean. Don’t forget to use these preventative steps and schedule a professional duct cleaning now. Call the experts at B & B Heating & Cooling at 314-325-7552 or schedule an appointment online.