Is Air Duct Cleaning Really Worth It?

Why Air Duct Cleaning is Necessary for Your Health & Comfort

Air ducts are easy to overlook since they are hidden behind walls and ceilings, but they are one of the most important parts of a healthy, efficient home. Every bit of air your heating and cooling system moves passes through them, which means whatever is living inside your ducts gets circulated through every room, every day.

When air moves through your ventilation system, it carries dust, allergens, bacteria, and even fungal spores along with it. Over time those contaminants build up inside your ductwork. For anyone in the home dealing with allergies, asthma, nasal congestion, sinus problems, or other respiratory issues, dirty air ducts can make symptoms noticeably worse, and even people without those conditions are breathing that air around the clock.

Common Indoor Pollution Found in Kansas City Homes

Kansas City homes deal with a wide range of indoor pollutants year-round. Pet hair, dust, allergens, pollen, viruses, and debris can all make their way into your ductwork and build up over time. Because we experience all four seasons here, the type of contaminants cycling through your system shifts throughout the year, from spring pollen to summer humidity and mold to fall and winter dust, making regular cleaning more important in this climate than many homeowners realize.

The Benefits Of Cleaning Your Air Ducts

Clean air ducts have many health and financial benefits.

Health Benefits: Removing the dust, dander, and chemicals that have collected inside your ducts provides better air for you and your family. Clean air is especially important for people with allergies, asthma, and respiratory issues.

Financial Benefits: Having a clean heating and cooling system means your unit won’t have to work as hard to pump air throughout your home. In other words, your home will become energy efficient. An efficient heating and cooling system will cost less to operate and will avoid many common repair problems.

Think of it this way – air ducts are the circulatory system of your home. Filled with gunk and dirt, the system as a whole won’t function properly. When your airways are clear, nothing stops your heating and cooling system from operating at its best.

How Often Should I Schedule an Air Duct Cleaning?

Over time, dust, bacteria, allergens, and other particles accumulate inside your air ducts and create a buildup that affects both air quality and system performance. How quickly that buildup happens depends on your specific household, with factors like pets, smoking, water damage, HVAC issues, and recent home renovations all accelerating the process.

Each home is different, but most Kansas City homeowners should plan on having their air ducts cleaned every three to five years. It is also a smart move to schedule a duct cleaning whenever you move into a new home, since you have no way of knowing when it was last done or what the previous occupants left behind.

Here are some other factors to consider:

• Does anyone in your home smoke?
• Does anyone in your family suffer from asthma or allergies?
• Does anyone in your family have a chronic illness?
• Does your cooling system have a difficult time controlling humidity?
• Do you have pets?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, we recommend an air duct cleaning every two years.

Questions To Ask Your Air Duct Cleaning Company

Many companies advertising “air duct cleaning” are only referring to cleaning the ductwork and do not adequately clean your system (or they will try to upsell you for additional work). When you schedule a duct cleaning, here are some questions you can ask to make sure the job will be done correctly.

1. What parts of the ductwork get cleaned?

Make sure you know what their price includes. For example, how many air vents and returns does their quote cover? If they are charging by the vent and return, there is often a limit on the special price, and they will charge you more for additional vents and returns.

Also, remember to ask if the price includes the main trunk line.

2. Are there any additional costs beyond the quoted price?

Don’t be tricked by the super low-priced companies. Many have a bait-and-switch strategy to get in the door and then charge for extra services and even unnecessary work.

3. Do they follow the NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association) guidelines?

These guidelines include cleaning both supply and return air ducts, cleaning all registers and grills, and sealing the access panel according to the NADCA standards.

Air Duct Cleaning Services From A.B. May Heating, A/C, Plumbing & Electrical

Our highly trained team of technicians use patented HEPA-AIRE equipment. By design, this equipment captures 99.7% of particles, leaving your ducts squeaky clean.

How Does Our Duct Cleaning Service Work?

1. First, we will clean your air conveyance system with high-pressure air and a powerful HEPA vac. The vacuum gets rid of dirt and contaminants from the ductwork and other HVAC components.
2. Next, we use a powerful HEPA-filtered vacuum collection system. The vacuum creates negative pressure and pulls dislodged contaminants out of the duct to capture them.
3. Finally, we will seal up all access points and leave the space just like we found in. In other words, it is an incredibly easy and streamlined process that will leave you with healthy air.

Fun fact: More people ask us for information on duct cleaning than any other service.

Regardless of how often you decide to clean your air ducts, make sure that you are choosing the right people to get the job done correctly. If you want to schedule an air duct cleaning or need more information, give us a call at 913-383-3100.