Top Signs You Need Home Air Duct Cleaning

Dusty air vent near spackled ceiling of white room

Updated on August 30th, 2023

The air ducts are the respiratory system of your home and function in much the same way your lungs do. They pull in air, remove pollutants and distribute clean air throughout the body of the house. When everything is running properly your house is a safe, healthy environment where people and pets are able to thrive. However, when the system is not filtering out pollutants or when the ducts have become clogged with contaminants, the home environment suffers - often resulting in allergies, asthma and a slew of other respiratory issues. Home air duct cleaning can remove dangerous contaminants from your ductwork and restore the safe, nurturing environment within your home. But what are the signs that indicate it’s time to clean your air ducts?

Dirty Air Vent

These Signs Indicate Home Air Duct Cleaning is Necessary

It’s not necessary to have your air ducts cleaned every week, month or even year. Instead, the decision to have your ductwork cleaned is usually driven by circumstances. For instance:

  • If you just bought the house from a previous owner it’s a good idea to have the ducts cleaned.
  • If your home recently underwent a major renovation, remodeling or addition it’s also a good idea to have the ductwork cleaned.

However, if you have owned the home for a number of years and it has not undergone any major renovation or other work you’ll need to keep your eyes open for the warning signs of dirty ductwork. Here are five indicators that it’s time for home air duct cleaning. All of them will require you take a few minutes to do a bit of up close inspection but it will be well worth the effort:

  • Dirty Registers - Take a good look at the air registers throughout the house. Is there dust or dirt on the fins? There shouldn’t be. If the registers have dirty residue on them it’s a rock-solid indication that there’s trouble in paradise and it’s time to have the air ducts cleaned. Don’t just inspect one or two registers in high use areas like the kitchen because they may be getting cleaned more often than the register in, say, the spare bedroom. This frequent cleaning can often mask a potential problem. So make sure you look at as many registers as possible before drawing any conclusions.
  • Dirty Ducts - If you see dirt on the register go get a screwdriver and flashlight and remove that register. Once removed peer into the vent with a flashlight. Chances are you’ll see dirt and dust clinging to the inside walls of the ductwork. This is confirmation that you need to have the ducts cleaned now. Even if you don’t see dirt on any registers remove a vent cover or two anyway and peer inside. If you see dirt and debris clinging to the insides of the duct work it’s time for home air duct cleaning.
  • A Dirty Air Filter - Go down to the basement and remove the air filter from the furnace. Is it dirty? If the answer is “yes” then it’s not only time to replace the filter, it’s time to consider having your air ducts cleaned. If checking the filter is the first thing on this list that you do and you see that it’s clogged with dirt then go remove a register or two and have a look inside the ducts to confirm that a cleaning is called for.
  • A Dirty Blower Fan - For this one you may want to enlist the help of a professional, or perhaps a friend or neighbor who has experience inspecting their furnace. In some cases the blower fan will be easy to find by simply removing a single panel from the side of the furnace. In other cases it may be more difficult to locate either because of the configuration of the furnace or because of where the furnace is located. In any event, once the blower fan is located look for dust and dirt on the blades and the surrounding furnace controls. Just remember that while cleaning the blower fan in such cases is a good idea, the dirty fan itself is just a symptom of a larger problem. You’ll still need to have the ductwork itself cleaned.
  • Health Issues - Sometimes health issues arise unexpectedly and seemingly without cause. A person develops allergies, someone suffers an asthma attack or maybe someone develops a nagging cough or experiences uncontrolled sneezing fits. In most cases people are at a loss to explain such things. But the explanation could very well be dirty air ducts in the home. If you or one of your loved ones is suddenly experiencing some sort of respiratory-related malady don’t rule out the possibility dirty air ducts may play a role.

The pros at Steve’s Carpet Care are among the best-trained and most experienced air duct cleaners in metropolitan Denver. After more than 40 years business, we’ve helped scores of homeowners rid their homes of dirty, unhealthy air. And we can do the same for you. We’ll explain every aspect of the process for you and provide you with a clear written estimate so you can make an informed decision regarding this vital process.

It makes no sense to ignore the signs of dirty air ducts and put off home air duct cleaning. Doing so could lead to undue stress on the HVAC system, more frequent repairs, higher energy bills and worst of all, potential health issues. Call Steve’s to find out more.

Next Post Previous Post