Just like everything else in your home, the inside of your HVAC ducts won’t stay clean forever. All of the air that you breathe inside of your home is pushed and pulled through those ducts. In that air are tiny particles and allergens that, over time, will settle inside the ducts, potentially causing all sorts of problems and it means you may need to get your air ducts cleaned.

And, as the gunk accumulates, some of it, like allergens that can activate asthma, gets blown back into your home, and you breathe it in.

So, how often should you clean your ductwork? It’s actually different for everyone’s home. A lot of different factors affect the air quality. Here are some things to look for if you think it might be time for a thorough cleaning.

1 How do your vents look?

Are they collecting dust more than usual? Of course, they will collect dust no matter what, even if the heater or AC isn’t on (you know how dust is…) But, if it’s a lot of dust or more than usual, it could signal a problem. How about the return air vents? If dust is building up on and around your vents, it could also be accumulating inside of your ducts.

2 Do you notice more dust around your home than usual?

If your ducts are dirty, they’ll be blowing extra dust throughout your home. While a lot of it will get sucked back into the return-air vent, it will also settle on the things in your home.

3 Are your furnace filters getting dirty quicker?

You should be changing your filters about every two to three months. If they look unusually dirty when you change them, it could be a sign of excess dust inside of the ducts. Try changing them out every month. If they still look bad, it’s probably time for a good duct cleaning.

4 Are your utility bills suddenly increasing?

Your HVAC is dependent on a constant flow of air to operate efficiently. If dust is building up in system, your heating and cooling blower will have to work harder, increasing your utility bills and stressing the machinery. Not only will dirty air ducts cost you more on utilities, they can also cost you more on HVAC maintenance since your system is working more than it needs to.

5 Mold

If you have had any mold issues inside of your home, those spores have traveled through your air ducts. And, unfortunately, even after you get the mold out of your home, the spores are still traveling through the ducts, ready to grow again. If you’re dealing with mold, it’s a good idea to include duct cleaning in your plan of attack.

6 Infestations

Pest infestations are the worst. They get into every nook and cranny, even inside of your air ducts, leaving their droppings. A thorough air duct cleaning will get rid of all of that.

7 Are you noticing air quality issues?

Breathing in air that is flowing through dirty air ducts can cause health issues for you and your family, especially if anyone is prone to allergy symptoms. If you are noticing more health issues in your household, even cold-like symptoms, it could be a sign of poor air quality caused by dirty air ducts.

If you are looking for a dependable, honest company to get your air ducts cleaned, give us a call today. Hammock’s is a family-owned business and proud of the reputation we’ve earned in our community for providing top-notch service when you need it the most. Our team of service professionals are fully trained and ready to assist you with all of your HVAC needs. We look forward to working with you.