I decided to ask a question in my research today. The question was one that I already know the answer to. However, I thought it was one that you might want the answer to. My findings were, perhaps, as varied and different as the people who were giving the information. My question was this: Is getting your air ducts cleaned really worth it? Of course, there were some resounding “yes” and some just as resounding “no” and pretty much everything in between.
What intrigued me perhaps more than anything were the reasons behind those “yeses” and or “nos”. Some said of course it’s not worth it because you have your HVAC unit maintained regularly and the amount of buildup and debris would be negligible. Some said no because there was no real proof of any health benefit or even any benefit to the efficiency of your unit. Then, directly contradictory, some said there is a benefit both to health and HVAC efficiency. So, what are you supposed to believe? I guess, ultimately, it’s up to you. The best idea to me would be to actually ask people you trust. Ask people you know who have had it done. Ask your trusted HVAC professional what they think. There is one particular blog from a professional in New York who I thought had a pretty good grasp on the subject. I’m including his article below just for your information:
“In the beginning of the HPES program here in Syracuse, the good people sent out by NY State to teach us what we needed to know about home performance tended to underestimate the value of duct cleaning. As it turns out, a dozen or so years down the road, now that knowledge and experience have shaped my understanding of a great number of things, I am prepared to reply to Gordon’s question thus: it depends.
Metal ducts are a lot like teeth: hard, durable, and more or less designed for the life of the system. Still, few of us would argue that we shouldn’t bother to clean our teeth.
What’s more, the degree of hygiene that we achieve when cleaning our own pearly whites needs to be backed up by periodic visits to a trained, professional hygienist for a more skillful going-over. Note that one does not become a professional in dental hygiene by buying a truck and a franchise.
It’s simple good housekeeping to vacuum out floor registers when you have them, but sometimes conditions merit a more aggressive approach. If the contractor you talk to says that cleaning the ducts will increase the energy efficiency of your home, I recommend that you thank him or her for their time and go back to the Yellow Pages.
The people who clean ducts for you or for your client need to know that there is no such thing as a $99 duct cleaning and that annual cleanings are an example wretched excess. They should also understand that the very term “duct cleaning” is a misnomer: they are actually doing a “distribution system cleaning,” so the question of whether the coil should be cleaned as well is beneath consideration: of course the coil must be cleaned. Someone who thinks otherwise might like to snort the dust pan after sweeping the kitchen floor but before emptying its contents into the waste basket.
The value of duct cleaning is calculated by applying an equation that balances the actual condition of the distribution system with the skill and knowledge of the people who are doing the work. The downside is that (as always) the supply of bona fide technicians is dwarfed by the number of people who are well-meaning but lack true expertise. There is also a third category of downright crooks.
The real problem is a familiar one: how can you or anyone drill down through the advertising and sales pitches to get to the right decision about duct cleaning? The answer is also a familiar one: you need to reply upon your own experience, and you must get that experience while listening carefully to those who have already learned from their own mistakes.
It’s a steep and winding road to get to the right decision.”
Source: http://www.mrbairduct.com/Blog/wp-admin/post.php?post=313&action=edit&message=10
Food for thought, if nothing else. As always, if we can help with your indoor air quality needs, let us know!
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