Air duct cleaning has become popular in recent years, with commercial cleaning services popping up everywhere. But is the service worth it, or is it a scam?

    Here’s some information to help you decide whether or not you need to clean your home’s HVAC ducts.


    Air Duct Cleaning Services

    Professional duct cleaning services use specialized blowers, vacuums, and brushes to clean out the supply, intake, and return ducts throughout your home.

    Duct cleaning should also involve a thorough cleaning of the air handler, registers, grilles, fans, motors, housings, and coils of the HVAC system.

    There’s no research at present proving that routine duct cleaning improves the air quality or reduces dust in your home. There is, however, evidence that dirty heating and cooling coils, motors, and air handling units can make your HVAC unit less efficient.

    While duct cleaning alone doesn’t seem necessary, there are cases where cleaning the HVAC unit and ductwork could be useful.


    Should I Have the Ducts Cleaned?

    Due to growing concerns about indoor air quality, it’s easy to convince homeowners that their ducts need cleaning.

    But unless ducts are really dirty, there’s no reason to clean them. The EPA takes a similar stance on the issue and recommends only cleaning contaminated ducts and HVAC units. If done properly, duct cleaning doesn’t hurt. But, it’s not something that needs to be on your regular home maintenance list.

    You probably don’t need to have your ducts and HVAC system cleaned unless:

    • Renovation: If you’ve remodeled your home, you may need to clean your ductwork, especially if there was asbestos abatement, lead paint removal, or significant dust. Dangerous dust and debris can lodge inside unproperly sealed ductwork.
    • Animals: If there’s evidence of animal infestation or nesting in your ducts or HVAC system, remove the animals and clean the ductwork and HVAC unit.
    • Mold: Clean ducts and the HVAC system if there is visible mold growth inside the ductwork.
    • Contaminants: Clean ducts if you smell a strange odor or see noticeable debris, pet hair, or other contaminants in the room. If these are still there after you’ve cleaned and vacuumed the registers, call a professional.
    • Illness: If someone in your family is suffering from an unexplained allergy-related illness, and you’ve taken every other possible step to decontaminate your home, clean your ducts, or disinfect your AC to see if the HVAC system was the culprit.

    How To Avoid Duct Cleaning Scams

    While there are reputable, professional HVAC cleaning services out there, there are scams as well.

    Don’t be frightened into emptying your checkbook when a company claims your home might be “unhealthy,”

    Here are some tips for avoiding scams if you decide to look into having the ducts and HVAC system in your home cleaned:

    • Full Service: Don’t settle for just duct cleaning — get a full cleaning of the heating/cooling unit. Additionally, if your air ducts are too far gone, you might need to check with the contractor on the air duct replacement pricing.
    • References: Get and check references in your area to find out what was provided for the money. Also, find out if those customers were happy with the results.
    • Estimates: Ask for written estimates from at least three HVAC cleaning services. A reputable company should provide a free inspection and estimate.
    • Avoid Gimmicks: Ads for “$79 whole-house specials” are scams. At most, a few ducts will get a very cursory vacuum. At worst, you’ll end up talked into a much more expensive package. High-quality HVAC and air duct cleaning costs upwards of $500, takes several hours with sophisticated equipment, and involves multiple workers.
    • Certifications: The cleaning company should be certified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, which sets standards for HVAC system cleaning. The EPA does not certify duct cleaners, so avoid anyone making that claim. Check for relevant licenses and insurance – some states require a license for duct cleaning while others don’t.
    • Check Standards: The company should follow the guidelines of the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association.
    • Verify Results: A quality company will offer a complete visual inspection of the HVAC system and ductwork, either in person or by remote camera. Before paying, make sure every single duct is clean, and insist on an inspection of the inside of the HVAC unit.
    • Don’t Get Fooled: Intake ducts (room ducts that return air to the heating/cooling unit) are likely to be dirtier than supply ducts (which deliver conditioned air from the HVAC unit), since they often don’t have filters. Make sure any “before-and-after” photos are of the supply ducts, where it’s most important that the air is clean.
    • Avoid Sealants and Sprays: Both the EPA and the NADCA don’t recommend using sprayed sealants or other potentially harmful chemicals inside air ducts. Biocides and anti-microbial treatments are also iffy, since the chemicals may cause more harm than good to your health. No chemicals are currently registered with the EPA for use inside ductwork.
    • Avoid Steam Cleaning: Do not use steam or moisture to clean ducts.

    Further Reading

    Editorial Contributors
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    Danny Lipford

    Founder

    Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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