Allergies and Musty Ductwork Are a Bad Combo

The heating, ventilation and cooling system in your home - also known as an HVAC system - has the big job of managing the airflow throughout your entire house. 24/7. 365 days a year.

A properly functioning HVAC system keeps us warm in cold weather and cool during the hot months. But, it also attracts dust and can easily become a breeding ground for mold and other contaminants you'd be well-advised to avoid. What's worse, a functioning HVAC system blithely circulates all of those contaminants throughout your house.

How Often to Clean Ducts?

• Have the air ducts cleaned by a professional company every three years, if a family member smokes; if there is frequent dust in the region; or, if you have pets. At a minimum, have them cleaned every five years.
• Changing filters four times annually to prevent dirt build-up will also help keep dirt from building up too quickly in ductwork. Filter changes have the additional benefit of reducing your heating and cooling bills by enabling the HVAC system to run more efficiently.

Don't Do-It-Yourself!

Duct cleaning isn't a job for a homeowner or do-it-yourself person. It's something that should always be done by a qualified professional duct cleaning company. They use a special type of vacuum that can suction the ductwork clean far better than any piece of equipment in your house. They can find and dislodge anything that might have gotten stuck in the ducts.

Avoid the "blow-and-go" types, according to the experts. Just because the price sounds right, consumers are warned that these types of duct cleaning companies aren't famous for doing an efficient cleaning job, but are famous for trying to sell unnecessary extras. Price varies by the size of your house, but the average cleaning will cost between $450.-$1,000.