Is Duct Cleaning A Waste Of Money in Sacramento?
The recent news has us revisiting a question we asked not long ago: is duct cleaning worth your time and money? Since itโs not a service we offer, we donโt have a particular dog in this fight. But we do handle a wide range ofย HVAC services in the Sacramento area, and itโs a question thatโs come up quite a bit lately.
COVID-19 and Duct Cleaning
Letโs start by addressing the 800-pound pathogen in the room. If youโre worried about COVID-19 (and these days, that would be most of us), this is one time you can actually breathe easy. Your HVAC system, ducts and all, is actually helping to keep you a bit safer indoors. While itโs true that central air and ductless heating systems both rely on air recirculation, they also rely heavily on filters. As long as youโreย New Window changing your filtersย on schedule and using the best available filters for your system instead of the cheapest you can find, youโll be in good shape.
Common Indoor Air Quality Problems and Duct Cleaning
Speaking of filters, theyโll also help you to address many of the common airborne contaminants in your home, including common household dust and the pollen and other schmutz youโre tracking in from outside. Paradoxically, that dust buildup can even help as long as itโs not disturbed, since it helps trap contaminants in place.
That isnโt to say that your ducting has nothing at all to do with air quality, or that it cannot in the future even if it does not now. There are a few instances where your ductwork is the reason for your sinus headaches, allergies, and asthma flare-ups. Weโve heard of rodents โ live and dead โ being found in HVAC ducts. Insulation, especially in older homes that used asbestos to insulate the ducting or dampen sound, can work its way into the system. And if youโve got a leak (be it your roof or your plumbing), that often leads to mold and mildew that can thrive and make you ill.
Thoughts in Closing
If you research duct cleaning, youโll find plenty ofย pros and cons. Consider the source, since some companies that offer duct cleaning as part of their portfolio wonโt be quite as transparent as the companies that donโt. Even impartial sources acknowledge that the science is mixed, with the EPA flatly stating the benefits are sketchy, but no harm should come to you or your homeโฆ provided the job is done right.
So the one piece of advice weโd give in this instance is the same one weโd give if you approached us with any other home heating and cooling issue: shop carefully, since someone whoโs well-intentioned but inexperienced could show up with the wrong equipment and end up causing severe and expensive damage. If youโre seeing more dust than usual, vacuum your grilles and registers, clean out your dryer vent, and change your filter. But absent a larger problem like the ones discussed above, your best bet is to leave well enough alone.
For the rest of your home heating and cooling needs, give us a call atย Click To Call (916) 455-4548ย or schedule online.