Cleaning Ducts

Written by Karen Bates (last updated October 31, 2022)

We all love to live in a comfortable environment where the temperature is just right. In these optimum conditions, you can relax and enjoy your living space. Having vents in your home that supply hot or cold air during extreme weather conditions allows you to feel comfortable year round.

But what you might not consider is your air ducts. Behind those vents in your home are ducts, which are passageways for hot or cool air to travel through from your furnace or air conditioner. Of course, you probably rarely (if ever) find a need to open the vents and you may have no idea what the condition of the ducts are. If you did check it out, though, you might be a little shocked at what you see.

As air passes through the ducts, it is probable that particles, like dust, pet dander, mold, pollen, or other allergens, can stick to the sides and collect. This build-up can be deposited into the air of your home, causing allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Even with careful cleaning around your home, you could still have an air pollution problem due to dirty air ducts.

In order to solve this problem, it is a good idea to clean these ducts every few years. You could try to do it yourself, but to get the best results possible it's wise to call a professional. A technician will come to your home, vacuum the ducts out with special equipment, and in some cases may use chemicals to clean the surfaces.

If you aren't sure whether of not you need the ducts in your home cleaned, take a look in the vents and look for any build-up. Another way you can analyze the cleanliness of the air is if people in your home seem to be having health problems that could be related to the air quality in your home. Are members of your household sneezing or having an asthma flare-up that doesn't have a known cause? If you suspect there is a problem, it could definitely be time to contact someone about cleaning your air ducts.

With the particle build-up gone, you can stop worrying so much about bad air quality and enjoy clean air instead. You don't need to have the ducts cleaned too often, but for households where people have respiratory problems like asthma or allergies it can be especially helpful to have the ducts cleaned more often.

Author Bio

Karen Bates

An English student who enjoys writing and art, Karen has had her poetry published in her university's literary journal and has several novels in the works. ...

MORE FROM KAREN

Carpet Cleaning Jobs

To clean the carpets in your home, you need the right equipment and know-how. Hiring someone to clean the area for you ...

Discover More

Remove Dust

Dust around the house can be a huge pain to get rid of. Try these ideas to help you eliminate this problem and breathe a ...

Discover More

Paper Filing

Too many papers can create unsightly clutter. Fix this problem by filing your papers in an orderly fashion.

Discover More

Tough Tools for Tough Cleaning Jobs O-Cel-O sponges and Scotch Brite scrubbers are truly a fashion-meets-function success story. The highly absorbent and durable sponges in this handy six-pack make quick work of tough cleaning problems in any kitchen, bathroom, or garage. Check out Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Scrub Sponges today!

More Cleaning Tips

HEPA Air Cleaner

The air in your home can become contaminated with allergens and other unwanted particles. Help improve your air by using ...

Discover More

Electrostatic Cleaner

Sometimes, the air around us is not as pure as we'd like. An electrostatic cleaner is one way to filter the air and help ...

Discover More

Air Scrubber

Sometimes, a normal air purifier isn't enough to handle a certain job. For bigger air-cleaning situations, an air ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is five more than 3?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.