We get asked all the time if we clean ducts, and the short answer is no. The reason being, in most cases, it just isn’t necessary. Let’s look at some of reasons you may not truly need your ducts cleaned versus when you might consider it.
If you are good about keeping your filter clean- you shouldn’t need your ducts cleaned.
Even if you’ve not been that great about keeping your filter clean- your furnace and coil would become the filter long before the dirt and dust can make it to the ductwork.
Here is an example of how the direction of air flows from the return (intake) through the furnace or air hander, then across the cooling coil, before it reaches the ductwork on the other side of the equipment that then delivers air to the rooms.
Can smaller particles get through the whole system and onto the supply ducting side? Sure, in the winter when the coil isn’t wet, small amounts of dust could get all the way through.
However, a wet coil when the air conditioning is running will stick all of the dust and debris right to it. As seen here.
If you see any streaking along the wall or ceiling where the metal register is and think that is dirt coming from inside the ductwork, the fact is, it’s probably coming from the attic! When most homes are built, the metal box that connects the duct to the wall is just nailed against the wood frame. If you take the metal register off there is a small air gap between the metal box and the sheetrock as seen below. As the air moves down the duct and into the room at high velocity it creates a suction or vacuum that then pulls attic air through that slight gap along with it.
The dirt from the attic air is what causes the streaking. The easiest way to fix this is by taking a trip to the local hardware store and purchasing a strong adhesive foil backed duct tape to seal that gap around each box. Put the grille back in place and you are good to go! No more streaking and no more gross attic air coming into your home.
The same can be done for floor vents.
If you have ductwork under the house and the vents are in the floor, simply lift off the grille and take the vacuum hose to clean the metal box where some debris may fall down into the duct (debris usually is coming from inside the house, not down the line of the duct).
Of course we at Perfection Home Systems seal all of the registers when we install a new system, but we also can do this as a stand alone repair if you aren’t wanting to do it yourself. Please reach out to us for more information at 916-481-0658 or online here.
If you do pull off any register and see any dirt visible in the actual duct itself you may consider having your ducts cleaned. Another time to consider this service would be if you’ve done any major remodeling while running the central HVAC system or have had any breaches in the ducting system. But again, only if you see dirt or dust present in the actual ductwork itself.
The most important thing to note is to not add additional filters at the individual room registers. You may see them advertised online, but you only want ONE filter inline in the HVAC system. Whether it is in a ceiling/ wall filter grille or at the furnace, placement just depends on your system type. As long as it is on the intake side before the furnace, it is the correct application. More is not better when it comes to filtration. Too much resistance on air flow can cut down on performance and potentially damage equipment.
Unsure where your filter is located? Check out our handy guide here.
If you are interested in more information on duct repairs, sealing, or replacement for your home, we’ve got you covered. Stay tuned…