How to Tell if Your Ducts Need to be Cleaned

February 09, 2017

According to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, air ducts need to be cleaned at least once every three to five years on average. Your home’s location, your pets and the length of time you’ve had your air filters—along with many other factors—can influence how long your ducts can go without cleaning. How can you tell if it’s time to have your ducts cleaned? We’ve got some signals that you should watch for.

Look for these clues:
1. When your vents are totally opened, do any have weaker airflow than others?
2. Can you hear something other than your blower motor when you listen to the airflow?
3. Is there blockage inside your cold air return vent?
4. When you look inside with a flashlight, do you see a buildup of debris or pet hair?
5. Have bugs or rodents fashioned a home in your ductwork?
6. Are your cold air returns covered with dust or pet hair?
7. Are your registers pushing out dust?

If you said “yes” to any of these questions, it might be time to reach out to Kirkfield Heating & Air Conditioning in Winnipeg about air duct cleaning.

Prolonging Time Between Air Duct Cleaning
While professional cleanings are important, there are things you can do to keep your ducts cleaner and extend the time between professional appointments.

Most importantly, schedule periodic HVAC maintenance with the pros at Kirkfield Heating & Air Conditioning. A regular checkup of your furnace in the fall and air conditioning unit in the spring will keep your HVAC system running at peak performance. Examining your system regularly and replacing the air filter when required will also help keep your ducts open.

The team at Kirkfield Heating & Air Conditioning can also advise you about air purification systems. We offer the Lennox PureAir Air Purification System, Healthy Climate Carbon Clean 16 Media Air Cleaner, Healthy Climate 11 Media Air Cleaner, Healthy Climate High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filtration System and Healthy Climate UV Germicidal Lights. Installing one of these systems can also help keep your ducts open.

Other ways you can help maintain your ducts:
• Seal air duct leaks that let debris in from places such as your attic.
• Check your air filters on a regular basis and put in new filters when needed.
• Regularly dust and vacuum your house.
• Replace air duct insulation if it is in bad or wet condition.

Keeping your ducts clear will help you make sure the air in your Winnipeg home is clean. Don’t forget to use these preventative steps and schedule a professional duct cleaning when needed. Call the experts at Kirkfield Heating & Air Conditioning at 204-272-8128 or arrange an appointment online.