Should You Get Your Heating Ducts Cleaned?
Over time, dust and debris will collect in ducts, particularly in the return air ducts. You may be wondering whether it would be worthwhile to have these ducts cleaned.
Duct cleaning is a major industry. As a homeowner, you may be regularly solicited to have your heating ducts cleaned on a regular basis. Claims are made that duct cleaning will:
• provide you with better indoor air quality (or IAQ),
• reduce the presence of house molds and allergens,
• get rid of house dust,
• result in more airflow and better delivery of warm air,
• reduce energy costs.
If you expect duct cleaning to make these improvements, you may be disappointed. It is difficult to find objective and independent research which substantiates these claims.
What Can Duct Cleaning Do For You?
A thorough duct cleaning done by a professional duct cleaner will remove dust and debris-pet hair, paper clips, children’s toys and whatever else might collect down there. Ideally, the inside surface will be shiny and bright after cleaning. Duct cleaning may be justifiable to you personally for that very reason: you may not want to have your house air circulated through a duct passage that is not as clean as the rest of the house. However, duct cleaning will not usually change the quality of the air you breathe, nor will it significantly affect airflows or heating costs.
Householders often expect an efficient furnace filter will remove airborne dust. While some very good filters effectively clean the air in the ducts, they do not create a dust-free environment in your house because of all the dust sources mentioned above. A good filter will help keep your air-conditioning coil, furnace heat exchanger, and supply ducts from accumulating circulated dust.
When Does Duct Cleaning Make Sense?
There are several situations when duct cleaning could make sense (although there is little research data to support this).
• If you are moving into a newly constructed house, and have doubts about the diligence of the construction crew, duct cleaning can be useful. Drywall dust, fibreglass pieces, and sawdust have no place in ducts. Duct cleaning will also catch the odd occurrence where lunch bags or soft drink cans have fallen or been swept into ducting. For similar reasons, duct cleaning may be advisable for older houses following major renovations.
• If you are having trouble with furnace airflow, a duct cleaning could reveal significant blockages.
How Should Your Ducts Be Cleaned?
There are various duct cleaning procedures available. Reputable duct cleaners will be familiar with different techniques and their effectiveness. Check to see if the duct cleaners are affiliated with trade organizations. They should also be able to offer references from satisfied customers.
A comprehensive cleaning of all heating and cooling system components (furnace fan blower, furnace heat exchange, air conditioning coil, humidifier, ducts, etc.) may help air movement within the house. However, regular duct cleaning is probably unnecessary for most householders.
For more information visit the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation website at www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca.
2600 John Street, Unit 207, Markham, ON L3R 3W3 T: 905.475.5222 F: 905.475.6369
