Do you really need to pay good money to have your ? The short answer is “probably not.” But before you call up dad to chant “I told you so,” it’s important to understand why you probably don’t need to do it — and why we just italicized “probably.”(Because some people actually should. Hope it’s not you!)In order for your forced-air furnace or HVAC to deliver warm and cool air into your rooms, that air has to go through a system of ducts. So technically, you’re breathing in any dust, cobwebs, pet hair, and dander that line those ducts. Not according to the experts. Dan Stradford, National Air Duct Cleaners Association treasurer and CEO for Action Duct Cleaning in Los Angeles, says there are no conclusive studies saying that duct cleaning will improve your home’s indoor air quality.Asa Foss, LEED residential technical director for the U.S. Green Building Council, concurs. “I’ve never seen any data that suggests duct cleaning has a positive impact on indoor air quality and human health,” he says.

But Foss also says that’s only true when your ducts are airtight. Leaky ducts can pull in dirty air and allergens from basements, crawlspaces, garages, and attics — and blow it all around your house, Foss says.So unless your ducts are leaky (easily fixed with foil-backed duct tape and insulation), or you have a special need, like a compromised immune system, nasty allergies, or you just did major construction, you probably don’t need to worry about air quality when it comes to the state of your air ducts. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. Both the EPA and the National Air Duct Cleaners Association recommend professional duct cleaning if you have , vermin (vermin!), or excessive amounts of dirt and debris in your ducts.How do you know if you have vermin in your ducts? You can actually look yourself. Do a visual inspection by pulling off the register grill and looking around with a flashlight, or stick your arm in and take a photo with your phone. (Finally, an excuse to use that selfie stick you got stuck with at your work’s white elephant gift exchange.)

If you see mold, or a dead mouse, or any run-of-the-mill nasty stuff like droppings (ew, we’re so sorry), go ahead and call in a pro. Get those ducts cleaned.Another situation that calls for cleaning, says EPA spokesman Mark MacIntyre, is right after . “You wouldn’t want to have that being dispersed into the house when you turned on the heat.”And finally, if you’re just finicky, you just be you. Be your own special circumstance.“We have customers [for whom] just the thought of dirty ducts is upsetting to them,” says Stradford. OK, so you’re gonna clean your ducts. Your dad will be proud. But be wary of scams. Stay away from companies willing to clean your ducts for $49 or another lowball figure, Stradford says. Often they’ll do a quick inspection and some vacuuming, tell you there’s mold growth and charge you thousands for clearing it out. It’s common enough that the National Air Duct Cleaners Association has an anti-fraud task force.Look out for duct cleaners claiming they will sanitize your system.

“We can’t legally use the words ‘sanitize’ or ’disinfect,’” Stradford says. “By definition sanitizing or disinfecting requires extremely high kill rates and there’s no way we can guarantee 100 percent saturation.”Also, cleaning your ductwork alone is not going to make a difference. A real professional knows that, and should do annual maintenance on your entire system, including the air handler (that’s what they call that big metal box outside that cranks out the noise). best dyson vacuum for sale{{ start_tip 7 }}best cleaner for manufactured wood floorsOtherwise it’s the same as dusting your ceiling fan after you’ve vacuumed.best brazilian hardwood floor cleaner

So how much will it cost, and how long is it going to take? Typically, duct cleaning takes two to five hours, but it can go on for two days if you have a large house with lots of ducts, Stradford says. On average you should spend $300 to $700.Related: 7 Household Expenses You’re Probably Wasting Your Money OnReduce Dust in Your Home and Save MoneyThere are many reasons to clean the air ducts in your home. replace fan hp laptopWhen ducts are clean, the heating system lasts longer (because there is less dirt wearing out its components), we dust less often, and the air we breathe at home is cleaner. average cost of air duct cleaningFor those of us with allergies, this should be a welcome improvement.best vacuum cleaners for carpet and tile

Probably you don’t own a high-powered, truck-mounted vacuum system with 150 foot-hoses; perhaps you can't afford the cost of such service. But I am going to tell you how you can clean air ducts yourself. Sure, you won't be able to reach every nook and cranny, but you can still eliminate roughly 85% of the dust in your system without spending any more than the cost of your new furnace filter. There are many different designs of duct systems, such as attic systems and underground systems, but the theory of cleaning these systems is the same. You may not be able to access all parts of these systems (for example, underground ducts), but you can make a difference in your air quality by cleaning the parts of the system that you can reach. Things You Need to Clean Your Air DuctsFurnace Filter. You will definitely need a new furnace filter at the end of the job. Make sure you choose the right filter option for you.A household-type vacuum with a decent hose attached will work, but a heavier-duty "Shop Vac" unit is better, if available.

Something closely resembling a toilet brush will work best, but a stiff-bristle paintbrush or something similar will do. Screwdriver or Hex Driver. Your registers are likely held in place by some kind of fasteners. You will need to use whatever tool fits the fasteners, usually a Phillips screwdriver or 1/4" hex driver.Unless you want to do a lot of dusting and sweeping right after you clean your ducts, you will find these useful to cover some registers while you clean others.Start by covering up your supply air registers (openings that supply heated air to the rooms) with paper towels. You do this to keep dislodged dust from drifting into the rooms as you work. Simply lift the register, wrap the paper towel over the top of it, and replace it. 2. Turn on fan. You want the fan running while you are cleaning, to move the dust along that you are going to loosen with your banging and brushing. Set the thermostat to "fan on," and shut off the "heat/cool" mode so that only the fan is running.

If you don't have a fan-only option, you can run the heat, or you might take this opportunity to install a newer thermostat with this helpful option.Make sure your old furnace filter is in place, so that the dust you knock loose doesn't end up getting pulled into the fan motor. 4. Loosen dust in ducts. Knock loose any buildup of dust in the duct work. Simply take the handle of your brush and begin tapping on any accessible duct work you have in the basement. This will help break up any deposits of dampened dust that may have stuck to the insides of the duct. 5. Clean supply registers. Now you can start sweeping out the dust in your supply registers. With the vacuum running and the end of the hose near the register, lift the register. Use the hose to catch any dust that is being pushed out by the fan, and proceed to sweep as far into the register's piping as your hose can reach. Use your brush to scuff loose any built up dust in the register. As you go through the house sweeping out the supply registers, you can remove and dispose of the paper towels you've put in place.

6. Clean return air registers. Sweep out your return air registers. These will likely be fastened with a screw and require your tool to remove them. Again, brush and sweep as far back into the register piping or cavity as you can. 7. Shut off fan and furnace. Shut the fan off at the thermostat and the power off to the furnace via the service switch or breaker panel. Do not just shut off the thermostat, because that doesn't turn off the power to the unit. 8. Clean out blower compartment and return air boot. With the power off, you can remove the panels on the front of the furnace and access the blower compartment and the return air boot. Use your vacuum to sweep up the dust built up in the blower compartment and return air boot. This is where the great bulk of your dust will be. Since you’re in here, you should clean the furnace fan as well. 9. Replace furnace filter. Buying a better filter will definitely cut down on the dust in your home. But the better the filter, the more often you should change it;

a dirty filter restricts the airflow to the fan, which results in the blower motor running hotter and reducing its lifespan. How often you should change your filter depends on your home, your pets, and your location. Accessing Main DuctsThe areas you could not reach with the steps above are not likely to contain a lot of dust and dirt. However, if you are determined to clean every place you can, there are a couple more things you can do. 1. Remove end caps from rectangular duct work. If you have rectangular duct work, like in the picture below, you can remove the end caps to access the inside of the ducts. You can slide the "drives" down off the duct and pull the cap out of the "slips." So long as the duct is not butting up against the wall, you should be able to reach your vacuum hose in through the space uncovered by removing the cap, and sweep out any dust you find. You could even use a flashlight to look inside the duct for dirty areas. 2. Clean inside basement registers.