How Often Should You Clean Your Vents?

For many homeowners, air vents and registers are the most visible HVAC component around the house. They’re in every room in your home and play an essential role in efficient heating and cooling. They’re also an accessible way to maintain excellent indoor air quality! Keeping your air vents clean is a relatively quick and easy way to reduce airborne irritants, maintain efficient ventilation, and lengthen the life of your heating and cooling systems.

The Health Effects of Dirty Air Vents

In most homes, the HVAC system circulates air from each room to the HVAC filter and back out into your home at least three or four times a day. Your air vents distribute all that air, which makes cleaning them an excellent opportunity to improve indoor air quality.

Dirty air ducts allow for the dispersal of any airborne irritants floating around in your home, including:

  • Mold spores

  • Dust

  • Dander

  • Dust mites

  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde

  • Allergens

How Often Should You Clean Your Air Ducts?

There is no EPA-specified schedule for professional air duct cleaning or cleaning air ducts yourself. We recommend homeowners opt for professional air duct cleaning every 3-6 years for a few reasons:

  • Clean ducts can reduce allergy symptoms, especially in severe cases.

  • Underlying respiratory conditions can be made worse by dirty vents.

  • Furry pets in the home clog air ducts and spread dander.

  • High-humidity climates like ours encourage the growth of mold and mildew in dirty ducts.

Pompano Beach residents often struggle with consistently high indoor humidity levels that increase the risk of mold and mildew, which can lead to a bad smell in AC vents that spreads throughout your home. Air duct cleaning services from One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating can identify mold in your ducts and vents and remove it before it spreads further.

6 Signs You Need to Clean Your Air Vents

Even without a set schedule, you can usually tell when it’s time to clean your air vents. If you’ve noticed any of these common symptoms of dirty air ducts, it’s time to call in the professionals:

  1. You notice signs of mice, squirrels, or other animals in your ducts.

  2. There’s visible mold growth on ductwork or vent surfaces.

  3. There is a strong or bad smell coming from AC vents in the house, usually from more than one room.

  4. You’ve just had dust-generating construction or renovation work in your home.

  5. Your allergy symptoms have suddenly become worse without a noticeable cause.

  6. It’s been 3-6 years since your last cleaning.

We’ll help you remedy the situation and help prevent these issues from happening again.

Can I Clean My Own Ductwork?

Homeowners may choose to clean their air vents between professional cleaning appointments, but tackling your own air vents increases the risk of spreading dust and other irritants and reducing indoor air quality. Professional duct cleaners use professional-grade equipment and adhere to strict safety standards to minimize the risk of making matters worse. It’s better to spot-clean dusty vent covers and leave the deep ductwork cleaning to the pros.

If you do attempt some DIY ductwork cleaning, remember to:

  • Cover all furniture and carpet to prevent any irritants from settling on the fabric.

  • Turn off power to your HVAC system.

  • Do not use air duct cleaning products, such as spray-in chemicals. There’s little evidence that these prevent mold growth, and they may contain chemicals harmful to human health.

Get the Job Done Right (and On Time!)

If you’re going to do anything, do it right. When it’s time to clean your air ducts, trust the punctual professionals at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Pompano Beach. Our technicians will inspect and clean your ducts with the best equipment possible and offer insight into maintaining excellent indoor air quality. Request an appointment online or call (954) 379-8260 today to get started.