Should You get Your Ducts Cleaned?

hvac ducts

The short answer is no. There are very limited circumstances which would require you to have your ducts cleaned. If you do have significant cause for having your ducts cleaned, then there is a problem with your duct system and any issues would need to be diagnosed and repaired by a qualified HVAC contractor to prevent a recurring issue.

If you ask the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, or any local air duct cleaning services, they will tell you that you need regular duct cleaning. They may sell you on that idea that clear air ducts can help with respiratory problem, or energy bills through increased energy efficiency. It’s not true.

It is true the indoor air quality of your living space may have pet dander, dust mites, mold spores, and other particles that can lead to allergic reactions or health problems. Some homeowners simply feel they have excessive amounts of dust. Cleaning your air duct system likely will not help this. In fact, it can make it worse.


If there is dust and dirt in your ducts, it is inert, or plated out. In simpler terms, it is not going to move. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency performed studies that showed not only did dirty air ducts not affect the indoor air quality, that frequent cleanings actually made the air quality worse. This is because the agitation inside the hvac ducts from the rotary brush cabling system that “professional cleaning” companies use cause the dust that was inert to become airborne and be distributed into the home.

If you want to improve the quality of the air in your home, choosing the right filters, and replacing them often is more effective. In addition, proper filters and prompt replacement protection the other components of your heating and air conditioner system. Dust and dirt in your system can get clogged in the blower motor, heat exchangers, and evaporator coils.


Clean Air Ducts Do not Improve the Energy Efficiency of Your System

The National Air Duct Cleaners Association makes a dubious claim on their website:


Although this true, there are no studies, or evidence to support the claim that clean ducts would save any of that energy. Most of that energy is lost through leaks in the system, insufficient insulation on the HVAC components, and the heat being exhausted outdoors when gas, or oil are used. It is a good idea to have your entire HVAC system cleaned maximum efficiency, but more importantly to prolong the life of the system and prevent expensive repairs.

Cleaning Your Ducts Can Damage Your Ducts

A variety of materials have been used over the years to construct air ducts. Traditionally they were made of metal, then duct board, and now almost all new homes have soft plastic flexible ducts. These soft ducts connect to metal air vents where they connect to the ceiling, walls, or floors. It is absolutely possible that a service provider could damage these ducts while trying to clean them.

cleaning hvac ducts can actually damage them

When Should Ducts be Cleaned




supply registers may need to be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner

How to Find Professional Duct Cleaning Services

Never ever choose a company offering cheap duct cleaning services. It generally costs about $400-$1000, or more to have your ducts cleaned. If you see a deal for $79, or $119 it’s probably a scam.


We perform mold testing, and we use a third party laboratory to analyze our samples. Not once have we ever found “black mold”. It is a term used to invoke fear, and fear sells. Some times they bring a fake mold test, and use language like “level 2 contamination.” It is just an attempt to sell you on a service you don’t need.”



Your ducts don’t need regular cleaning. There is no evidence that clean duct work results in cleaner air, or improved energy efficiency. If you do have ducts that need to be cleaned, you need to figure out what compromised the system, and have that addressed. Never hire cheap service providers.