Air duct cleaning gets the dust and debris out of a forced-air heating and cooling system. Bactronix cleans the supply and return registers, the duct work, the cooling coil and the outside of the air handler, then treats those surfaces with an EPA-registered antimicrobial. Cleaning moves the dust. The treatment deals with what the dust was growing on.
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Why air duct cleaning matters
Dust, pet hair, and debris build up in air ducts and get blown around every time the heat or AC runs. The air starts to smell stale and closed up, dust settles back on the furniture within hours of cleaning, and the house never quite airs out. Dirty ducts also make an HVAC system work harder, raising energy bills and wearing the system out faster.
- Fresher indoor air
- No musty smells
- Less dust on the furniture
- Even air flow
- Saves energy
- Longer HVAC life
- Cleaner vent covers
- Peace of mind
Quick facts about air duct cleaning
The EPA lists pet dander and secondhand smoke among the sources of indoor air pollution found in homes (source). If your home has a smoker or a pet, hold to the NADCA inspection schedule below at a minimum, and clean sooner with multiple pets or smokers. If the air makes you sneeze or cough more at home than away from it, that is another reason to shorten it.
There is no fixed cleaning interval, and NADCA, the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, does not publish one. Its homeowner guidance says frequency of cleaning depends on several factors, including smokers in the household, pets that shed high amounts of hair and dander, water contamination or damage to the home or HVAC system, residents who react to the indoor air, and homes that have just been renovated (source). What NADCA does publish is an inspection schedule. In ACR, The NADCA Standard, Table 1, the recommended minimum inspection interval for a residential system is one year for the air-handling unit and two years for supply and return ducts (source).
Home inspectors do not check for air quality: their job is a visual inspection of the property. If you have just purchased a home or condo, consider getting the air ducts cleaned shortly after moving in.
What is air duct cleaning, and what do we clean?
“Air duct cleaning” is a trade term for cleaning the components of a forced-air heating and cooling system, and the EPA’s own description of it runs wider than any one company’s job: its list reaches parts of the air handler that a treatment visit never opens (source). So it is worth saying plainly which parts we work on.
What Bactronix cleans and then treats is the part that grows the smell: the supply and return registers, the duct work, the cooling coil and the outside of the air handler. We run the system out and then go back over it, because one pass gets what is loose and the second gets what is stuck. Then the antimicrobial goes on.
Where moisture is present, the EPA says the potential for microbiological growth increases and spores from that growth may be released into the home’s living space, where they may cause symptoms in people exposed to them (source). That is the case we treat, and it is why cleaning on its own is only half the visit.
Frequently asked questions
Why should I get my air ducts cleaned?
Because they get dirty. The average homeowner does not have the tools to effectively clean a modern duct system. Beyond normal dust and dirt buildup, several factors increase the need for cleaning: moving into an existing home and wanting to remove the biological footprint of previous occupants, having pets, noticing excessive dust on floors and furnishings, musty odors, cigarette or cigar smoke, cooking odors, mold in the home, a recent fire or water loss, having a new furnace installed, or a newly constructed or renovated home with drywall dust or construction debris inside the ducts.
Are there health benefits to HVAC system cleaning?
We will not overclaim this one. The EPA is direct: duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems, and studies do not conclusively demonstrate that dust levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts (EPA, Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned?). What the EPA does say is worth cleaning for is substantial visible mold growth inside the ducts or on other parts of the system. That is the case we treat. Otherwise the honest reasons are the musty smell, the dust, and the airflow.
What are some other benefits of having my air ducts cleaned?
Reduced household dust so your home and furnishings stay cleaner longer, less mold, bacteria, and dust mite debris moving through the system, fewer odors from pets, smoke, or must, better airflow, and lower running costs from a system that is not fighting a clogged duct.
How often should residential HVAC systems be cleaned?
There is no fixed interval, and NADCA, the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, does not publish one. Its homeowner guidance says frequency of cleaning depends on several factors, including smokers in the household, pets that shed high amounts of hair and dander, water contamination or damage to the home or HVAC system, residents who react to the indoor air, and homes that have just been renovated. What NADCA does publish is an inspection schedule: in ACR, The NADCA Standard, Table 1, the recommended minimum inspection interval for a residential system is one year for the air-handling unit and two years for supply and return ducts. Mold in the home, a new furnace installation, or a recent water or fire loss is a reason to look sooner. The links to both NADCA documents are in Quick facts above.
How long should a professional air duct cleaning take?
It depends on the number of systems, the size of the home, and how much debris is in the system. For the treatment job, which is the one with a posted price, we plan about 90 minutes at 12 vents, two hours at 15, three hours at 20, and three to four hours at 25.
Does duct cleaning include bathroom exhaust fan cleaning?
Bath exhaust fan cleaning is available as an add-on to a duct cleaning project.
What are the signs my ducts need cleaning?
Excessive dust on furnishings, musty or stale odors when the HVAC system runs, inconsistent airflow from vents, and a rise in heating and cooling bills.
Should I use a deodorizer on my ducts after cleaning?
Yes, and it is the step a cheap cleaning skips. Once cleaned, the system is treated with BactroKill Plus, an EPA-registered disinfectant, EPA Reg. No. 82972-1-90746, applied to its label. Its label claims include odor removal for musty, smoke, pet and water-damage odors. Cleaning moves the dust. The treatment is what deals with what the dust was growing on.
What does air duct cleaning cost?
We post the mold treatment price on this site: the whole house priced by size, or $50 a vent with a $399 minimum on their own, waived on a whole-house job. We have not posted a number for air duct cleaning. Tell us about the house and we call you back with one before anyone comes out.
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