Are you second-guessing the quality of the air you’re breathing in but have no idea how to fix the situation? Rest assured, this article details everything you should know about cleaning your home’s ventilation ducts.

Air Quality: How to Clean Your Home’s Air Exchanger Ducts

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Let’s start off by defining what is an air duct. It’s nothing but a set of channels that guide air through your ventilation, air conditioning, and heating system to different parts of your home: 

• Central vacuum system

• Air exchangers

• Dryer ducts

• Heat recovery ventilators

• Wall-mounted ventilation unit

• Central ventilation system 

Over the years, the listed ducts will become defective on account of a build-up of dust, hair, fur, debris, etc. Here’s why it’s important to understand the duct cleaning process. Note that cleaning a house’s ventilation duct should be done every three years at least, five years for air exchangers, to ensure proper functioning. Several factors must be considered first to establish the best maintenance plan, such as:

• Where the house is located (metropolitan area or countryside)

• Size of your house and the number of individual rooms

• Take into account the number of dwellers

• Note the presence of pets, whether the kitchen has a range hood, etc.

After noting the information above, you can, moving forward, call in a trade professional.

For proper residential air duct cleaning, you can opt for an SFP process, which is a three-step procedure featuring the following:  

• S is for suction: It entails fully halting the duct’s functioning, opening it and then cleaning it. It may be hazardous for you to carry out maintenance while it’s functioning.

• F is for friction: This means spotting all elements that may hinder the proper workings of the ducts.

• P is for pulsion: This step consists of dislodging all debris from the ducts using a vacuum nozzle.

Should you want to carry out the cleaning yourself, here’s a list of materials you’ll most definitely need:

• Step stool

• Ladder

• Screwdriver

• Protective goggles

• Mask

• Inspection mirror

• Vacuum

• Flashlight

• Bucket with soap and water

• Gloves

And here’s a list of steps to follow:

• Shut off your ventilation system;

• Remove and clean the vent grilles and return vent grilles;

• Use a scrub brush to clean the inside of the air ducts to dislodge all dust and debris;

• Then clean the filter connected to the grille;

• Use your flashlight to check if there’s any remaining dirt. 

Check again with the mirror and flashlight to make sure the ducts were cleaned properly. Should this not be the case, hit them again with the vacuum. After wrapping up the cleaning process, reinstall the filters and the grilles, and then turn the ducts back on.

How much does it cost to clean air ducts?

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Even though you might be able to DIY clean your air ducts at times, we still highly recommend hiring the services of well-versed and qualified professionals in the matter to limit the risks of accidents or fires as much as possible, or improperly carrying out the work, resulting in a chain of other unwanted problems. 

In Quebec, the cost of cleaning residential air ducts can vary between $200 and $600. Also, costs for a condo typically run around $400 and $500. 

Note that the costs mentioned vary based on the location, size, and number of rooms in your residence, as well as other factors. Reach out to companies specializing in air duct cleaning services and request a quote to get an idea of what you need to spend in terms of maintenance fees.

8 Reasons Why You Should Clean Your Air Ducts

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By regularly cleaning your home’s air ducts, you’re essentially:

• fostering better air quality in your home;

• reducing the risks of developing health issues (asthma, lung diseases, nasal congestion and discharge, itching, eye redness and skin irritation, sneezing, headaches, chronic fatigue);

• eradicating foul smells that linger in your home;

• preventing fire hazards;

• significantly reducing the cost of heating;

• ensuring the prolonged lifespan of your system and its parts;

• improving your HVAC system’s yield; and 

• avoiding sky-high energy-related expenses, as debris- or dust-clogged ducts are less effective, requiring more energy to function properly.

Air Duct Maintenance: A Crucial Undertaking

In a nutshell, cleaning air ducts is essential. On average, plan on spending between $200 and $700 for a standard air duct cleaning. However, when it comes to your health—which is priceless—such an expense is nothing.