Have your air ducts cleaned

The dusty, damp climate of your ventilation system is an ideal collecting and breeding ground for dirt, pet dander, molds, spores, bacteria and dust mites. These allergens are re-circulated throughout your home every time your heating or air conditioning system goes on. If you are new to your home and the previous owner had pets or if you are in new construction, it is a good idea to have your ducts cleaned of pet hair, molds and building debris.

Any time of year is a good time to have your ducts cleaned, but for the most noticeable reduction in allergy irritation, ducts should be cleaned at the start of a new heating season. Molds that flourished in the summer humidity dry out, die and release their spores when the heat goes on. They are then blown throughout the house and can cause "the first heat of the season sneezes".

Signs Ducts Should Be Cleaned

There are several factors that help determine if the duct system should be cleaned. One major factor is mold growth that is visible inside hard surface ducts or on other components of your system. Be aware that although a substance may look like mold, it may not be.

Only a laboratory analysis can tell you whether a sample is mold or simply a substance that resembles it. If the air duct insulation is moldy it should be removed and replaced and the cause of the growth corrected before the cleaning occurs.

Other factors include rodent or insect infestation and a clogged system that actually releases contaminants into the home through the registers.

Before and after photos of duct cleaning