Duct Cleaning in Washington, PA
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Eight months of heat means eight months moving air through those ducts
Your furnace runs October through May here, close to eight months a year. Every one of those months it is pushing air through the same ductwork, and whatever is sitting in there moves with it. Dust, fibers from carpet and bedding, pet hair, all of it circulates through the house each time the system kicks on.
Winter nights averaging 23 degrees mean that furnace cycles on and off often through the night to keep up. This county has seen 10 winter storms and 263 damaging wind events over the past ten years, and a storm that knocks out power shuts the system down and starts it back up once power returns. Each restart stirs what has settled in the ducts instead of leaving it in place.
- 8 months
- October through May, your furnace pushes air through your ducts
- 3 months
- June through August, your air conditioner does the same
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- How often should air ducts be cleaned?
- There's no fixed schedule that fits every home. It makes sense sooner if anyone in the house has allergies, if you've had a pest problem, a water leak, or a renovation that kicked up dust. If none of that applies and nothing looks or smells off, there's no reason to do it on a set timer.
- Is air duct cleaning worth it?
- It's worth it if there's a real reason for it, like visible dust coming out of the vents, a musty smell when the furnace runs, or debris you can see when you pull a vent cover off. It won't lower your heating bills or fix a furnace that's not working right. If nothing looks or smells off, there's no need to do it just to be safe.
- What does air duct cleaning involve?
- A contractor connects a vacuum system to the ductwork and uses brushes or air tools to knock dust and debris loose so it can be pulled out. Every supply and return vent gets opened and cleaned, and the main trunk lines get the same treatment. Some contractors will also clean the blower and coil while they're in there, though that's a separate step from the ducts themselves.