02/09/2024
Considering having your air ducts cleaned? Think again.
If you or someone in your family suffers from asthma or allergies, you may be considering getting your home’s heating and cooling ducts cleaned. But even if you have no special health concerns, cleaning your ducts may appeal to you at an intuitive level. After all, if your ducts are clean, all that air flowing out of your vents should come out clean, too, right?
Well, actually, no.
Although duct-cleaning operations may insist duct cleaning is essential for your health, the evidence does not support their claims. Companies that perform duct cleaning often advertise health benefits or suggest duct cleaning will lower your power bills by improving your system’s efficiency. Some ads even use language like, “Studies have shown . . . ” but no data back up these claims. Even if your ducts are dirty, cleaning them probably won’t provide any measurable benefits. In fact, the little independent research performed on duct cleaning indicates that the process stirs up so much dust that it creates a bigger problem than it solves.
