Typically, air ducts need to be cleaned every three to five years according to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. Contingent on a lot of factors—like your home’s location, how many pets you have, and how frequently your air filter has been swapped out, to name some—you may need to have air duct cleaning more or less regularly. So, how can you find out for sure when it’s time to have your ducts cleaned? There are definitely some telltale signs when it’s time.

Look for these clues:

1. Are your cold air returns coated with dust or pet hair?
2. Is there a blockage inside your cold air return vent?
3. Are your registers carrying out dust?
4. When you gaze inside with a flashlight, can you see an accumulation of debris or pet fur?
5. Have insects or rodents nestled in your ductwork?
6. Can you hear sound other than your blower motor when you listen to the airflow?
7. When your vents are fully opened, do any have a smaller amount of airflow than others?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s probably time to ask Econo Air in Southern California about air duct cleaning.

Prolonging Time Between Air Duct Cleaning
There are a couple of things you can do to help keep your ducts cleaner and lengthen the timeline between expert cleanings.

Above all, schedule annual HVAC maintenance with the experts at Econo Air. A maintenance check of your furnace each fall and your AC each spring, which should comprise of inspection, and potential replacement, of your air filter, will help keep your HVAC system functioning effectively and will help keep your ducts clean.

You can also chat with the team at Econo Air about installing an air purification system. We have the Lennox PureAir Air Purification System, Healthy Climate Carbon Clean 16 Media Air Cleaner, Healthy Climate 11 Media Air Cleaner, Healthy Climate High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filtration System, and Healthy Climate UV Germicidal Lights.

Other measures you can take include:

• Consistently dusting and vacuuming your home.
• Inspecting your air filters regularly and replacing them when the manufacturer recommends exchanging them. Most filters will present dust on them after a short time in service, but they may not require exchanging.
• Sealing leaks in air ducts that let dust move in from areas like your attic.
• Trading poor or impaired air-duct insulation.

With a professional air duct cleaning and some preemptive measures, you can help keep the air in your Southern California home clean and healthy. Give the experts at Econo Air a call at 714-710-1070 or schedule an appointment online.