Cleaning air ducts can be a tricky endeavor, and it's essential to comprehend the potential risks and advantages before taking the plunge. Algae and mold can develop in air ducts without being visible to the human eye, and cleaning them can cause mold particles to be scattered in the air around the house. This can present a health hazard, so it's important to be aware of the potential dangers. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages people to read up on the subject before making any decisions.
Duct cleaning has never been proven to actually prevent health issues, and there is no proof that a small amount of household dust or other particles in air ducts poses any health risk. However, if any of the conditions identified above exist, it usually suggests one or more underlying causes that must be corrected before cleaning, reconditioning, or replacing the ducts. Knowledge about the potential benefits and potential problems of air duct cleaning is limited. As such, it's impossible to generalize about whether cleaning your home's air ducts would be beneficial or not. The EPA does not recommend that air ducts be cleaned routinely, but only when necessary.
If you decide to have your air ducts cleaned, take the same consumer precautions you would normally take when evaluating the competence and reliability of the service provider. You might consider cleaning your air ducts simply because it seems logical that the air ducts will get dirty over time and should be cleaned from time to time. While the debate over the value of regular duct cleaning continues, there is no evidence to suggest that such cleaning is harmful, provided it is done properly. On the other hand, if a service provider fails to follow proper duct cleaning procedures, duct cleaning can cause indoor air problems. The EPA recommends that if you have a furnace, stove, or fireplace that burns fuel, they be inspected for proper functioning and maintained before each heating season to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning. Some research also suggests that cleaning dirty cooling coils, fans, and heat exchangers can improve the efficiency of heating and cooling.
