Regular furnace cleaning is essential if you want to keep your family warm throughout the many cold months we have each year in Alberta.
In addition to thorough cleaning of the main furnace components during regular furnace maintenance, you should also consider duct cleaning from time to time.
Cleaning ducts is generally not necessary every time you book a furnace tune-up (and it won’t be included in the average tune-up) but it should be done if you notice any of the warning signs that the ducts are dirty or blocked or if you can’t remember the last time they were cleaned. This will help maintain good airflow and safe air quality in your home.
Here’s what else you need to know about duct cleaning in Calgary…
How often should I get HVAC ducts cleaned in Alberta?
To maintain an efficient and healthy HVAC system, the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) in the U.S. recommends having air ducts cleaned every three to five years.
Specialist furnace duct cleaning services are required—and, in some cases, more frequent cleaning may be needed (every two or three years).
Several factors affect precisely how often duct cleaning is needed in your home. The main ones are:
- Allergy or asthma sufferers in the household: to protect your health, more frequent duct cleaning may be required to minimize the amount of pollen and other pollutants accumulating in the air ducts.
- Pets in the home: pet dander and hair can accumulate in your air ducts over time, contributing to poorer air quality, potential allergies, and restricted airflow, so more frequent cleaning may be required.
- The home has undergone construction work or renovations: air ducts will need cleaning after any construction work as fine dust can start to clog ductwork or enter the air circulating in your home.
- If there are smells or visible blockages: if the indoor air begins to smell, it might point to unwanted organic matter blocking the ductwork, which should be removed as soon as possible.
The climate is also a factor in the frequency that duct cleaning is required, especially when it comes to humidity and the likelihood of mold forming.
Alberta homes in winter are more likely to suffer from low humidity than high humidity—that’s why many homeowners install a humidifier. However, humidity can still be a problem in the warm summer air, and the warm “Chinook” winds that blow in winter can also complicate matters.
Why is duct cleaning necessary?
Air ducts are a central component of a home’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system but because they’re usually “invisible”, they’re often neglected until they create heating or cooling problems in homes.
Ductwork is a hidden conduit for maintaining comfortable temperatures and healthy indoor air quality. It is responsible for circulating cooled or heated air to every room in the home, via a series of metal or synthetic tubes and vents, which can be in the ceiling, walls or flooring.
HVAC air filters are responsible for filtering out many pollutants but they don’t catch everything—and, besides, many HVAC systems run into problems when air filters are not cleaned or replaced frequently enough.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. warns that indoor air can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air and goes on to say:
“Indoor concentrations of some pollutants have increased in recent decades due to such factors as energy-efficient building construction (when it lacks sufficient mechanical ventilation to ensure adequate air exchange) and increased use of synthetic building materials, furnishings, personal care products, pesticides, and household cleaners.”
The same applies in Canada, unfortunately. With most homes in Alberta operating a central furnace and AC system, the impurities present in the air recirculate through the home via air ducts.
Duct cleaning provides a deep clean of the ducts themselves plus the registers and grilles. Depending on the service you book, it can also include a deep clean of your other HVAC equipment, such as diffusers, heat exchangers, cooling coils, fan motors, the air handling unit, etc.
Regular air duct cleaning is necessary for optimal heating and cooling efficiency (which keeps bills down) as well as safe and healthy indoor air quality for you and your family to enjoy.
The importance of unobstructed airflow in HVAC systems
Furnaces and air conditioning rely to a great extent on the free, unimpeded flow of air through the system for effective heating and cooling.
If something is blocking or obstructing airflow, problems are not very far away. Most commonly, restricted airflow in HVAC systems results from dirt, dust, soot or pet dander buildup, leading to one or more of the following:
- Dirty air filters
- Dirty ductwork
- Dirty blowers
- Dirty coils
So, ductwork is just one potential reason for impeded airflow and performance issues with home heating or cooling. Research suggests that cleaning heating systems that are even a little dirty can result in energy savings of 11 percent.
What can happen if you neglect duct cleaning?
Several problems can develop with your HVAC system if you neglect duct cleaning for many years or if there is an obvious issue with your ductwork….
Safety hazards
Most gas-powered home heating systems in Alberta produce a small amount of carbon monoxide (CO) from the combustion process. This harmful but colourless and odourless gas is normally transferred outdoors through your ductwork.
If pipes and vents are clogged or obstructed, CO gas could enter your home’s air and risk your family’s health (that’s why most homes have CO detectors fitted).
The safety risk is greatly reduced with regular duct cleaning and furnace maintenance by professional technicians.
Allergies and respiratory health risks
Allowing dust, pollen, and other allergens/toxins/contaminants to build up in the ductwork could lead to poor indoor air quality and increase the risk of allergies or respiratory issues for you and your family.
A well-ventilated home helps to remove these allergens but deep cleaning from time to time will also help.
Unpleasant or musty odors
Strange smells coming from your HVAC system are not normal—and should be investigated. They could point to organic material blocking the ductwork, such as a dead rodent, insects or mold.
Inefficient performance
Neglecting duct cleaning can cause blockages that lead to insufficient warm air reaching all rooms of the home.
When troubleshooting furnace problems, checking the ductwork is one of the possible steps required to identify why a furnace is blowing cold air.
Around 25-40 percent of the energy used for heating or cooling can be wasted due to air pollutants forcing an HVAC system to work harder from restricted airflow.
Emergency repairs
Performance issues due to blocked ductwork can require emergency furnace repairs that are both inconvenient and costly.
One of the many benefits of preventative HVAC maintenance and duct cleaning every two or three years is that it can prevent repairs and prolong the life of your system.
Higher energy bills
An HVAC system with blocked or poorly maintained ductwork can result in less efficient performance and higher energy usage than required. This leads to higher energy bills—with the reason sometimes not immediately obvious.
How do I know if I need duct cleaning?
Because the ductwork is hidden in most homes, it can be difficult to isolate problems and troubleshoot effectively. However, the most common signs that your ductwork needs cleaning include:
- Unusual odors coming from the HVAC system (this could indicate a blockage by a small animal, insect infestation or another foreign object).
- Visible mold growth inside ducts or other components of your HVAC system.
- Visible dust or debris buildup around the vents and registers, meaning that contaminants are already in the HVAC system.
- Unexplained higher energy bills.
- An unexplained deterioration of indoor air quality.
- An unexplained rise in respiratory problems in the home.
- Construction work has just been completed or you’ve just moved into a newly built home.
- There is no record of previous duct cleaning from a property you’ve just bought or the last clean was more than two or three years ago.
What happens during duct cleaning?
If you decide to get your ductwork cleaned, contact qualified HVAC service technicians to perform the task.
A thorough inspection of your HVAC system will first be conducted. If the ducts are dirty, dusty, moldy or have visible blockages or moisture buildup (as can happen in the summer months in Alberta), the technician(s) will get to work on a deep clean.
Professional duct cleaning usually involves a process known as the push-pull negative air pressure method. The air is compressed and the resultant negative air pressure creates a powerful pull to suck the dust and debris out of the ducts.
Other specialist blowers, vacuums, and brushes are often used to push, agitate, and remove dirt and grime, making the supply, intake, and return ducts and vents throughout the home look like new again.
Because of the specialist equipment required and safety issues at play with accessing ductwork, this job should be entrusted only to licensed HVAC professionals.
FAQs
How much does duct cleaning cost?
Duct cleaning costs in Alberta vary depending on the home and HVAC system size, as well as the type of ductwork, accessibility, the number of technicians required, the level of expertise of the duct-cleaning crew, and how dirty the ducts are.
As a general guideline, expect to pay between $250 and $600 but costs can be as high as $1,000. You can reduce the frequency with which you need duct cleaning services by booking regular furnace tune-ups.
How long does air duct cleaning take?
Most duct cleaning jobs can be completed in 2-4 hours but this will depend on the size of the system and the complexity of the cleaning required.
Can I clean air ducts myself?
Furnace costs in Alberta and the generally high cost of replacing HVAC equipment mean that homeowners should not take chances with their HVAC system. Don’t risk injury or damaging your system. If any component of your system (except the air filters) needs installing, maintaining, repairing or cleaning, you should call the professionals.
What steps can I take to protect my ductwork?
The simplest and most important way to protect your ductwork and your entire HVAC system is to schedule regular maintenance with licensed professionals. You should also ensure that you change or replace air filters every 2-3 months depending on conditions in your home.
I’m moving into a new home…do I need to clean the ducts?
Yes, if you’re moving into a new property, it’s an ideal time to arrange duct cleaning, especially if the previous owner was a smoker, had pets, and/or no duct cleaning was performed in the past two years. With newly built homes, duct cleaning is also recommended to remove construction dust and debris from the ductwork.
How do I select the right duct cleaning service?
When comparing duct cleaning services, don’t be fooled by the price alone. A professional service should be able to demonstrate credentials, certifications, user reviews/testimonials, and a track record of happy customers. A lower-than-normal price may suggest that the cleaning will be less thorough.
HVAC duct cleaning in Calgary
Don’t let out of sight be out of mind with your home’s ductwork. Regular inspections and cleaning every few years are recommended to prevent duct-based problems with heating and cooling your home.
Duct cleaning, regular furnace cleaning, and HVAC maintenance work together to help create a safe, healthy, and comfortable home environment—and staying attentive to the warning signs of potential ductwork issues can save expensive furnace repairs. All of our furnace professionals are SAIT-certified and trained to service any type or brand of furnace in Calgary. Call us at 403-236-4366 or contact us online to book duct cleaning.
