If your home’s ductwork is severely dirty or in disrepair, at some point you’ll need to decide whether replacing ductwork is a better alternative than repairing or cleaning it. When you are trying to decide what to do with problem ducts, there are a number of factors to consider. Ductwork cleaning should be left in the capable hands of a professional. The exception is the area of the ducts near the registers where they’re easy to reach.
Common ductwork made from thin metal sheeting is relatively easy to clean wherever it’s accessible. Ducts made of fiberboard are hard to clean. When fiberboard ducts are severely dirty, they may have to be replaced.
Flexible ductwork – made of wire coil, covered in plastic, wrapped in insulation, and backed with foil – should be cleaned by a professional if the ducts are full of dust and debris. This type of ductwork will have to be replaced if it there is a substantial amount of mold growing in it.
When your ductwork needs to be repaired, cleaned or replaced, first find the source of the dirt or dust. If you do not find the source before cleaning or repairing your ductwork, you are setting yourself up to have to do it again.
Even if your ductwork is clean, you’re not necessarily home free. Ductworks can develop leaks over time, or can leak from the very start if installation wasn’t done properly. If the leaks are accessible, you can seal them yourself with mastic sealant or quality metal tape. Inaccessible duct leaks, however, will need to be found and repaired by a professional. They’ll have the equipment and expertise to find leaks anywhere in your duct system and repair them.
You should work with a trusted professional to determine if your ductwork needs to be repaired, cleaned or replaced. Duct cleaning should not be necessary on a regular basis in a home with proper air filtration and circulation. If certain conditions apply, however, such as visible mold, dust and debris blowing out of registers, or evidence of insect or vermin infestation, duct cleaning is called for. A duct inspection by a reputable HVAC company should determine whether cleaning is necessary, or if your ducts are so bad off that replacing ductwork should be seriously considered.
For more expert information on repairing cleaning or replacing ductwork and other issues related to home comfort, please contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We provide exceptional HVAC services to Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ductwork and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
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Serving the Lorain, OH Area