Duct cleaning services advertise a lot. At first glance, they seem like a good thing to add to your annual maintenance checklist along with cleaning the gutters and inspecting window seals. However, the reality does not come close to the hype. There are certain scenarios where cleaning your ducts makes sense, but most of the time, other Katy AC services do a better job of taking care of your HVAC system.

When You Move Into a New Home

The only time when our Katy AC services experts absolutely recommend cleaning your ducts is when you move into a new home. Even if the ducts look good on the outside, an inspection will let you know if you have a family of mice living on the inside. Cleaning gives you a blank slate, and you can rest easy knowing that you do not have mold or piles of pet fur from the last owner flying around.

All the Reasons Not to Clean Your Ducts

To put it gently, duct cleaning is often a bad idea. Your HVAC’s air filter actually does the heavy lifting of trapping dust and other particulates in the air. If you have flexible ductwork, which is common, duct cleaning can shred the interior lining, which will introduce all sorts of issues down the road, create the need for Katy AC repair and drive your utility bills up.

However, the biggest reason not to clean your ducts on a regular basis is that you are simply throwing money away. Duct cleaning will not improve your system’s performance, it will not appreciably reduce the number of allergens floating around, and if you replace your air filters according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, there should not be anything to clean in the first place.

Better Alternatives

If your ducts are at least 15 to 20 years old and you want to improve their performance, consider simply replacing them. Air filters typically cost less than $100 per year to replace and will do a far better job of keeping your ducts clear of dust. If you are concerned that the ducts are filthy, ask your AC technician to take a peek inside during your annual Katy air conditioning repair inspection. A quick visual inspection is enough to determine whether or not your ducts need to be cleaned. In any event, do not schedule a duct cleaning appointment simply because it’s been six months or a year since the last one.

Want to learn more ways to keep your air conditioner working at peak efficiency? Contact our Katy AC services technicians today!

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