Air ducts are a key component of any commercial or residential HVAC system. Keeping these parts clean will ensure that your home or place of work continues to receive good indoor air quality and heat or cool properly. However, some situations might call for an air duct replacement instead of air duct cleaning. That said, how do you know when air duct cleaning or air duct replacement is necessary? This blog will present four scenarios and guide you through which ones need air duct cleaning and which call for air duct replacement.
Air Duct Cleaning Vs. Air Duct Replacement: 4 Scenarios
In order to know when to call for air duct replacement versus cleaning, you’re going to explore these four scenarios involving air duct issues. Hopefully, you’ll feel more confident in your ability to know what to ask for when facing air duct issues in the future.
1. Excessive Debris, Mold, Or Other Contaminants
Has there been an increase in dust floating around your home? Are there strange sounds or smells that seem to be coming from the vents? Have you been feeling sick lately but can’t seem to figure out why? If any of these three questions sound like something you’re dealing with, you might be dealing with debris, mold, or critters contaminating your air ducts.
If the buildup of debris or mold is excessive, you find multiple severe mold growths, or critters have seriously damaged or contaminated your ducts, a replacement will be your best course of action. These types of damages can also lead the air ducts to rust, effectively rendering your air ducts useless. However, if the mold growths aren’t severe or the debris buildup is mild, a cleaning will perfectly suffice. Where this first scenario is concerned, the question of whether or not air duct cleaning or replacement is required ultimately depends on the specifics of the situation.
2. Energy Bills Are Higher Than Usual
One way to tell if your air ducts are leaking is by checking your most recent energy bills. If your energy bills have been higher than usual, it’s a sign of leaking air ducts. You’ll need a technician to verify that your air ducts are leaking and evaluate their condition.
If the only issue with the ducts is leakage, they can easily be repaired. However, an air duct replacement will be in order if the leakage is due to severe damage or a broken part. Just like in the first scenario, leaking ducts also fall under the category of “it depends” when it comes to cleaning, repairing, or replacing them.
3. Strange Noises From The HVAC System
Have you been disturbed by the sudden appearance of strange noises coming from your vents? Do you hear any unnerving sounds every time you turn on your AC or heating unit? Whatever the specific sounds may be, you’ll want a technician to see if anything can be salvaged or if you’ll need to replace your air ducts. Strange noises from your HVAC system can be attributed to anything from critters seeking refuge and broken parts to the passage of time that results in the inevitable aging of your air ducts. In this scenario, replacing air ducts will be the most likely outcome.
4. Your Newly Installed Air Ducts Are Already Having Issues
While replacing older air ducts with problems makes sense, you might be wondering what to do if your newly installed air ducts are already having issues. Most new air ducts are made of metal or plastic ductwork that often doesn’t include interior lining. All you need to do is hire an HVAC technician to clean the air ducts and install interior lining. If the issue isn’t the material but the manner of installation, a technician can easily make adjustments.
Our Technicians Can Clean And Replace Your Air Ducts!
After looking at these four scenarios, you should hopefully have a better idea of when to seek out air duct cleaning versus air duct replacement. If you aren’t entirely sure which category your air duct predicament falls under, our technicians will be more than happy to help you make that determination. You can even check out more information about how to tell when your air ducts need cleaning. Contact us at Air Duct Cleaning Experts for the best cleaning and replacement services for your home’s HVAC system.