Duct Cleaning in Gadsden, AL
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Etowah County ductwork takes a beating from wind, not just dust
Most homes in Gadsden are single-family, and most people who live in them own the place, so whatever settles into the ducts stays their problem to deal with. Your furnace only has to run November through March here, five months, but on nights averaging 34°F it cycles on and off enough to push air through the same ducts winter after winter.
Etowah County has seen 71 damaging wind events over the last ten years, and wind that strong works dust and debris into a duct system through every loose seam and joint. Add in the power outages that hit Alabama households last year, and a system that shuts down and restarts unexpectedly is one that is not filtering or moving air the way it should in between.
- 5 months
- November through March, your furnace pushes air through your ducts
- 5 months
- May through September, your air conditioner does the same
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- How often should air ducts be cleaned?
- There's no fixed schedule that fits every house. It depends on what's actually building up in there. If anyone in the house has allergies, or you have pets shedding into the return vents, that's a reason to check sooner rather than later. Homes here run the furnace five months of the year, November through March, so dust and pet hair have a long stretch to collect before much airflow moves them around. A contractor can look inside your ducts and tell you if you're due.
- Is air duct cleaning worth it?
- It's worth it if your ducts are actually dirty, not something to do on a fixed schedule regardless. Signs it's time include dust that settles again soon after you clean, a musty smell when the furnace or AC kicks on, or visible dust and debris around the vent covers. If none of that applies, cleaning ducts that are already reasonably clean won't make your air noticeably better. A contractor can check and tell you honestly whether it will help.
- What does air duct cleaning involve?
- A contractor connects a vacuum system to your ductwork and uses brushes or air tools to loosen dust and debris from inside the duct walls, then pulls it out through the vacuum. They'll usually go through each supply and return vent in the house, plus the main trunk lines. The furnace or air handler and the coil often get cleaned in the same visit, since they collect dust too. The filter should get replaced afterward, since it's a separate part and doesn't get cleaned along with the ducts.