Duct Cleaning in Salisbury, MD
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Seven months of heating pushes air through the same ducts
Your furnace runs October through April here, seven months a year. On winter nights averaging 29°F it cycles on and off for hours at a stretch, and every cycle pushes air through the same ductwork. Dust settles in the runs between cycles, then gets stirred up and blown into the rooms the next time the furnace kicks on.
Wicomico County has seen 68 damaging wind events and 12 winter storms over the past ten years. Wind that strong can drive outside air and debris into a duct system, especially where a run passes through an attic or crawlspace. Each storm adds to what is already sitting in the ducts, waiting to get pushed into the house the next time the furnace runs.
- 7 months
- October through April, your furnace pushes air through your ducts
- 4 months
- June through September, your air conditioner does the same
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- How often should air ducts be cleaned?
- There is no fixed schedule that fits every house. If anyone in the house has allergies, if you have pets that shed, or if you just finished a remodel, that is a reason to have them looked at sooner rather than later. Homes here run the furnace seven months of the year, October through April, so dust and debris move through the system more months than in places with a shorter heating season. A contractor can check what is actually built up inside before you decide anything.
- Is air duct cleaning worth it?
- It depends on what is in your ducts. If you see dust building up fast around vents, or notice a musty smell when the system runs, cleaning solves a real problem. If the ducts look fine and no one in the house has breathing trouble, you can likely wait. A contractor can check for buildup or mold before you decide.
- What does air duct cleaning involve?
- A contractor connects a vacuum system to the ductwork, then uses brushes or air tools to knock loose dust and debris from inside the ducts so it can be pulled out. Vents and registers get cleaned too, along with the furnace blower compartment if it is part of the job. The whole system stays under negative pressure during the work so dust does not blow back into the house.