How Long Does Air Duct Cleaning Take?

Dirty air ducts can make your home dustier and exacerbate allergy and asthma symptoms. Cleaning your air ducts helps reduce the dust in your home and improves the overall indoor air quality. But how long does air duct cleaning take? This guide explains the factors that affect the overall time it takes to clean ductwork and breaks down the project so you know what to expect.

Factors That Affect How Long Air Duct Cleaning Takes

Air duct cleaning is not a project you want rushed—unless you like receiving repeat service calls by contractors to fix or redo the work that wasn’t done properly the first time. Let’s take a look at some of the factors that might shorten or lengthen the time your certified HVAC technician is in your home.

Home Size

The larger your home, the larger the systems needed to run it. This is very true for your HVAC system. A home’s ductwork runs from the HVAC unit to every room and level in your home, so the more rooms you have, the more extensive your ductwork will be. 

Cleaning air ducts in large homes can take five hours or more—possibly even a full work day if something needs to be fixed, replaced, or simply requires more work to clean.

Number of HVAC Components

Air ducts have various components that must be thoroughly cleaned, including vents, return registers, filters, and duct covers. An HVAC technician will also check the air conditioner coils and furnace to ensure they work correctly.

If you get your air ducts cleaned out routinely, the HVAC pros should just be able to clean any dust and household debris from these components. They’ll also replace any necessary filters. However, the task will take longer if any of these components are particularly dusty and dirty.

Accessibility

There’s one thing you can feel good about: It will take much less time to clean the air ducts even in a large home than in a commercial building because it’s much easier to access the ductwork in your home. 

However, you can do your part by clearing the way for the contractors so that they have easy access to all of your vents and ducts. This includes moving away any items from around the furnace—it’s a good idea to keep that area free of clutter anyway—and the air conditioners. If you have rooms that are crowded with furniture or have decor blocking the vents, remove these to clear the way for your technician to do their work. Also, if you’ve got pets at home, secure them so that they don’t cause any distractions, however cute they might be.

Condition of the Air Ducts

If you’ve been diligent and have gotten your air ducts cleaned every three to five years as the experts suggest, then the work this time should be relatively routine. But if your air ducts need some extra TLC, the work will take longer.

What Does Cleaning the Air Ducts Involve?

Swapping out the filters on your HVAC system is relatively easy, but cleaning the air ducts is generally not a DIY job. The pros not only have all the right tools, but they’ve done the job many times and know how to overcome any hiccups along the way.

Here’s what generally happens when you get your air ducts cleaned:

1. A thorough inspection of the ductwork to see if and where any damage or blockage might be.

2. Removal of any dust, dirt, and debris that has collected inside the ducts by using rotating brushes, air jets, and other industrial-strength tools and techniques, such as creating a negative-pressure environment to clean the ducts.

3. Cleaning and disinfecting the ductwork to remove any household allergens and contaminants, such as bacteria, mold and mildew, and virus spores.

4. Confirmation that the ducts are connected well and in proper working order so that your HVAC system can work at optimal levels.

How Often Should You Have Your Air Ducts Cleaned?

Unlike AC filters that should be replaced multiple times a season, air ducts need only be cleaned once every three to five years. 

Here are some telltale signs that you’re overdue for ductwork cleaning:

• Your vents are covered in dust. That means the air circulating in your home is also dusty. 

• Your walls, furniture, or flooring are dustier than usual.

• You can see particles of dust or dirt floating in the air.

If you have allergies that are acting up, or you notice that your home isn’t getting as cool or warm as it should be, it’s probably time to schedule a visit from your local air duct cleaner. Plan to have them stay anywhere between two and five hours—and don’t rush them. The comfort and health of your household are at stake when you have dusty, dirty air ducts.

How to Maintain Air Ducts

Routine maintenance can keep your air ducts in good shape for longer. Here are the best ways to maintain your ductwork to prevent potential issues down the line.

• Change your filter: A dirty air filter can make your ducts dustier and shorten the life of your HVAC unit since it’ll need to work harder to heat or cool your home.

• Keep your home clean: Excess dust and dirt can be pulled through the ductwork, making it dirty and less efficient. Vacuum and dust regularly to keep the debris levels down.

• Schedule annual HVAC service: Yearly service visits allow your HVAC technician to identify potential issues sooner, increasing the chance that your ductwork can be repaired rather than replaced.

• Get your air ducts cleaned: If you notice more dust in the air than usual, you should have your ductwork cleaned. Clean ductwork is more efficient at keeping your home at a comfortable temperature. Air duct cleaning costs $270 to $510.

• Repair ductwork leaks: If your air ducts aren’t adequately sealed, they can leak air. Left unsealed, this can increase your energy bills and worsen your home’s air quality.