Get matched with top air duct cleaners in Mapleton, ME

Air duct cleaning scams are, unfortunately, so common because the industry is largely unregulated, and technicians don’t need to hold licenses in most states. It’s also easy for scammers to use scare tactics to claim that your indoor air is potentially unsafe, which makes the service an easy sell. Finally, most homeowners don’t have access to their hidden HVAC ducts and can’t check on issues themselves, so it’s easy to claim that there’s mold or debris build-up in there and have it go unchecked.

At a minimum, an HVAC system should be serviced once per year. However, a twice-a-year service schedule—once in the spring for the cooling system and once in the fall for the heating system—is often recommended, especially for older systems, heat pumps, or in climates with extreme temperatures. Regular service, which includes inspection, cleaning, and maintenance, ensures the system runs efficiently, helps prevent costly breakdowns during peak seasons, and can extend the unit's lifespan. You can also schedule a service if you notice issues like poor performance or strange noises.

Dirty filters are almost always the cause of poor airflow, so they should be regularly cleaned and then replaced as needed. The fan blades can also get dirty, so they should be cleaned when the unit is turned off. Make sure that the outdoor area around the back of the unit is unobstructed. Trees, shrubs, trash, and other objects could be too close to your unit.

The number of return air vents a house should have depends on its overall square footage. You'll need one supply vent and one return vent for every 100 to 150 square feet of living space. This means that, ideally, there should be at least one return air vent in every room. However, if the room is 100 square feet or larger, it's better to have two or three. A 2,000-square-foot home should have between 13 and 20 return air vents, in total.