Duct Cleaning in Richmond, VA
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Seven months of heating pushes air through the same ducts
Your furnace runs October through April here, close to seven months a year. On the cold nights from December through February, when it averages 30°F outside, that furnace cycles on and off most of the night to keep the house warm. Every cycle pushes air through the same ductwork, and whatever is sitting in there moves with it, out through the vents and into the rooms you're breathing in.
Richmond has also logged ten winter storms and fifteen damaging wind events over the past ten years, and storms like that knock out power. Close to a quarter of Virginia households went at least a day without power in 2024. When a house sits without heat for a stretch, the furnace has to work harder to catch back up once the power is back, pushing more air, and more of what has settled in the ducts, through the house.
- 7 months
- October through April, 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 is no fixed schedule that fits every house. Homes with pets, a recent renovation, or someone with allergies tend to need it sooner since dust and dander build up faster in the ducts. If you see dust blowing out of the vents or catch a musty smell when the furnace kicks on, that is reason enough to have them looked at, no matter how long it has been.
- Is air duct cleaning worth it?
- It is worth it when there is a real reason behind it, not just as a routine service. Ducts that are visibly dirty, that have had rodents or moisture in them, or that are pushing dust into every room can affect the air moving through your house. A contractor can check the ducts first and tell you whether cleaning will actually help before any work starts.
- What does air duct cleaning involve?
- A contractor connects a vacuum system to the ductwork and pulls loose dust and debris out of the supply and return lines. Brushes or air whips agitate the inside of the ducts first so the vacuum can catch what has settled on the walls. The vent covers get cleaned too, and the system gets checked for spots where debris tends to collect, like near the furnace or air handler.