There are many reasons why keeping the air ducts in your home clean is a good choice.  Here are just a few key examples:

Indoor Air Quality

Your HVAC system functions as the lungs of your home.  Your air conditioning and heating systems breathe in and out, much like humans do.  Common indoor pollutants, such as dust, dander, mold spores, and household chemicals can become trapped in this air system, and be re-circulated over and over again.  This can be bad news, particularly for the 30% of Americans who suffer from allergies.  

Did you know that the average American adult spends 90% of their time indoors? Or that indoor air pollutant levels are, on average, 2 to 5 times higher than outdoor pollution?  Keeping the "airways" of your home clean and unobstructed from buildup can dramatically improve the quality of your indoor air.  

Energy Efficiency

Roughly 46% of your home energy bill is comprised of power used to cool and heat your home.  Studies have shown that 25-45% of that energy is wasted by inefficient or poorly running systems.  

Contaminants and buildup in your home's air systems can cause them to work inefficiently, wasting power and shortening the life of your system.   Cleaning your ducts can help save some serious money!

Clean Your Home

Duct cleaning rids your home of dust that is stuck in your ductwork, which in turn lessens the amount of dust that is recirculated into your house.  Operating a clean system cuts down on the grime in your home and the time in your cleaning routine! 

Duct Cleaning is a fairly straightforward process and is typically not too disruptive to the homeowner.  The time it takes depends on the size of a home and its systems but is typically between 4-6 hours.  The climate control systems will be switched off during this time, so anticipate a change in indoor temperature on particularly hot or cold days.  

Your duct cleaning professional will make a visual inspection of your home's systems and clean components of your actual HVAC system.  They may need to move some furniture away from vents and air returns in your home.  A reputable company will take care to return your home to its original state and to ensure that they wear shoe protectors, use drop cloths, and take other steps to avoid sullying your home.  

During the process of the duct cleaning, you will hear a loud hum (much like a vacuum cleaner!) as the machinery does its work.  After the job is done, the technician should inform you of the results of the process, as well as any patches or replacements that were performed.  

1. Cleaning Only the Ductwork Does No Good

Cleaning only the ducts in your home, without cleaning your HVAC system is not an effective process.  According to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), a quality duct cleaning service should include cleaning or replacing  the following: 

 - air ducts

 - coils

 - drain pan

 - registers

 - grills

 - air plenum

 - blower motor and assembly

 - heat exchanger

 - air filter

 - air cleaner

2. Duct Cleaning Does Not Improve Air Flow

If you are currently having airflow issues, hot spots or cold spots in your home, or lack of heating or air in certain spaces, Duct Cleaning is NOT the first step in addressing the problem.  Instead, the issue should be investigated by a heating and cooling specialist who can help you find the root of the issue.  Luckily we at Gwyn Services are your local HVAC experts, and we can help you out!  

Schedule a service call today- (336) 774-1818

3. Cleaning Ducts Wrong is WORSE than Not Cleaning At All! 

A home's HVAC system is a complicated mix of sensitive machinery, as well as both rigid and soft conduits.  Untrained and unlicensed duct cleaning companies often do not use the proper equipment (or have the necessary training) to clean a home's entire HVAC system.  Using incorrect equipment and techniques can damage or even rip flexible ductwork, leading to costly repairs and leaks in your home.  Even more salient, spending money (even if it's a great deal ) on a shoddy job is a waste of your time and budget.  

4. Many Deals for Duct Cleaning Services are Scams

There are a lot of guys out there with a vacuum and a truck who advertise duct cleaning services.  Many (most) of them are well-meaning, hardworking people, but they lack the necessary training and equipment to do the job right.  A man with a standard shop vac, air compressor, and a ladder can't do a good job, no matter how hard they work.  Be a savvy consumer and realize that you get what you pay for!  

Mailers and door-to-door offers that offer super low-priced packages can be outright scams, or bait-and-switch schemes to rope unforeseen and unnecessary repairs or other services.  At the very least, look to see whether the service provider is a member of the BBB, NADCA, or a professional HVAC association.

5. Duct Cleaning is not a DIY Job

Even the most experienced handyman (or handyma'am) doesn't have the equipment or technical knowledge to clean residential ducts.  The best case scenario is that you waste your own time- the worst case scenario could be damaging one of your home's most expensive systems or releasing clouds of dust into your home!  

However, you can DIY regular upkeep and maintenance of your ducts and air handling systems, such as vacuuming vents and air returns to remove visible cobwebs and dust, and keeping your filters clean and replaced regularly!  

Ultimately, the decision of how often to clean residential ductwork comes down to the preference of the homeowner.  While there are no hard and fast answers to this question, the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) recommends air duct cleaning every 3 to 5 years.   

According to the EPA and other home health experts, there are several factors that may necessitate more frequent cleaning of an HVAC system, including: 

- The presence of pets that shed fur and dander

- Home residents that smoke

-Visible mold growing in your ducts, or a mold infestation in your home

- Flooding or water damage to the HVAC system and ductwork

- Pest infestations in your home such as rodents or insects

- Home renovation or other changes that may create excess dust or debris

- Excess visible dust or debris clinging to your air reigsters or visibly blowing from your vents. 

Gwyn Services uses only the top-of-the-line RotoBrush equipment for our duct cleaning services.  These premium vacuum systems are self-contained, which means that dust is unable to leak, spill, or escape during the duct cleaning process.  RotoBrush also provides comprehensive and ongoing training for our HVAC technicians, so they remain knowledgeable about the latest equipment and methods.  

Gwyn's HVAC technicians start with a video inspection of a home's ductwork, utilizing RotoBrush's unique video inspection tools.  The technicians then will systematically clear and clean each duct pathway in your home's HVAC system, clearing buildup and blockages in each air passageway.  Before we finish each duct run, we once again make a passthrough with our video tool to ensure that the duct is clean and clear!  

Gwyn Services has been locally owned and operating in the Piedmont Triad for over 50 years.  Our HVAC professionals are licensed, bonded, and insured.  

When pricing out Duct Cleaning Services, please remember that you get what you pay for!  An effective duct cleaning service includes a full cleaning of your home's HVAC system, not simply vacuuming out your conduit system.  Many advertised "super deals" come with a catch- a limit to the amount of cleaning that can be performed with the promotion, or the hopes of upselling more expensive cleaning or repair services once the cleaning has begun.  

Gwyn Services works to be transparent in our duct cleaning pricing, simply charging $35 per "run" or duct passageway.  

For example, if your home has 12 air vents, and one return vent, your cost would be 13 x $35, or $455, plus sales tax.  Home Guard Plan subscribers get an additional 15-25% savings depending on the level of coverage selected.  

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that “duct cleaning services typically – but not always – range in cost from $450 to $1,000 per heating and cooling system, depending on the services offered, the size of the system to be cleaned, system accessibility, climactic region and level of contamination” and type of duct material.

According to the NADCA, consumers should also beware of “blow-and-go” air duct cleaning companies. These companies often charge a nominal fee and do a poor job of cleaning the heating and cooling system. These companies may also persuade the consumer to pay for unneeded services with and/or without their permission. (If you know of a practicing “blow-and-go” air duct cleaner, contact your local Better Business Bureau to report the company, and your local, federal, and state elected officials to demand legislation.)