5 Easy Steps to Check If Your Air Ducts Need to be Cleaned

The air ducts in your HVAC unit is what allows the unit to supply cool air throughout your house into each room. If the unit needs to be cleaned, the efficiency of the product will decrease. There are different signs that a user can check to determine if the unit needs to be cleaned.

To Replace or Not To Replace....the Filter

The first step that should be taken is replacing your filter. A filter in a HVAC unit can become clogged which will cause make the duct look as if it needs to be cleaned. Don’t be fooled and automatically assume that the duct needs to be cleaned, instead replace the filter first. You want to remove the chances that the cause is only the filter before moving forward with a determination of whether the duct needs to be cleaned.

Eye On The Unit

Next, turn on your AC unit and watch it closely. You want to watch the vent while the motor is turning on. Make sure you pay close attention and look for a small cloud of dust to appear once the motor kicks on. If you notice that this has happened during the initial start up, your duct most likely will need to be cleaned.

Each Room Made Equal

Check how your air is flowing through the ducts by each room. First step is to make sure that all of the vents in each room are fully opened. Once you have determined the vents are fully opened, inspect how the airflow is flowing through each room. If you notice that one room has better flow than another, your ducts may need to be cleaned.

Find Your Inlets

An inlet can typically can be found on the floor and will drop down the vent. Check the return vent and make sure there is not a block. If you notice a blockage this may cause the blower motor to be deprived of air and is a sign that the air duct needs to be cleaned.

Listen to Your Unit

There shouldn’t be any other noise other than the motor blowing. Listen to your unit and check for noises such as a whistling noise or any other airflow noises. When the airflow is noisy it can indicate that there is a blockage that needs to be removed or that part of the duct has broken off and there is a piece floating around. This can indicate that there is a problem that needs to be found and fixed or that the air duct needs to be cleaned.

Are your McAllen air ducts making your home smelly, stuffy, & dusty? Call All Valley Plumbing at (956) 686-6656 for duct cleaning!