There’s nothing like a good air duct vacuum session to clean up after pest problems, a remodel, or years of built-up allergens and debris. You can clean your floors, counters, and walls all you like, but there will still be contaminants stuck in places that you usually don’t think about — until you get your ducts cleaned, that is.
However, vacuuming your air ducts is a bit trickier than vacuuming your floors. This is one cleaning task you may want to hand off to a professional.
Can You Vacuum Your Own Air Ducts?
Yes, you can try vacuuming your own air ducts if you want to. However, you probably shouldn’t. It’s hard to clean ducts effectively without professional equipment, and it’s easy to accidentally damage your HVAC system.
A typical household vacuum isn’t powerful enough to get all the debris out of your ductwork. You need an industrial-strength vacuum, a contact vacuum with flexible brushes, and other equipment to clean air ducts thoroughly. A duct cleaning professional will have these tools; you probably don’t, and you may not want to invest in them.
The other issue is that DIY duct cleaning is more likely to damage your HVAC system. If you damage something in or around your vents, you could end up with worse problems than the dirty ducts you were trying to clean. Older ductwork systems are especially easy to damage by accident.
The Best Cleaning System
The best system for cleaning air ducts is to hire a professional. A thorough professional duct cleaning will likely take several hours and use several different types of equipment.
At DuctVac Northwest, we have a multi-step air duct cleaning system:
- We make sure any carpeting and furnishings around your air duct ports are protected.
- We open all ports and doors to your air duct system so we can reach deep inside. In some cases, we may need to cut an access port in the area where your air ducts originate.
- We check for asbestos. If there is any asbestos in your duct cleaning system, a contractor who has received special training in asbestos removal will need to remove it.
- We use a very strong vacuum to get particles out of your ductwork. Our equipment knocks dirt, debris, and other contaminants loose and then sucks it out of your duct network.
- We use contact vacuum cleaning and brush the duct surfaces to remove whatever particles are left. We have special duct cleaning brushes that are long and flexible enough to go deep into your duct system.
- We use soft-bristled brushes to clean fiberglass materials in the duct board or lining.
- After we’re done cleaning, we seal and re-insulate all access holes.
Need Air Duct Vacuuming in the Puget Sound Region?
DustVac Northwest helps people with home duct cleaning in Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, and other nearby communities. We are certified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) and committed to both best practices and integrity. With over 25 years of HVAC experience, you can trust us to handle your air ducts with care.