Duct cleaning gets a bad rap – but it’s not a scam (as long as you work with professionals!). Duct cleaning is actually a great way to keep your HVAC systems working smoothly and efficiently. It can also help eliminate common allergens and irritants from your home. Learn more about duct cleaning below:
- Understanding Ductwork: How It’s Installed and Its Role in Your Home
- How To Avoid Duct Cleaning Scams
- When and Why You Should Get Your Air Ducts Cleaned
- Is Duct Cleaning Worth it?
- Duct Cleaning FAQ
- Don’t Overlook Dryer Vent Cleaning During Your Duct Cleaning Service
At Service 1st, we offer professional duct cleaning services for homeowners in the Cambridge area. We have over 30 years of experience working with HVAC systems, and we know how to thoroughly and effectively clean your ducts to make a difference in your home. Get in touch with us today.
Duct Cleaning & More!
1. Understanding Ductwork: How It's Installed and Its Role in Your Home
Professionals seal all joints and connections with specialized tape or mastic.
Ductwork is the system of metal or flexible tubing that distributes heated or cooled air throughout your home. It connects your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump to various rooms, ensuring even airflow and temperature control.
How Ductwork Is Installed During a Renovation or New Build
When a professional HVAC technician installs or updates ductwork, they follow a careful process to ensure efficiency and performance:
- Planning & Design: The layout of the ducts is carefully planned based on your home’s size, layout, and heating and cooling needs. The goal is to minimize air leaks and maximize airflow.
- Choosing the Right Materials: Ducts are typically made of sheet metal, fibreglass, or flexible plastic. Metal ducts are durable and long-lasting, while flexible ducts are easier to install in tight spaces.
- Main Trunk & Branches: The system usually consists of a large central duct (main trunk) that branches into smaller ducts leading to individual rooms. Supply ducts deliver conditioned air, while return ducts pull air back to be heated or cooled again.
- Sealing & Insulation: To prevent energy loss, professionals seal all joints and connections with specialized tape or mastic. In colder areas, ducts in unheated spaces (such as attics or crawl spaces) may be insulated.
- Integration with HVAC System: The ducts are connected to your heating and cooling system, ensuring proper airflow and balanced temperature distribution throughout your home.
Well-designed and professionally installed ductwork improves energy efficiency, enhances indoor air quality, and ensures consistent comfort in every part of your house.
What to Expect During a Ductwork Update
If your home is undergoing renovations and your ductwork needs updating, a professional will assess the condition of existing ducts, determine if modifications are needed, and ensure your system meets modern efficiency standards. Sometimes, old ducts are resized, relocated, or replaced entirely to improve performance and accommodate new layouts.
Keeping your ductwork in good condition is essential for maintaining a comfortable and energy-efficient home. Whether you’re installing new ducts or upgrading an existing system, working with experienced HVAC professionals ensures the best results.
2. How To Avoid Duct Cleaning Scams
It’s important to find a reputable, professional company to perform duct cleaning for you.
We’ve all been there – you pick up the phone and someone on the other end asks if you need your ducts cleaned. You may have fallen victim to a duct-cleaning scam in the past, or you may have been warned about it by friends or neighbours.
After a while, you may start to think that all duct cleaning is a scam! However, this is not the case. Unfortunately, there has been a history of duct cleaning scam calls and businesses. But duct cleaning itself is not a scam, it’s actually a very important part of maintaining your HVAC (heating and cooling) systems in your home.
Because duct cleaning scams are still prevalent, it’s important to find a reputable, professional company to perform duct cleaning for you when you are ready to get it done. Here are some tips for avoiding scam calls and businesses.
Find a Duct Cleaning Company Yourself
A quick Google search can help get you started
Instead of waiting around for someone to call you, simply find a duct cleaning company on your own. The best way to do this is to simply type in “duct cleaning [your location]” into Google or another search engine.
You will be met with hundreds of results, but don’t feel overwhelmed. Google is usually pretty good at suggesting reputable companies to you – but not always. Sometimes, fraudulent businesses or scam pages could appear on your search results, so don’t just go with the first company you see.
Check out the suggestions in the section below to learn more about finding a reputable business – whether you searched for one yourself, or are considering working with a company that cold-called you.
Read Online Reviews
If someone cold calls you asking if you need your ducts cleaned, it makes sense to feel skeptical. If you think the person on the other end is reputable, ask for their name and business. Instead of signing up for any ‘deals’ or services, tell them that you will call them back. Then, do your research.
This next step is important for both companies you’ve heard of (either from a phone call or through a friend) or if you are simply looking up local companies yourself. Spending 15-20 minutes online can tell you a lot about a company. Simply go to Google and type in the name of the business you are interested in working with. Then, do the following things:
- Read their Google reviews: Google reviews are an amazing way to learn more about a business. See how many reviews a business has. Check out how many stars they’ve been rated. Take the time to read through the highest and lowest reviews. Remember, the quality of reviews matter too, not just the star rating. A company with a perfect 5-star rating but only has 3 reviews may not be as reputable as a company with a 4.8 star rating but has over 100 reviews.
- Check out other review sites: Sites such as Facebook, HomeStars, and Yellowpages will often have reviews listed. Read as many reviews as you can on a variety of sites. If the consensus among multiple websites is that the company is legitimate, you can probably rest assured that you are working with a real, professional company.
- Check out testimonials on their website: Once you’ve found their website, see if they have any testimonials listed. Their website can also tell you a lot about who they are as a business (more on that below!)
Check Out Their Website and/or Visit In-Person
A professional company will be happy for you to meet their staff
A company’s website is a great way to learn more about who they are and what they do. If you find an HVAC company you would like to work with, first make sure that they offer duct cleaning services! If they do, don’t close their website.
Read a few of their pages. Check out the pictures. Do you see images of real people and staff from their businesses? A scam website wouldn’t want to showcase any of its workers! But a reputable, professional business will be happy to let you find out more about who you’ll be working with.
You can also call the company to see if they have a showroom or store where you can actually go in-person and visit. A scam company won’t have a legitimate store for you to visit, but a real business will be happy to let you visit their store if they have one. If they don’t have a store, see if you can book a phone call to talk more about their services, what they offer, and how payment works.
Make sure that you are clear on their pricing system, as duct cleaning scams often involve unknown ‘add-ons’ that occur without your knowledge, but you will still get charged with it after the duct cleaning is complete!
3. When and Why You Should Get Your Air Ducts Cleaned
If you have pets, more frequent cleanings may be beneficial.
Air duct cleaning is an essential part of maintaining a healthy home environment, but many homeowners are unsure of when it’s actually necessary. While duct cleaning isn’t something you need to do frequently, there are certain situations where it becomes highly beneficial.
Understanding when to schedule professional duct cleaning and recognizing the signs of dirty ductwork can help improve indoor air quality, enhance HVAC efficiency, and even protect your family’s health.
How Often Should You Clean Your Air Ducts?
For most homes, duct cleaning is recommended every three to five years, but this can vary depending on several factors:
- Pet Owners: If you have pets that shed dander and hair, more frequent cleanings may be beneficial.
- Recent Renovations: If you’ve recently completed a home renovation or construction project, drywall dust, sawdust, and other debris can get trapped in your ducts, requiring a cleaning sooner.
- Allergies or Respiratory Issues: Households with individuals who suffer from asthma, allergies, or respiratory conditions should consider more regular cleanings to minimize airborne irritants.
- Mould or Musty Odours: If you notice a persistent moldy or musty smell in your home, your ducts could be harbouring mould spores that need to be removed and disinfected.
- Excessive Dust: If dust quickly accumulates on your furniture, even after frequent cleaning, your ductwork may be circulating dust throughout your home.
In addition to regular cleaning, it’s important to replace HVAC filters every one to three months to keep dust and allergens from building up in the system.
Signs That Your Ducts Need Cleaning Immediately
While routine duct cleaning is beneficial, there are specific warning signs that indicate your ducts need immediate attention:
- Visible Dust or Debris Around Vents: If you see dust accumulating around your vents or notice puffs of dust when your HVAC system turns on, it’s a strong indication of buildup inside your ducts.
- Unexplained Allergy Symptoms: Increased sneezing, coughing, or itchy eyes—especially when indoors—could be caused by contaminants circulating through your air ducts.
- Inconsistent Airflow or Rising Energy Bills: If certain rooms in your home are warmer or colder than others, or if your HVAC system is working harder than usual, clogged ductwork may be restricting airflow.
- Unpleasant or Musty Odours: If a mouldy or stale smell lingers in your home, mould or bacteria may be growing in your ducts. This can be harmful to your health and should be addressed as soon as possible.
- Rodent or Insect Infestations: If you’ve had pest problems in your home, there’s a chance that rodents or insects have left droppings, nests, or debris inside your ductwork.
If you notice any of the above signs you should consider getting your ducts professionally cleaned.
The Importance of Disinfecting During Duct Cleaning
Disinfecting duct cleaning is important for households with young children.
Beyond just removing dust and debris, disinfecting your ductwork is essential, especially if your home has had mold issues, bacterial growth, or recent illnesses spreading through household members. A professional duct cleaning service can apply a sanitizing agent that eliminates bacteria, viruses, and mold spores inside the ducts.
Disinfecting is particularly important for:
- Households with young children, elderly individuals, or immunocompromised family members may be more sensitive to airborne contaminants.
- Homes with a history of mould problems to prevent regrowth.
- Situations where there has been rodent or insect activity to eliminate harmful bacteria left behind.
When choosing a duct cleaning service, ensure they use safe, HVAC-approved disinfectants that won’t introduce harmful chemicals into your air.
By paying attention to these warning signs and scheduling regular duct cleaning, you can protect your home’s air quality and maintain the efficiency of your HVAC system.
4. Is Duct Cleaning Worth It?
Because of the prevalence of duct cleaning scams, a lot of homeowners don’t really know what duct cleaning is and why anyone would choose to get it done. Duct cleaning, when done by a reputable company, is very much worth it.
So, first off, what exactly is duct cleaning? In your home, you have a system of ducts running all throughout the house. Your ductwork helps carry hot air from your furnace to each room and area of your home, as well as cold air from your air conditioner. Over time, dust, debris, and even moisture can begin to build up in your ductwork. If you have pets, pet hair and dander can start to fill up your ducts.
Your ducts are mostly hidden in your home – so you can’t really see them. We commonly say, “if your ducts were made of glass, you would get them cleaned more often!” Just because you can’t see the dirt, dust, cobwebs and other no-so-great stuff that’s lurking in your ducts doesn’t mean that it’s not there.
Cleaning your ducts both improves the air quality of your home and the efficiency of your HVAC systems.
Duct Cleaning Improves Air Quality
Duct cleaning helps remove build-up from cooking oils, pet fur, and more
If your ducts haven’t been cleaned in a while, you might be surprised to learn what is hanging out down there. As you turn on your furnace or AC, air is moved through your ducts and circulates in your home. However, all that unseen mold, dust, allergens, and even common household pollutants also get circulated throughout your home too.
When you clean your ducts, you improve air quality by:
- Removing films and build-up caused by cooking oils
- Removing mold and mold spores
- Removing dust and other common allergens
- Removing build-up caused by smoke, or soot from candles or fireplaces
Duct Cleaning Improves HVAC Efficiency
Your furnace, air conditioner and other components of your HVAC system are all intricately connected. While most homeowners don’t really think about their ductwork, it’s a very important part of keeping your home cool or warm when you need it! Duct cleaning helps to remove any debris and build-up that could cause blockages.
Keeping your ductwork clean and clear means that your furnace and AC won’t have to run harder than necessary to heat up or cool down your home. This not only means more comfort for you and your family but also that you won’t have to pay more than really needed for your energy bills.
5. Duct Cleaning: FAQ
Check out our duct cleaning FAQ below to learn more about some frequently asked questions that homeowners often have before they book a duct cleaning session. If you still have questions, reach out to us at Service 1st. When you give us a call, you’ll get to speak right away with one of our staff, who would be happy to answer any questions you may have about duct cleaning and other HVAC services.
Duct cleaning is not a DIY (do-it-yourself) type of job. It requires specialized tools and training to ensure the job is done safely and correctly. When it comes time to get your ductwork cleaned, always rely on a professional HVAC company to do it for you. Don’t attempt to clean your ductwork on your own.
Duct cleaning works similarly to the way a vacuum cleaner works. Typically, specialized vacuums are attached to your ductwork and perform to remove dust and debris from your system. There are a variety of different tools that a company can use.
At Service 1st, our world class Rotobrush Air Duct Cleaning System will deliver results far beyond your expectations. We are so confident in our product and workmanship that we will back it up with a 30-Day Risk Free Guarantee!
Duct cleaning can be performed as often as on a yearly basis. However, usually homeowners don’t need duct cleaning more than every few years (usually around 3 years.) Each homeowner is different, and more frequent cleaning might make sense for your house, especially if you have a lot pets. Talk to an HVAC professional to learn more about a schedule that works best for you and your home.
Duct cleaning is not considered particularly disruptive. You and your family can still go about your day as normal for the most part. Duct cleaning usually takes about half a day to complete. However, you will have technicians moving about within your home, and you will hear the sounds of the machinery (these systems usually sound similar to a vacuum cleaner.) It’s best to schedule your cleaning when you do not have anything else important planned.
Duct Cleaning Helps You Breathe Easier!
At Service 1st, we have over 30 years of experience and a reputation of excellence in the Cambridge area. We offer quality duct cleaning services to help you and your family breathe easier. Duct cleaning offers a wide range of benefits for you and your family, including:
✓ Improved HVAC Efficiency
✓ Improves Indoor Air Quality & Smell
✓ Removes Allergens, Dust, and Mold
✓ Removes Pet Hair & Dander
✓ And Much More!
6. Don’t Overlook Dryer Vent Cleaning During Your Duct Cleaning Service
A clogged or dirty dryer vent isn’t just an efficiency issue—it’s a serious fire hazard.
While scheduling a professional duct cleaning for your HVAC system, it’s just as important to have your dryer vent cleaned. A clogged or dirty dryer vent isn’t just an efficiency issue—it’s a serious fire hazard.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, clogged dryer vents are one of the leading causes of house fires. Regular dryer vent cleaning improves safety, extends the life of your dryer, and enhances your home’s air quality.
Why Dryer Vent Cleaning is Essential
Fire Prevention
Lint, dust, and debris can build up inside your dryer vent over time. Because lint is highly flammable, a clogged vent can overheat and ignite, putting your home at risk of a fire. Cleaning out the vent regularly reduces this danger and keeps your dryer operating safely.
Improved Energy Efficiency
When a dryer vent is clogged, your dryer has to work harder to push out hot, moist air. This leads to longer drying times and higher energy bills. By keeping the vent clean, your dryer runs more efficiently, reducing both energy waste and costs.
Extended Appliance Lifespan
A blocked dryer vent forces your appliance to work harder, increasing wear and tear. Over time, this can cause overheating, mechanical failures, or complete breakdowns. Regular vent cleaning helps your dryer last longer and reduces the need for costly repairs or replacements.
Better Indoor Air Quality
A clogged vent can cause lint and dust to circulate back into your home, leading to poor air quality. This is especially concerning for individuals with allergies or respiratory conditions. Keeping the vent clear ensures that moist air is properly exhausted outdoors, reducing humidity and mold risks.
How is a Dryer Vent Cleaned?
During a professional dryer vent cleaning, a technician will:
- Inspect the vent system for blockages, lint buildup, or damage.
- Use high-powered vacuums and specialized brushes to remove lint and debris.
- Check for proper airflow to ensure your dryer is venting efficiently.
In addition, they will look for any signs of vent damage or improper installation.
When Should You Get Your Dryer Vent Cleaned?
Service 1st does dryer vent cleaning along with their duct cleaning service.
Experts recommend having your dryer vent cleaned at least once a year, or more frequently if:
- Your clothes take longer than usual to dry.
- Your laundry room feels hot or humid after running the dryer.
- There’s a burning smell when the dryer is in use.
- You notice excessive lint buildup around the dryer or vent opening.
Pairing dryer vent cleaning with duct cleaning ensures that your entire ventilation system is free from dust, debris, and blockages. This improves air quality, enhances energy efficiency, and reduces safety risks—giving you peace of mind that your home is both cleaner and safer.
Want to schedule a dryer vent and duct cleaning together? Contact Service 1st Heating & Cooling today!
For The Best Duct Cleaning Cambridge Has To Offer, Rely On The Experts at Service 1st
You can rely on our experience and expertise at Service 1st. We provide thorough, high-quality duct cleaning services as well as a wide range of other HVAC services that homeowners can count on.
We have been serving homeowners in Cambridge and the surrounding areas for over 30 years and have a proven record of excellence. Whether it’s time to get your ducts cleaned, need a service call, or are looking to replace your air conditioner or furnace and want to learn more, we can help.
We are a locally owned and operated business that prides itself on the highest quality work and installation of the highest quality products. We have received the prestigious Circle of Champions award from Bryant – an honour that highlights our commitment to quality, leadership, and excellence in the HVAC industry. We are an Elite Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer and offer our customers the highest quality products and services.
