Dust bunnies like to lurk in out-of-the-way places. While a thorough homeowner should be able to eradicate those that congregate under dressers, behind books on a bookshelf, and in the back of cupboards, you still have to worry about those who hide in your heating ducts. There they hide with friends such as dust mites, pet dander, pollen, insect carcasses, mold spores, and the like. All it takes is a gust from your furnace turning on to send this group of contaminants out over your home. Not only will this undermine your dusting routine, but it can inflame fragile lungs. Thus, you should have a plan for reclaiming your ducts. 

Don't Take The Chore on Yourself

You do not need special tools to remove the dust vents located throughout your home. If the vents are located in your floor, you should simply have to lift them out. If they are located along your baseboards, you need nothing more than a screwdriver. If you have a vacuum with a hose, you might think that you have all you need to clean your ducts. However, the sad truth is that your home vacuum will not have the reach to thoroughly clean your ducts. And just because the first few feet of your ducts is clean does not mean that you have eliminated the threat of a dust bunny invasion. 

Call In Reinforcements

Professional duct cleaners will have special tools that they can use to reach down the full lengths of your ducts. These brushes allow them to scrub off stuck-on dust bunny colonies. They will also have a high-powered vacuum that will have the suction and reach necessary to clean the whole length of your ducts. Thus, duct cleaning is a job best left to the professionals.  

If you ever have a flood in your house that allows water to leak into your ducts, then you should schedule a duct cleaning (from professionals such as Shenandoah Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc.) right away. Mold loves dark, damp places, and water in your ducts provides just such an environment. If your ducts stay dry, you should not feel you like you have no need for duct cleaning. Construction, remodeling, spring with its pollen, and fall with its rotting leaves can all create conditions that are ripe for allowing dust to accumulate in your ducts. Thus, you should have your ducts inspected at least yearly and cleaned whenever it is necessary. In order to help your home stay clean and to promote lung health, duct cleaning is a necessity.