Is air duct cleaning necessary?

Many HVAC repair and maintenance companies also offer air duct cleaning services, which typically cost $300 to $500.

Is air duct cleaning necessary?

Angie's List members share their experiences and opinions on air duct cleaning. Read more

Some companies specialize as air duct cleaners. They generally recommend having air ducts cleaned every 3 to 5 years, or even more frequently to reduce pollutants in the air.

However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns that there is no scientific evidence that cleaning air ducts regularly improves air quality, and some HVAC professionals say it is a waste of money.

Yet some allergy sufferers, including Angie's List members, have reported that having their ducts cleaned has led to reduced allergy symptoms and cleaner air.

Although the EPA does not recommend routinely hiring air duct cleaning services, it does suggest it be done when there are specific reasons for doing so. This would include factors such as