There is a common ailment in North America and particularly the United States: it’s called dust. And there is no amount of cleaning, vacuuming and air purifying that can stop the flow of dust into our homes; it seeps through cracks, doors and open windows. It may not be seen but it will always be felt at some point and in some way by all of us. So what do we do? We get our air ducts cleaned up!

In which case, have you decided it’s time to get your air ducts cleaned up? Or possibly you are looking for a professional to give you a quote on cleaning your air ducts? If so, the information contained in this article will definitely benefit you. You might be asking, “What is the big fuss about air duct cleaning anyway?”

First of all, to do away with any misconceptions, let’s clarify what an air duct actually is. An air duct is simply a conduit utilized for the distribution of conditioned (heated or cooled) air throughout your home. It is most often located in your basement or crawl space, but also could be housed in the ceiling, behind a wall or under floors. Usually built using sheet metal, air ducts are attached to heating and cooling systems with the sole purpose of redirecting conditioned air throughout your home via an HVAC system (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning).

The air duct system can be made up of many different parts, components and types of ducts; one way to view it is like a much larger version of the tubing found in your refrigerator. The main HVAC unit (a furnace or air conditioner) houses the blower fan, compressor and coil (for cooling); the coils then transfer heat from air into your home via a series of ducts. There may be more than one blower fan and coil depending on the size of the unit, its efficiency and power needs.

Other components to keep in mind are dampers, which regulate the airflow throughout your house; a furnace filter (or air filter), which removes dust and debris from air being circulated throughout your home; an air return register, which is the connection point where conditioned air enters your home; and lastly, insulated or foil-faced ductwork, designed to help keep hot air in during warmer months and cold air out during colder months.

Some of these components are kept outside while others are kept inside. In either case, it is important when having your ducts cleaned to make sure your technician covers every possible area in order to prevent the escape of dangerous gases and contaminants into your home.

When you think about all of these components working together in tandem to provide you with a comfortable environment, it becomes clear why any type of clog in the air duct system may result in a wide expansion of dust throughout your home. And while strategically placed furnace filters can help keep some of the dirt at bay, you …