You know you’re adulting when…

When you hear the words, clean your home’s HVAC system, nothing sounds sexy about that. You might not think there’s anything charming about cleaning your duct work, but let me give you the reasons why I think it’s one of the best things you can do in your home after you move into a new home (especially if it’s a new build) or right after you finish a home renovation project.

I consider the cleaning part of a home design, part of the design. And not just the everyday cleaning like dusting, mopping, and vacuuming, but cleaning the “belly” of your home as well. It’s like cleaning out the veins that connects, the invisible channel, that runs through your entire home and connects everything. It’s important to pay attention to that too.

When you get excited about your home HVAC system being cleaned is right about the time you realize your’e adulting – and doing so real hard!

When we moved into our current home in the spring of 2022, we wanted to clean the duct system right away. But since we weren’t done with all the major renovations, we had to wait and now that time has finally come!

It’s recommended to clean your air ducts every 3-5 years. That’s under normal conditions. But, when you do any kind of construction work in your home, all the dust and debris collects in that system and clogs it up. So, it was best for us to wait it out a bit before we had our technicians come out.

From dust to (clean) ducts

As much as I love interior design, I love a clean home just as much, if not more. (Though on a usual basis, you would never know it. With two kids, a business to run, and all the everyday life tasks that come, let alone the unplanned things that life throws at you, I can’t keep up like I want to.)

However, there’s one thing I do keep up with on a regular basis. And that is, cleaning our home’s HVAC system.

The last three homes we’ve lived in, we have had the ducts cleaned after the construction work was finished. We’ve experienced so many benefits to cleaning your air ducts after you move into a new home or finish a home renovation, and it’s why I’m sold out on it!

The results from our first house

The first home we purchased was built in 1914. It was a foursquare style home from the front and had gone through some renovations in the long days of the past.

It had been well-loved over the years, and the ducts may have never been cleaned before we had it done in 2018. Here are some images the technician sent me once they were finished cleaning the ducts.

Before and after the cleaning

The second home we purchased was built in 1918. It was a sweet bungalow on the nearest side of Indianapolis. We purchased the home in August 2021 and sold it in April 2022. Yes, only 6 months later! (A story for another time.)

When our technician came to this home, you won’t believe your eyes on what this air filter ALONE looked like!

Take a look at this – YIKES!

For a point of reference on how bad this was, check out what a CLEAN FILTER looks like.

After we replaced the air filter and had the system cleaned out in this house, not only did our home’s heating and cooling system start to feel like it actually worked, but our electrical bill came down. And it came down significantly. (Like, it was cut in half!)

The power of clean air

After this, I was fully hooked on what this can do in a home. So, in our current home, we made this a high priority to take care of as soon as we were able. We have a dual system in this home, and we were only able to clean one. The reason why to follow next. But here are the results from cleaning this time around.

Before and after results

Based on the images, you can tell that this system wasn’t too bad. This is new duct work and the previous homeowners took great care of this home and we are so grateful for that!

Hire the right expert

One thing we rain into in our new home is that there was asbestos in the ducts so before they could clean them, they instructed us to call a remediation company to come out and encapsulate it. This would allow to them to hook up their cleaning system in such a way that would prevent the asbestos from spreading in the air! It’s things like THIS is why I would argue that it pays off in dividends to lean on the advice of a professional when it comes to anything in your home. (Design included 😉)

Air duct maintenance

Once your ducts are cleaned, it’s important to maintain them properly. This comes into play when choosing the best filter. I won’t get all techy with you on this (because that’s probably not what you’re here for) but our technician recommends for our filters to be between a MERV 10-12, as well as be the appropriate size for our HVAC system. We have a dual system in our new home, so each require a different size filter.

One thing we like to do in our home is to buy these filters in bulk. You get the best price if you buy multiple filters at the same time. You can get them on Amazon on any hardware store. These AIR FILTERS from Amazon are a great option.

Why cleaning your HVAC system is a no-brainer:

If you need a quick checklist of why I think this is the most important thing you can do after a home renovation, based on our our experience, here you go:

1. Makes your home feel cleaner (because it actually is!)
2. Improves and neutralizes the smell of your home
3. Removes dust and allergens circulating in the air inside your home
4. Increases the performance of your heating and cooling system
5. Reduces the costs associated with running your heating and cooling system
6. Heats and cools the air in your home more quickly

Are you a renter?

If you don’t own your home and rent instead, I would highly recommend you to check with your landlord or the property management company and ask when the last time the HVAC system was cleaned. If it hasn’t been cleaned in a while, or if they don’t know the last time it was cleaned, I would highly recommend that you ask or negotiate that service to be done before you move in, and ask to include that to be included as part of your lease agreement.

If you’re already living in the property, my recommendation is to ask . This is not only a benefit for you, but for them as well!

📢 Indianapolis locals – Check out THE DUCT SQUAD

We use THE DUCT SQUAD here in Indianapolis. They came highly recommended by a dear friend of mine and we have had such great service from them, that if you’re in the Indianapolis area, they’re worth a call if you find yourself in need of a duct cleaning. They have great rates and are honest, fun-loving guys. Simon runs point guard and you can reach them at 317-677-6399.

Did you find this helpful? If so, let me know in the comments below.