Duct Cleaning in Houston, TX
Tell us about your home, and a licensed contractor who covers Harris County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Houston's air runs through your ducts almost all year
Cooling season here is long, and the air handler pulls humid air through the same ducts month after month. That moisture gives dust and debris something to cling to instead of just passing through.
Most homes in Harris County are single-family, and most are owner-occupied, so it's usually the same ductwork serving the same house for years without a break. Add in the wind events this area sees, which can push outside dust and debris into a system through any gap in the ducts, and buildup has more chances to settle in over time.
- 4 months
- November through February, your furnace pushes air through your ducts
- 7 months
- April through October, your air conditioner does the same
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- How often should air ducts be cleaned?
- There's no fixed schedule that fits every home. Look for signs instead. Dust around the vent covers, a musty smell when the air kicks on, or more dust in the house than usual all point to a problem worth checking. If you just moved in and don't know the history of the ductwork, that's a good reason to have a contractor take a look and tell you what they find.
- Is air duct cleaning worth it?
- It's worth it when there's a real problem behind it, like visible dust buildup, a musty smell, or pests that got into the ductwork. It won't fix a system that's undersized or struggling for other reasons, and it isn't something that needs to happen on a set schedule regardless of condition. If you pull a vent cover and see buildup, or the air feels dusty, that's a reason to have someone check rather than guess.
- What does air duct cleaning involve?
- A contractor connects a vacuum system to the ductwork and uses brushes or air tools to knock dust and debris loose from the inside of the duct walls, then pulls it out through the vacuum. They'll also check the supply and return vents, and usually the coil and blower area, since dust collects there too. The furnace filter gets replaced or cleaned as part of the job. A dirty filter undoes the work fast.