Your home looks spotless — floors mopped, counters wiped, fresh sheets on the bed. But every time the AC kicks on, a musty smell creeps in, dust swirls in the air, and allergies flare up. What gives? The issue isn’t what you can see. It’s what’s hiding in your air ducts.

The Environmental Protection Agency reports that Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, where pollutant levels can be 2 to 5 times worse than outside. So, how often should air ducts be cleaned to keep your air fresh and heating and AC efficient?

Lee Company has been helping homeowners in Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, and Georgia improve air quality and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) performance for over 80 years. Here’s what you need to know.

How Often Should Air Ducts Be Cleaned?

Some homeowners go decades without thinking about their air ducts — until their allergies get worse, their home smells like an old motel, or their HVAC system starts struggling to keep up.

So, when to clean air ducts? The general rule is every 3 to 5 years, but the real answer depends on how you live.

Factors That Impact How Often You Should Clean Your Ducts

1. Pets or Allergies

If your household includes shedding pets or allergy sufferers, duct cleaning should happen every 2 to 3 years. Pet dander and allergens build up fast, cycling through your air and settling in your vents.

2. Smokers in the Home

Cigarette smoke leaves behind a sticky residue that clings to duct walls, circulating stale odors and chemicals every time your system runs. If someone smokes indoors, cleaning should be more frequent.

3. Local Air Quality Matters

Living near busy roads, construction zones, or high-pollen areas? Those airborne contaminants don’t just stay outside. They settle in your ducts, making regular cleaning essential.

4. Recent Renovations

Drywall dust, sawdust, and debris from home projects love to hide in ducts. Even if contractors clean up well, microscopic particles can circulate for months or even years. If you’ve remodeled, get your ducts cleaned afterward.

5. New Construction Homes

Just because a home is brand new doesn’t mean the air ducts are clean. During construction, ducts are often left uncovered, allowing debris from insulation, flooring materials, and paint fumes to collect inside. Even if the vents look spotless, fine particles can settle deep in the system, circulating through your home once the HVAC is running.

If you’ve moved into a newly built home, consider scheduling a professional cleaning to clear out leftover contaminants.

6. HVAC Usage and Buildup

In the Southeast, where air conditioners work overtime in summer and heating systems kick in during unpredictable winters, higher HVAC use means faster duct buildup. The more your system runs, the more dust, pollen, and debris accumulate.

Still wondering if your ducts need attention sooner? Some warning signs signal it’s time for a deep clean. Let’s get into what to look for next.

Signs Your Air Ducts Need Cleaning Sooner

Some homeowners stick to the 3-to-5-year rule for duct cleaning services. Others don’t think about it at all. But waiting too long or avoiding it altogether can cost you in more ways than one…

If your ducts are overdue for a cleaning, your home will start dropping hints. Here’s what to watch for.

Dust and Debris Around Vents

If your vents are coated in dust or you see small puffs of debris when the air kicks on, that’s a bad sign. Your HVAC system is recirculating dirty air, pushing dust and allergens into your living space. Over time, this buildup clogs filters, strains the system, and lowers efficiency. If wiping down vents and vacuuming out the grates only provides a temporary fix, it’s time to check what’s deeper in the ducts.

Musty or Mildew Smells

Your home should never smell like a damp basement when the AC or heat turns on. A musty odor could mean mold or mildew is growing inside your ducts. With our humid summers, Southeast homes are especially prone to this. Biological growth doesn’t just stink. It can also aggravate allergies and respiratory issues.

Increased Allergy or Respiratory Issues

If your family’s sneezing more, dealing with congestion or feeling like allergy season never ends, your air ducts could be the source of the sickness. Dirty ducts circulate pollen, pet dander, and airborne irritants, keeping your indoor air quality in a constant state of contamination. If allergy symptoms improve when you leave home but worsen inside, it’s time for a cleaning.

Weak Airflow from Vents

When ducts are clogged, airflow suffers. You might notice some rooms feeling stuffy while others get all the air. Blockages force your HVAC system to work overtime to maintain temperature, leading to inefficiency and higher utility costs.

But buildup isn’t the only thing to blame. Leaky or poorly insulated ducts can also waste conditioned air, reducing cooling efficiency by up to 37%. That means your system is working harder and costing you more without delivering the comfort you expect. If airflow feels weak, cleaning your ducts is the first step. An inspection can also identify any leaks that need sealing.

New Construction or Recent Renovations

Even with the best cleanup efforts, building projects leave a mess behind. If you’ve recently remodeled or your home is new, duct cleaning should be on your post-construction checklist.

Rodents or Insects in Ducts

Scratching sounds in the walls? Unpleasant odors from vents? If pests have made their way into your ductwork, they leave behind droppings, dander, and bacteria. This is gross and potentially hazardous to your health. A professional cleaning can remove debris and sanitize the system, keeping your home free from pests and their lingering mess.

Benefits of Regular Air Duct Cleaning

Your HVAC system doesn’t get a day off. It’s cranking through summer heat waves, battling winter’s chill, and working overtime every time someone in the house touches the thermostat. But if your ducts are full of dust, mildew, and who-knows-what-else, it’s like trying to run a marathon while breathing through a straw. Eventually, something’s got to give.

A clean system runs better, lasts longer, and keeps your home feeling fresh. Let’s break down the biggest benefits.

Better Indoor Air Quality

Clean air ducts mean cleaner air. Simple as that. Instead of recirculating dust, pet dander, and whatever else has been marinating in your vents for years, your heater or AC moves fresh, breathable air through your home. If someone in your house has allergies or asthma, less junk in the air means fewer sneezes, less congestion, and better sleep.

Improved HVAC Efficiency

Your HVAC system burns through 52% of your home’s total energy use. Don’t make it work harder than it has to. When air can move freely, your system runs smoother, cools faster, and uses less energy. That means lower utility bills and a home that heats and cools like it should.

Extends HVAC Lifespan

Dirt doesn’t just sit in your ducts. It clogs up critical HVAC components, forcing them to work harder than they were designed to. A clean system doesn’t just run better. It lasts longer. Less strain on the blower motor and evaporator coil means fewer breakdowns, fewer repairs, and more years before you’re forced to shell out thousands on a new system.

Eliminates Unpleasant Odors

If your home has an odor you can’t quite place, your ducts might be hoarding the evidence. Professional duct cleaning services clear out whatever’s been festering in there, so your house smells like home again.

Should You Clean Air Ducts Yourself or Hire a Pro?

There’s a difference between tidying up and deep cleaning. Wiping down vents, vacuuming registers, and swapping out filters? That’s smart routine maintenance. But getting deep into the ductwork? That’s where things get tricky.

DIY duct cleaning isn’t as simple as sticking a vacuum hose into a vent. Without the right tools, you could:

• Damage the ductwork: One wrong move with a brush or vacuum attachment, and you could loosen joints or even puncture the ducts.
• Miss hidden contaminants: Surface dust is just the beginning. Deep inside, mildew, bacteria, and years of buildup are beyond the reach of standard vacuums.
• Spread allergens: Disturbing biological growth without proper filtration sends spores flying into your living space, making the problem worse.

Industrial-grade equipment makes all the difference. Professional HVAC technicians use high-powered vacuums, negative air machines, and specialized brushes to remove contaminants without damaging your system. They also know how to inspect for leaks and blockages—problems you might not even realize exist.

Professional duct cleaning is the only way to go if you want truly clean air. Lee Company’s expert technicians have the tools, training, and experience to do the job right so that your ducts are spotless without putting your HVAC system at risk.

The Professional Duct Cleaning Process

Spring in the Southeast isn’t just the season of blooming flowers and warmer weather. It’s also prime time for HVAC tune-ups. Your air conditioning is about to work overtime, and the last thing you need is dust-choked ducts slowing it down. A professional duct cleaning clears out months (or years) of buildup, so your system runs efficiently before the peak summer heat kicks in.

Lee Company doesn’t do halfway cleanings. We use negative air machine technology to remove every last particle from your ductwork, giving you a deep clean that standard vacuums and DIY attempts can’t touch. Here’s our duct cleaning process:

Step 1: Setting Up the Negative Air Machine

Our licensed technicians begin by placing a powerful negative air machine near your HVAC system. This creates controlled suction, preventing contaminants from escaping into your home and making sure everything loosened from the ducts is completely removed.

Step 2: Triple Filtration for Maximum Cleaning

Our system doesn’t just push air around. It captures contaminants with a three-stage filtration process:

• Large Particulate Filter: Stops the big stuff first (pet hair, construction dust, and debris).
• Pleated Filter: Traps smaller dust particles that would otherwise stay airborne.
• HEPA Filter: Locks in microscopic pollutants, leaving your air fresh and clean.

Step 3: Loosening the Stubborn Buildup

With the filtration system running, we use specialized whip heads and air compressors to dislodge stuck-on dust, mildew, and other contaminants. This step breaks apart buildup that a standard vacuum could never reach.

Step 4: The Final Cleanup

Once the ducts are cleared, we make sure no dust is left behind — inside or outside your system. Our technicians clean up their workspace, check your system for any potential concerns, and leave your home with nothing but fresh, clean air.

Ready to Breathe Easier? Call Lee Company!

When it comes to duct cleaning, shortcuts don’t cut it. Lee Company has been keeping homes in Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, and Georgia running clean and efficient since 1944. Our licensed HVAC professionals use industry-leading equipment to get the job done right. If your ducts are due for a cleaning, now’s the time. Schedule an appointment with Lee Company today and get your home ready for the season ahead!