I have worked in duct cleaning and indoor air maintenance for more than a decade across Calgary, and over the years I have seen how much people underestimate the condition of the air circulating inside their homes. I started working in HVAC maintenance shortly after completing my technical duct cleaning in Calgary in my career I focused mostly on furnace systems and ventilation cleaning for residential properties around the city. What surprised me most was how many homes had never had their air ducts professionally cleaned even after several years of occupancy.
Calgary’s climate plays a big role in duct contamination. The long winter season keeps homes sealed for months, which means dust, pet hair, and microscopic debris circulate continuously inside heating systems. I remember inspecting a family home in the northeast part of the city during a particularly dry winter season. The homeowner complained that their children were waking up with mild morning coughing. When I opened the return vent cover, I found a thick layer of compacted dust mixed with lint buildup that had slowly accumulated over several years. After the cleaning service was completed, the homeowner later told me the indoor air felt noticeably fresher within a few days.
In my experience working with residential and small commercial properties, duct cleaning in Calgary is especially useful after home renovations. Construction dust can travel surprisingly far through ventilation systems. A customer last spring hired me after finishing a basement remodeling project. Although the renovation work was done on the lower level, fine drywall particles had entered the return air ducts. If left untreated, that type of dust can circulate continuously whenever the furnace or air circulation system operates.
Many homeowners contact me because they notice uneven heating during winter. I often check airflow balance before starting the cleaning process because blocked vents or clogged ducts can reduce heating efficiency. I have worked on houses where one bedroom stayed noticeably colder than the rest of the home simply because dust buildup restricted airflow through part of the ventilation network. After cleaning the ducts and inspecting the furnace filter housing, temperature distribution improved without replacing any major components.
Pet ownership is another factor that increases the need for duct maintenance. Calgary has a large number of households with dogs and cats, and pet dander tends to settle inside ventilation channels. I once serviced a home where two large dogs lived indoors, and the return air duct near the living room had accumulated layers of hair fibers compressed by airflow pressure over time. The homeowner had tried changing furnace filters regularly, but filters alone cannot remove debris already trapped inside duct passages.
I always tell clients that duct cleaning should not be done excessively either. Some companies push annual cleaning services even if the system is relatively clean. Based on my professional judgment, most average homes in Calgary benefit from duct inspection every two to three years unless there are special circumstances such as recent construction, smoking inside the house, or severe allergy conditions among occupants.
One mistake I see homeowners make is choosing duct cleaning services based only on low price. I once inspected a system after a customer hired a cheap service provider who used minimal suction equipment. The ducts looked visually cleaner on the surface, but deeper sections still contained compressed dust because the negative pressure system was too weak to pull debris from the full duct length.
Proper duct cleaning requires strong vacuum extraction tools, rotating brush agitation inside the ducts, and careful handling of furnace components. I also recommend cleaning the blower fan housing because dust inside that compartment can reduce furnace efficiency and increase energy consumption during long Calgary winters.
Indoor air quality affects daily comfort more than many people realize. People spend most of their time inside homes during cold months, and ventilation systems constantly move air through living spaces. In my years working with heating and ventilation maintenance, I have found that regular duct inspection is a small investment compared to the long-term comfort and equipment longevity it provides for homeowners living in Calgary.