How Often Should You Clean Your Air Ducts in Texas? (Expert Schedule)

You’re dusting your living room for the third time this week. You see particles floating in the sunbeams coming through your Katy window. You’re wondering: is my AC blowing this stuff around?

The short answer is yes.

I’ve been cleaning air ducts in Houston for 15 years, and the most common question I get is, "How often do I really need to do this?"

If you Google it, you’ll get a generic "every 3 to 5 years." But that’s national advice. It doesn’t account for Texas.

Here in Houston, between the humidity, the pollen, and the construction dust from all the new builds, that timeline often needs to be tighter.

Here is the honest schedule for maintaining your ducts in our swampy climate.

The Standard Rule: Every 3 to 5 Years

For a typical home with no pets, no smokers, and standard filters changed regularly, cleaning your air ducts every 3 to 5 years is sufficient.

This keeps the system efficient and prevents heavy buildup. But let’s be real—most Houston homes aren’t "typical."

When You Need Cleaning Every 2 to 3 Years

You need to shorten that schedule if you fall into these categories:

1. You Have Pets (Especially Shedders)

I pull pounds of dog hair and cat dander out of return vents every week. Pet hair bypasses cheap fiberglass filters easily. It clumps up on your evaporator coil and lines the inside of your ducts. If you have a Golden Retriever or a German Shepherd, 5 years is way too long to wait.

2. You Have Allergies or Asthma

Houston is allergy central. Pollen, mold spores, and dust mites love our humidity. If you wake up congested or your kids are sneezing constantly, your ducts are likely recirculating the triggers. Cleaning them resets the air quality in your home.

3. Recent Renovation or Construction

This is the big one. If you just remodeled your kitchen or had drywall work done, call us immediately. Drywall dust is fine, white, and insidious. It coats everything inside your HVAC system and can kill your blower motor if left unchecked.

The "Immediate" Clean: Do It Now

Sometimes, the schedule doesn’t matter. You need a cleaning now if:

• You Just Moved In: You don't know if the previous owners had five cats or smoked inside. Start fresh.
• Visible Mold Growth: If you see black or green spots on your vent covers or inside the duct boot, you have a moisture problem. In Houston, this spreads fast.
• Vermin Infestation: If you’ve had rats or squirrels in the attic, they’ve likely been in or around your ducts. We find droppings and nesting material all the time. This is a serious health hazard.

Why Houston Humidity Changes the Game

In Arizona, dust is just dust. In Houston, dust plus 90% humidity equals sludge.

When dust settles in your ducts and absorbs moisture from the humid air (especially if your AC isn't dehumidifying properly), it sticks. It becomes a breeding ground for biological growth. This is why "blow-and-go" cleaners with weak vacuums fail here. You need high-powered agitation to scrub that sticky debris off the duct walls.

What a Real Cleaning Costs

Don't fall for the "$49 Whole House" coupons. That's a scam to get in your door and upsell you.

For a proper cleaning in the Houston area (using negative pressure and agitation tools), expect to pay between $450 and $700 for a standard single-system home. If you have two units (common in two-story homes), it will be more.

It’s an investment, but it’s cheaper than replacing a burnt-out HVAC unit or dealing with chronic respiratory issues.

Take Control of Your Air

If you can’t remember the last time your ducts were cleaned, it’s been too long. Don't let your lungs be the filter for your home.

Houston Air Rescue uses industrial-grade negative pressure systems to get the job done right. We don't cut corners.

Ready to breathe fresh air again?

Call us today: +1(281-845-4011)