Ask the Remodeler: Should you clean air ducts? Add gutter guards?

Send your home improvement and maintenance questions to [email protected].

Dust and dirt will build up in the system even if you change the return filter regularly. DMITRY KOBZEV

By Mark Philben, The Boston Globe

November 13, 2024

2 minutes to read

Q. My home was built in the late 1800s and is very well maintained. My only concern is the air vents. I don’t think they have been cleaned. Some people have advised me that it is not necessary and very expensive. I have forced hot air (oil) with 11 grates. What would you suggest?

S.W.

A. You should have the ducts cleaned as part of the regular system checkup. Dust and dirt will build up in the system even if you change the return filter regularly. Duct cleaning is an important part of regular maintenance primarily for indoor air quality. It is doubtful that the buildup is hampering system performance, but it is possible. Furnace maintenance should be done every one to two years depending on your system, with duct cleaning included every three to five. When you are getting your ductwork cleaned, have the other vents in your house checked while the equipment is already set up. Most homes will have bath vents, range hood vents, and dryer vents. A clogged dryer vent can be a fire hazard. A clogged gas dryer vent is particularly dangerous because carbon monoxide can back up into the house. As with many components of your home, regular maintenance of all ducts and the furnace will save you a lot of headaches down the road.

Q. We just had a new roof installed on our house. The roofers noted two different types (thickness and size) of gutters, and some have covers. These are metal gutters that are part of the original house (1971) and addition (2001). What type of gutters do you recommend, and do gutter covers really work in preventing leaves and pine needles from clogging them?

J.R.

A. It sounds like on your ′70s home K-style aluminum gutters are just fine. They are easy to replace if damaged. An installer can run very long lengths without seams, which makes for a better system overall. You have a small variety of colors to choose from, and they can be painted if you want them to match the trim on the house. One small way to get a more classic look is to install round corrugated metal downspouts like we see on older New England homes. These can also be painted to match the trim, which gives it a nice look.

We have mixed feelings on gutter guards. Too often we have gone to clients’ homes to find that pine needles and other debris got past the gutter cover and clogged the downspouts. Often the gutter guards are damaged or collapsed, and no one knows about this until it’s too late. They give a false sense of security. This will make some gutter guard companies upset, but we do believe that unless there are extenuating circumstances, regular gutter cleaning and putting a hose down the downspouts to flush them out from top to bottom is better in the long term. This also gives your roofers a chance to check the whole system and spot problems ahead of time.

Mark Philben is the project development manager at Charlie Allen Renovations in Cambridge. Send your questions to [email protected]. Questions are subject to editing.