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Top 10 Signs You Need Duct Cleaning in Your St. Louis Home

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Is the Air in Your Home Making You Sick? Dirty ducts may be to blame. Here are 10 signs it’s time for a professional duct cleaning.

Most St. Louis homeowners don’t think about their air ducts until something feels off. Dusty vents? Allergy flare-ups? Musty smells? Your ducts may be the silent culprit behind poor indoor air quality and uneven comfort.

Call (314) 471-7625 or book your duct inspection online today.

From the phone to the completion of the job everyone is so polite and informative.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind review, Frank! We appreciate you and your business.
The technician Giovanni was excellent and on time very professional and efficient and knowledgeable of the project at hand ,gave great advice but most of all did great work 👏 thank you .
Response from the owner:We are so happy to hear you had a great experience, Sam! Thank you for the review, and thank you for your business.
Nick was friendly, professional and knowledgeable, he did an awesome job!!
Response from the owner:Thank you for recognizing Nick's friendliness, professionalism, and knowledge - we're glad you had an awesome experience!
Notified me of expected arrival time and then again when he was on his way and was exactly on time! Nick was very personable and trustworthy.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Maureen. We're glad to hear that Nick kept you informed and made your experience enjoyable!
Very fast service, Nice young man, and personable!
Response from the owner:Thanks for the great review, Christina! We appreciate your kind words and your business.
Your service technician was very professional and knowledgeable. And did not appear to try to give me bogus information. I truly appreciate his honesty because several other companies did not appear to be honest, obviously wasn’t honest, my gut feeling told me they were not honest and tried to get me to spend $10,000 for a problem that was much simpler to fix. I look forward to you servicing all my properties, and possibly those of the rest of my family.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for the kind words and great review! We appreciate your support.
Very prompt, communication was great, and the workers were very polite. I highly recommend them!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Lianne! We're glad to hear that you had a positive experience with our team and appreciate your high recommendation.
Jeff did an outstanding job. Assessed the situation, found the problem, and fixed it within the hour. Thank you!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Jaden! We're glad to hear that we provided such prompt and effective service. Your appreciation means a lot to us!
Water heater repaired, appointment done the same day, effective, courteous
Response from the owner:Thank you, Leticia! We appreciate your kind words and are glad to hear that the water heater was repaired promptly and effectively. Your satisfaction means a lot to us!
Fast, friendly, professional service.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Hank, for your wonderful feedback; we're glad you enjoyed the fast, friendly, and professional service, and we'll be sure to keep up the great work!
The service tech Giovanni did a fantastic job. Our gas fireplace is working like new again so we’re ready for the cold weather!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Mr, for your fantastic review! We're glad to hear Giovanni provided you with excellent service and professionalism. Your recommendation means a lot to us!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If I could give 10 stars, I absolutely would.

Last night our furnace went out unexpectedly, and with three kids in the house, the temperature dropped fast. Giovanni went above and beyond in every way possible. Instead of charging me a late-night service fee, he simply asked, “Are you decently handy?” and offered to walk me through some troubleshooting steps to get our heat back on so my children wouldn’t have to sleep in the cold.

Not only did he guide me through the process, he even FaceTimed me and showed me exactly what to take apart, how to put it back together, and what signals to watch for. It felt like having a real technician standing right next to me the entire time. Thanks to him, our heat was restored within minutes.

In a world where true customer service is hard to come by, Giovanni is a rare find. It is a guaranteed fact that any future repairs, maintenance, and the new heater/AC system we’ll be needing this coming summer/fall will absolutely be done through him. His honesty, kindness, and expertise have earned our business for life.

Highly, highly recommend.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Jeff, for sharing your experience! We're so glad to hear Giovanni was able to help you and your family during that tough situation. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we appreciate your trust in our services for the future!
My neighbor referred these guys to me when had water heater problem. Previous company told me I needed to replace it. Tom’s technician fixed it for less than $200. This was over 2 years ago and have been using their service ever since. They are very trustworthy.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Mary, for sharing your experience and for trusting us with your water heater issue; we're glad our technician could help and that you've continued to rely on our services!
Came out immediately after a time slot opened and fixed the AC issue.
Response from the owner:Thank you, James, for your kind words! We're glad we could address your AC issue promptly.
Speedy response and service. Knowledgeable professional. Kind, courteous, friendly but professional.
Response from the owner:Thanks for the great review! We appreciate your business and look forward to working with you in the future.
Super Helpful and Honest Service

I called this company earlier today because I was having a bunch of issues with my HVAC system. They were incredibly friendly and walked me through troubleshooting step by step over the phone. They didn’t even charge me for the call. Thanks to their honest advice, I was able to get things running smoothly again. Really grateful for their help and would definitely recommend them if you want straightforward and trustworthy service. Five stars all the way!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for the glowing review, Hector! We appreciate your business and look forward to working with you in the future.
Nick did not set current time. — Monday Hoffmans Zach came to fix correct time. We DID NOT want a timed thermostat — we prefer to set temperatures manually
Response from the owner:Thank you, Pat, for your kind words about Giovanni; we appreciate your feedback and are glad to hear that he made a positive impression.
Clear communication about arrival, service and costs.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Margaret, for your kind words! We appreciate your feedback on our clear communication and are glad you had a positive experience.
Excellent experience.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Laura, for your 5-star review! We appreciate your support.
I will highly recommend this business for your air and heater repair. Prompt, knowledgeable and courteous service.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Judy, for your kind words and recommendation! We're glad to hear you were pleased with our prompt and courteous service.
Thomas Hoffman was very responsive to our after hours inquiry, even walked us through some trouble shooting over the phone. We provided pictures of the unit and they were able to quickly buy, schedule and install the part to keep our family warm!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Ali! We're glad to hear that Thomas was responsive and helpful in getting everything sorted out for you and your family. Your feedback means a lot to us!
Nick came by, identified the problem quickly and had it fixed. Great service!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Ted! We're glad to hear that Nick provided you with quick and effective service. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!
Zach was very professional and thorough. He was nice and did a great job!
Response from the owner:We are happy to hear you had a great experience with our company. Thank you for your kind words, Mike!
Great service. Responsive. Well trained technicians. Honest friendly and thorough. I highly recommend Tom Hoffmann and his team.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We appreciate your recommendation and are delighted to hear about your positive experience with our team.
Ryan Taylor with Thomas Hoffman did an outstanding job in servicing our unit & explaining everything to me, especially how our humidifier worked, since we were new home owners & had not had one before. Thank you!
Response from the owner:Thank you! We're glad to hear that Ryan and Thomas provided you with excellent service and helped you understand your new humidifier. We appreciate your feedback!
Polite and very efficient.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the 4-star rating, Debra!
Great service and arrived on time when promised.
Response from the owner:Thank you Wray, for your kind words! We're glad to hear you had a great experience and that everything was on time.
Ryan was knowledgeable and figured out why our furnace wasn’t working and repaired the problem
Response from the owner:So happy to hear you had a good experience with the team here at Thomas Hoffmann, Jo! Thank you for your support.
Service was great on time very efficient explained what he was doing changed filter disposed of old filter ! Nice young man 👍
Response from the owner:Thank you, marianne, for your fantastic 5-star rating; we appreciate your support!
Wonderful work. Great communication and always a happy positive technician. Answered all of my questions with sincerity and patience.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind words, Bob. We truly appreciate your business!
As always, the Hoffmann technician Zach was polite, professional, and efficient. Pricing is reasonable and even more importantly, they are dependable. I will continue to use Thomas Hoffman A/C and Heating.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Mark, for your kind words about our technician and for your continued trust in Thomas Hoffman A/C and Heating; we truly appreciate your support!
Hoffman is great! Very professional and thorough.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Brandon! We appreciate your kind words and are glad to hear about your positive experience with Hoffmann’s professionalism and thoroughness.
Giovanni was great today! Thanks for everything.
Response from the owner:Thank you, James! We're glad you had a great experience, and we'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Giovanni.
The technician is always on time and very thorough.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Catherine, for your kind words about our technician's punctuality and thoroughness; we appreciate your feedback!
Our service technician arrived right on time and was professional, friendly, efficient and courteous. We couldn’t ask for more.
Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your positive experience with our service technician! We appreciate your kind words and are glad to hear that you were satisfied with the service provided.
Ryan was here on time. Thanks for getting here early, as I requested. Very friendly too. It was my annual checkup and all good!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for the great review, Kay. We truly appreciate your business!
I'm a new customer and had my first appointment for furnace check.My tech was Zack and what a professional. He explained how he checked system and answered all my questions. This was a very good experience
Response from the owner:Thank you, Patricia, for your kind words! We're glad to hear that Zack provided you with a professional and informative experience during your furnace check. Your satisfaction means a lot to us!
Thomas Hoffman is a wonderful company to work with. Techs are knowledgeable, personable & efficient.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Christine, for your kind words about our team; we appreciate your feedback and are glad to hear you had a positive experience!
I called on December 25th at midnight and started leaving a message and Thomas Hoffman the owner called me back almost immediately. He said he would come out the next morning between 8:00 and 10:00 am snd he was promptly on time. He fixed my problem and while he was there I decided to get an estimate for a new furnace and air conditioning unit. The price was very reasonable and the installers one of them being his son were both very professional very courteous, polite, arrived on time and finished the same day. I enjoy knowing that I now have the support of Thomas Hoffman heating and air conditioning along with the peace of mind that comes with owning a Trane. Nothing stops a Trane.

Albert Koesterer
Response from the owner:Albert thanks so much for your kind reviews and your business. We truly appreciate it!!!
The Thomas Hoffmann team did a great job taking care of our semi annual HVAC maintenance. They not only worked with us to schedule the visit, but also did an excellent job sending us reminders on when they would be out.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for the great review, Bob! We appreciate your support and are happy to hear you had a great experience!

Why Duct Cleaning Matters

Your duct system is like your home’s respiratory system. Over time, it collects dust, allergens, pet hair, mold spores, and even pests. That buildup doesn’t just sit there—it circulates through your living space every time your HVAC system runs.

Regular duct cleaning can:

The Top 10 Signs You Need Duct Cleaning in Your St. Louis Home

1. Dusty Vents and Registers

Do you see gray or black dust on the vent covers, especially shortly after cleaning?

This is a telltale sign that your ducts are recirculating dust and debris.

2. Musty or Moldy Odors

Notice a strange odor when your HVAC system turns on?

Mold or mildew could grow inside your ductwork, especially if you’ve had any past leaks, humidity issues, or live in an older St. Louis home.

3. Visible Mold Inside Ducts or Around Vents

Mold is more than a smell — it’s a serious health risk, especially for those with asthma or weakened immune systems.

If you see mold near vents, it’s likely deeper in the system too.

4. Unexplained Allergy or Asthma Flare-Ups

Dirty ducts can trigger sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes, or respiratory issues that get worse indoors.

Dust mites, pollen, pet dander, and mold spores may circulate in your air.

5. Inconsistent Airflow in Different Rooms

Are some rooms stuffy while others feel fine?

Blockages or excessive buildup in your ducts can restrict airflow and disrupt your HVAC system’s balance.

6. Pest Infestations

Have you seen signs of rodents or insects? Ductwork makes a cozy home, leaving droppings, fur, and bacteria behind.

A cleaning removes the debris and the bacteria they leave behind.

7. You’ve Recently Renovated or Remodeled

If proper containment isn’t used, construction dust, sawdust, and drywall particles are in your duct system.

After a remodel, duct cleaning is a must for healthy air.

8. Your HVAC System is Working Harder Than Usual

Dirty ducts make your HVAC system work overtime.

If your energy bills are climbing or your system seems less effective, a buildup may be choking the airflow.

9. Unpleasant Odors You Can’t Track Down

Pet smells, smoke, and cooking residue can linger in your ducts for months or years.

Duct cleaning can eliminate these hidden sources of foul odors.

10. It’s Been 5+ Years Since Your Last Duct Cleaning

Even without visible issues, ducts accumulate significant buildup over time.

The National Air Duct Cleaners Association recommends cleaning every 3–5 years, especially in homes with pets or allergy sufferers.

Why St. Louis Homes Need Duct Cleaning More Than You Think

Missouri’s climate means homes endure humid summers, dry winters, and high pollen seasons. That combination can be brutal on your ducts. Older homes in areas like Webster Groves, Kirkwood, Maplewood, and Frontenac often have decades of dust and allergens lingering in aging duct systems.

Is Duct Cleaning Worth It?

Yes — when done right. It’s an investment in:

  • Cleaner air
  • Longer HVAC system life
  • Fewer allergy triggers
  • Lower energy bills

Should You Clean or Replace Your Ducts?

Sometimes cleaning isn’t enough. If your ducts are severely damaged, corroded, or improperly installed, a replacement might be better. We’ll help you decide what makes sense for your home and budget.

Breathe Cleaner. Live Better.

Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning & Heating is locally owned and trusted throughout St. Louis. We’re not a national chain with a 1-800 number—we’re your neighbors.

Serving Ballwin, St. Charles, Chesterfield, St. Louis, O’Fallon, and beyond, we offer honest duct cleaning you can trust.

What to Expect From a Professional Duct Cleaning

At Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning & Heating, we follow a thorough multi-step process:

  • Full system inspection
  • High-powered vacuuming with HEPA filtration
  • Mechanical agitation to dislodge stubborn buildup
  • Sanitization (optional but recommended for homes with mold or pests)
  • Filter replacement and final system test
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