John Dirks Jr Posted August 31, 2012 Report Posted August 31, 2012 My 50 yr old house needs good duct cleaning before we get new HVAC installed. I'm gonna call a few companies for quotes. What kind of questions should I be asking? What are the variable ways to get the job done effectively?
Marc Posted August 31, 2012 Report Posted August 31, 2012 Heck John, you've done taken the dash board out of your truck to change the evap, which is frightening to me. The ducts are nothing compared to that. Spend some dough on the brush and extensions, do it yourself, end up saving money and know what you've got. Marc
John Dirks Jr Posted August 31, 2012 Author Report Posted August 31, 2012 Heck John, you've done taken the dash board out of your truck to change the evap, which is frightening to me. The ducts are nothing compared to that. Spend some dough on the brush and extensions, do it yourself, end up saving money and know what you've got. Marc Explain that to my better half, please! After all I've done to improve our lives while saving money, I still don't know jack according to her.
Nolan Kienitz Posted September 1, 2012 Report Posted September 1, 2012 Heck John, you've done taken the dash board out of your truck to change the evap, which is frightening to me. The ducts are nothing compared to that. Spend some dough on the brush and extensions, do it yourself, end up saving money and know what you've got. Marc Explain that to my better half, please! After all I've done to improve our lives while saving money, I still don't know jack according to her. JD, OK ... you set me up!! Does your wife know jack or maybe, umm, eerr ... oh well ... Never mind!! []
John Dirks Jr Posted September 1, 2012 Author Report Posted September 1, 2012 Heck John, you've done taken the dash board out of your truck to change the evap, which is frightening to me. The ducts are nothing compared to that. Spend some dough on the brush and extensions, do it yourself, end up saving money and know what you've got. Marc Explain that to my better half, please! After all I've done to improve our lives while saving money, I still don't know jack according to her. JD, OK ... you set me up!! Does your wife know jack or maybe, umm, eerr ... oh well ... Never mind!! [] Possibilities are mind boggling.
Mike Lamb Posted September 1, 2012 Report Posted September 1, 2012 You may have already read this but the EPA does not recommend duct cleaning as routine maintenance but only under certain conditions. I bristle when REAs recommend duct cleaning to buyers just because. I know you are more informed. "You may consider having your air ducts cleaned simply because it seems logical that air ducts will get dirty over time and should be occasionally cleaned. Provided that the cleaning is done properly, no evidence suggests that such cleaning would be detrimental. EPA does not recommend that the air ducts be cleaned routinely, but only as needed." http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/airduct.html
hausdok Posted September 1, 2012 Report Posted September 1, 2012 ASHRAE published the results of a multi-year study about a decade ago that found no discernible benefit to cleaning ducts and no adverse affects from not cleaning them. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike
John Kogel Posted September 1, 2012 Report Posted September 1, 2012 New furnace, new blower going in, I would want to clean the old ducts. As far as routine cleaning goes, if people removed registers and vacuumed in there once or twice a year, we would all be happier campers. []
John Dirks Jr Posted September 1, 2012 Author Report Posted September 1, 2012 Here's some close ups from the return that's farthest from the air handler. The closer ones are worse. Download Attachment: P1290267.JPG 1561.15 KB Download Attachment: P1290268.JPG 1548.77 KB Download Attachment: P1290271.JPG 1605.68 KB
Phillip Posted September 1, 2012 Report Posted September 1, 2012 I would take a good shop vac and clean what I could reach. Ask the cleaners if they repair the insulation in the ductwork when they damage it or pull it loose. Ask them if they treat the inside of the duct after they clean it. Has the ductwork alway been used for heating and cooling or just heating. The reason I am asking this is if it has only been used for heating or it started out just for heating the duct may not be sized right for cooling.
AmeriSpecguy Posted September 1, 2012 Report Posted September 1, 2012 Since my wife has extreme asthma I would want someone who certified and trained to clean my duct work. I would look for certifications by NADCA - National Air Duct Cleaners Association and ASCS - Air Systems Cleaning Specialist. There is a franchise called Ductz that I trust here in St. Louis maybe there is one near you as well
Marc Posted September 1, 2012 Report Posted September 1, 2012 Here's some close ups from the return that's farthest from the air handler. The closer ones are worse. Download Attachment: P1290267.JPG 1561.15?KB Download Attachment: P1290268.JPG 1548.77?KB Download Attachment: P1290271.JPG 1605.68?KB Great Scott!!! Get a professional! [:-paperba Marc
John Kogel Posted September 1, 2012 Report Posted September 1, 2012 At least it's just lint and dog hair. I found vermiculite in a return air duct in a house my clients had already bought. Nice.
ericwlewis Posted September 1, 2012 Report Posted September 1, 2012 Here's some close ups from the return that's farthest from the air handler. The closer ones are worse. Download Attachment: P1290267.JPG 1561.15?KB Download Attachment: P1290268.JPG 1548.77?KB Download Attachment: P1290271.JPG 1605.68?KB [:-yuck]
gtblum Posted September 1, 2012 Report Posted September 1, 2012 Try a leaf blower or see if you can borrow one of your neighbor's angora cats to send through the ducts.
hausdok Posted September 1, 2012 Report Posted September 1, 2012 That's why there are filters on the systems. Want to reduce that buildup in the ducts? Since you're cleaning the system anyway, once you've scoured the ducts move your filter from the plenum before the unit to the return air intakes. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike
patt Posted September 1, 2012 Report Posted September 1, 2012 Older document. Download Attachment: Air Duct Cleaning.pdf 381.42 KB
RSpermo Posted September 1, 2012 Report Posted September 1, 2012 The best way to clean ducts is to replace them!
cajun Posted September 2, 2012 Report Posted September 2, 2012 Hey John It would be a good idea to have them cleaned since it is a new system from a Nadca certified duct cleaning firm which Specialize what is called source removal ductcleaning, have them go thru the proceess with you and main points would be 1, make sure they put the system under neg air pressure 2. brush and air sweep back to the neg air collector from the register back to supply air plenum 3 seal any air leaks utilizing a duct blaster with colored smoke then seal those openings I have 20 yrs in Hvac and Hvac cleaning in the residential, commerical, industrial and offshore sectors Any other questions or refferals Pm me Keith
AHI in AR Posted September 2, 2012 Report Posted September 2, 2012 Try a leaf blower or see if you can borrow one of your neighbor's angora cats to send through the ducts. I say use both -- the blower can be used to provide a little encouragement to the cat to keep moving, thus helping to ensure that he won't return before the job's done right. After all, cats aren't known for their work ethic. And be sure to heavily spray the cat with Endust first. It'll take a couple of cans or more. Not because the job requires it per se, but because even the dullest cat won't likely sit still and you will waste half of what you spray.
gtblum Posted September 3, 2012 Report Posted September 3, 2012 Try a leaf blower or see if you can borrow one of your neighbor's angora cats to send through the ducts. I say use both -- the blower can be used to provide a little encouragement to the cat to keep moving, thus helping to ensure that he won't return before the job's done right. After all, cats aren't known for their work ethic. And be sure to heavily spray the cat with Endust first. It'll take a couple of cans or more. Not because the job requires it per se, but because even the dullest cat won't likely sit still and you will waste half of what you spray. Brilliant! At the nuke plants, they air blast little shuttlecock birdies though the condenser tubes to clean them. Pretty much the same thing!
Bob444 Posted March 5, 2023 Report Posted March 5, 2023 I haven't seen the air ducts cleaned with a cat yet. The cat has to wear a dress like a ballerina to clean everything in the ducts. Otherwise, she's sneaky, she just gets through and that's it.)
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