Ductwork Cleaning

[mm08822]

I know this is a highly debated subject and I can understand both sides.

I will be replacing my forced hot air furnace and putting in some form of better particulate cleaning than an EAC.

Before subjecting new filters and coils to the existing (mostly steel) 30 yr old ductwork, should I brush, air blast and vacuum each branch and trunk?

I can get access in a few stategic locations in the basement to really simplify the overall task. Topside, most registers are readily accessed.
It's still a lot of work. Brushes, rods and air whip would be about $225. Maybe sacrifice a Merv filter (temporarily in place of the EAC) while cleaning.

Is this worth the effort or just a feel good and snapshot in time?
Just do the returns?

 

[bonneyman]

Honestly, without a visual inspection of the duct system any recommendations on cleaning are just guesses.

When I moved into my current house had had the ducts cleaned - along with carpeting replaced and the interion all repainted - just to be sure my family wasn't exposed to the former owners bodily contaminants. Metal duct system though, and they could get to all the ducts.

A flex duct system? Problematic.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

Having your ducts professionally cleaned is a "good thing" however, "IF" you used good filters and properly maintained your system I would just do the returns.……. This is provided you don’t have any pets and kept a clean smoke free home.

 

[larry4406]

11 years ago we bought a 1987 house that had been a principal residence and then a rental for quite some time. UGH.

After we completed our demo and reno we hired a professional duct cleaning company. They did a great job.

After the current master bath project is done, I want to get the ducts cleaned again.

 

[zendriver]

First time in this Home for us anyway we paid $800 to have ours cleaned. The guy worked nonstop for three hours.

I was going to DIY glad I didn’t

 

[mm08822]

First time in this Home for us anyway we paid $800 to have ours cleaned. The guy worked nonstop for three hours.

I was going to DIY glad I didn’t

Yeah, I've asked myself more than once if I really want to be the one doing it.

 

[zendriver]

Yeah, I've asked myself more than once if I really want to be the one doing it.

I was even considering using my trac-vac to tap into it for suction, but the extra hose way expensive, plus I'd have to get the little nozzles wands bigger air compressor and all that.

The guy had a powerful vac and compressor built in the truck all big hoses etc, - plus expertise to knock it out of the way. It will probably be years before we get it done again, so the money was not really all that.

 

[fitter30]

A filter works like a vacuum cleaner it only picks up what it sees.
Furnace and its filter to get the most out them is to run the furnace 24/7/365 house closed up. Merv numbers for pleated the higher the better filtration. But furnaces have a design pressure drop. Go over that air flow drops. Not electro static but true electronic will pick as small as smoke without all the pressure drop. A complaint with them when you get them when they pickup a big piece of dirt might hear a pop sound. With pleated filters to get the most out of them a gauge across them for pressure drop. Charts are on line that compares size, merv and furnace cfm for the drop. Dust coating in a duct is there because the fan can't move it. Dust bunnies thats another story.

 

[fitter30]

Delete

 

[Sumboodie]

I thought duct cleaning was code

 

[meathooker]

Worth it to have it professionally done.