Getting the Ducts Cleaned

[Lexis]

Is it beneficial to get the air ducts in your house cleaned? Seems the heat isn't distributing through our house all that great. could it need a duct cleaning or would this be something else?

[SteveB]

I think it is VERY beneficial to the company that does it. Their kids need college and braces, too.

I'd do it, or get a grunt to go into the attic and other spaces with the air running, and make sure all the seams and connections are tight. Take a roll of the GOOD foil tape. Take a screwgun and a handful of pointy one inch screws with the 1/4" head. I'll bet you will be surprised to find how many downright leaks you have. And places that weren't put together all too good in the first place.

The ducts would have to be pretty closed up to the point of restricting air flow, and if that was the case, you would already see dust or crud three inches deep on all your furniture, carpet, etc.

Steve

[ransley]

Get a pro to inspect the furnace and AC coil and clean it

[Joseph Meehan]

Consider this. They do have dust in them. The dust came out of the air. The dust is still there. They are collecting more dust than they are putting back into the air. It sounds like unless they have set some kind of record and the dust is blocking the air flow, I would leave well enough alone.

[ransley]

Duct cleaning made me real sick for days since the dust is caked in. Cleaning them loosened all the crap I breathed, and yes they used a

10000.00 vac cleaner , clean your furnace and AC coil, to reduce airflow should be impossible with ductwork, I bet its the AC coil and dirty blower wheel .

[Wayne Boatwright]

Oh pshaw, on Tue 11 Dec 2007 01:08:53p, Lexis meant to say...

There are several factors to consider and questions to ask yourself.

How old is the house/ducts? How old is the furnace/air conditioner or air handler? How long ago was the unit (not duct work) serviced? How frequently have the filters been replaced (or cleaned if permanent filters)?

You may want to start with a professional inspection and cleaning of the furnace and a/c equipment, including the heat exchanger and cooling coil. There could be some blockage there, as well as in the air handler. Even if the ducts still need cleaning, this equipment needs to be kept very clean to avoid problems. If there's no problem there, the service people may have other recommendations before you proceed with duct cleaning.

The ducts would have to literally be filled up to prevent proper airflow, and is probably the least of your problem, unless they are extremely old.

[SteveB]

Wow. Profits must be pretty good to afford a 10,000.00 vacuum cleaner. Mine is a Ridgid, and IIRC was less than fifty bucks.

Steve

[S. Barker]

something else.

s

[Lexis]

The wife is complaining that her allergies are worse at home now. When she's out, they're not so bad. She thinks it's the vents. What else do you think could be causing it? Or who should I call out to investigate the cause of the problem?