Pieces of brown paper coming from vents???

[bstevens]

I keep a pretty close eye on our central HVAC unit (located up in the attic), and vacuum-clean the coils, check for leaks, etc. myself. The last year or so, however, especially if it's been off for a day or two, when it first comes on, little flakes of medium-brown paper, the biggest about like the end of a pencil, come down from some of the vents, about 10-20 pieces over a period of an hour. They're very thin and brittle.

Can anybody tell me what this is and where it might be coming from? I can't see anything like that in the central unit.

Thanks, Ron M. [e-mail]

[Joseph Meehan]

Are you sure it is paper, or does it look like paper?

If it is really paper, I would suspect rodent nesting material.

I would also consider it possible that it may be some brown coating flaking off. Maybe even mud. How old is the duct work; age of home?

[CJT]

... or mold

[bamboo]

[someone]

[marks542004]

perhaps perished duct tape ?