Duct cleaning problems

We had some smoke/soot damage in our house in the recent SoCa wildfires.

Our insurers (State Farm) had the interior of the house cleaned and washed by professional cleaners.

After they cleaned the house, they had a commercial duct cleaning outfit (Airtek) clean the heating ducts.

A few hours after they had cleaned the ducts, we noticed an unsightly layer of black, gritty soot coming out of our heating vents. It was noticeable on paper that had been lying on the floor under the vents.

Airtek has been back four times and kept cleaning the ducts, and still there is soot coming our of the vents. Now there is less gritty soot coming out, but more small patches of thin plastic overlaid with soot.

Any ideas what the problem might be?

Reply to
Walter R.
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Probably might be something from the recent SoCa wildfires?? Most likely mixing with the leaking refrigerant from your cooling coil and making a black gritty mess. Try a UV light and replace your thermostat. Bubba

Reply to
Bubba

Walter R. posted for all of us...

Did you clean the soot from the thermostat?

Did they take your furnace out out and hose it down with muriatic acid?

They may have to clean your coil with a 80 grit in a belt sander!

Reply to
Tekkie®

To be honest, if you have / had flexible ducting, and the smoke has permiated the duct, you will need your local HVAC company to come out the replace all accesable ducting. You'll never, I mean never get the smell out.

If the duct cleaning company used a flexible spiral brush, it likely damaged some of the ducting [plastic with soot].

Reply to
Zyp

Reply to
jamesgangnc

Oh, and one more thing. Next time make sure your house is as sealed up as possible and turn off all your air handlers. It's pretty much impossible to decently clean most duct work.

Reply to
jamesgangnc

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Normen

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