Price for Duct cleaning for Townhouse in DC area

Can someone tell me a reasonable price for cleaning air conditioning ducts in a 3 level townhouse with about 15 duct openings?

Thanks

Reply to
Rajesh Dugar
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hey you had seen the ads.. one company says: $29.95 for duct cleaning and the the other company got an ad that says: let me come out and tell you why they cant do it for $29.95... and there is the other guy who does not give out the price at all and others that tell you how much to do a return, x number of vents and other stuff, and the guy who also does the carpents along with the vent. system... call around your area and still will get a broad range of prices... the only way to really get a price is to have them come out and look over your place and see what they want to do it...

Reply to
jim

Reply to
BFutt

Sounds a lot like it's going the way of the carpet cleaner ads:

2 rooms 9.95!

And when they get in the house, the first question is, "Would you like it actually to be clean? That's another 29.95 for the "high traffic" area. (Like there's a house carpet in the world without a high traffic area.)

Oh and, "Your livingroom is actually 2 rooms - a sitting area and a parlor, and that space near the door is actually a foyer."

Reply to
HA HA Budys Here

I hear you folks!

But, can someone just give me a ballpark so I know what is reasonable?

Is $150 reasonable or is $ 200 or $100?

Reply to
Rajesh Dugar

Yeah -- there's ALWAYS a catch with people who put out coupons and crap like that. Just like there's always a catch with anyone who resorts to calling YOU with a "fantastic deal" they're telemarketing.

Just curious -- couldn't a homeowner without a major dust-allergy problem eliminate a good majority of dust in their ducting themselves by (in addition to regularly changing their air filters once or twice a year) removing the plates over the holes and Shop-Vac'ing as far into the duct as the hose/nozzle allows? Seems to me that the foot or two around the vent openings is where all the floor crap and dust bunnies collect -- especially in floor grates because stuff tends to fall in when the grate flaps are left open. I ripped down all the AC ducting in my basement a few months ago (the duct served floor grates) and took the sections apart so they'd fit in the Dumpster. I looked inside and noticed that the runs themselves were pretty clean, but the elbow that attached to the floor vents were loaded with dust crap.

Seems to me that a vac of the vent area itself would be about all $9.95 or even $30 would get you anyway, too ...

AJS

Reply to
AJScott

Sorry, Rajesh -- there really is no good single answer to what "reasonable" and you'll never get one here or in any other forum because you're asking complete strangers who don't live in your neighborhood, haven't seen your house and how much crap is in your ducts, or know what the duct-cleaner proposes to actually do for you for that money to give you a good single answer.

If you want the most accurate reflection of "reasonable," you'll have to do it the old-fashioned way like the rest of the homeowning world by calling several companies in your town and have them come out and give you written estimates.

AJS

Reply to
AJScott

Step One: Determine if you really need the ducts cleaned. Most don't need it.

Sept Two: Get three different sources to come out and after you told them why you need them cleaned, have them take a look and give you a written estimate.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

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Reply to
HeatMan

Other Important Considerations...

Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems. Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts or go down after cleaning. This is because much of the dirt that may accumulate inside air ducts adheres to duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter the living space. It is important to keep in mind that dirty air ducts are only one of many possible sources of particles that are present in homes. Pollutants that enter the home both from outdoors and indoor activities such as cooking, cleaning, smoking, or just moving around can cause greater exposure to contaminants than dirty air ducts. Moreover, there is no evidence that a light amount of household dust or other particulate matter in air ducts poses any risk to health.

EPA does not recommend that air ducts be cleaned except on an as-needed basis because of the continuing uncertainty about the benefits of duct cleaning under most circumstances. If a service provider or advertiser asserts that EPA recommends routine duct cleaning or makes claims about its health benefits, you should notify EPA by writing to the address listed at the end of this guidance. EPA does, however, recommend that if you have a fuel burning furnace, stove, or fireplace, they be inspected for proper functioning and serviced before each heating season to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning. Some research also suggests that cleaning dirty cooling coils, fans and heat exchangers can improve the efficiency of heating and cooling systems. However, little evidence exists to indicate that simply cleaning the duct system will increase your system's efficiency.

If you think duct cleaning might be a good idea for your home, but you are not sure, talk to a professional. The company that services your heating and cooling system may be a good source of advice. You may also want to contact professional duct cleaning service providers and ask them about the services they provide. Remember, they are trying to sell you a service, so ask questions and insist on complete and knowledgeable answers.

Reply to
HA HA Budys Here

If you have flex duct, you will save alot of money right now by simply replacing the ducts. Under normal use, the supply ducts in your system never need to be cleaned. Period.

Reply to
CBHVAC

Buy a flexible extension hose to your vacuum and do the job yourself once a year. The hose will cost less than 50 bucks.

Reply to
Phisherman

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