Replies

1. 
   Clewless1 | May 05, 2009 03:44pm | #1

   Hard to say. I've seen reasonably clean ducts after many, many years of service. What type of filter are you using? Is it pleated?

1. 
   martnorman | May 05, 2009 04:39pm | #2

   Yes it is pleated. Brand is Space Guard model 2200.

2. 
   rdesigns | May 05, 2009 06:47pm | #3

   You can open up the duct system in several easily-accessed places to have a look.

   Pull off a couple of supply registers and one or two return grilles that are farthest from the air handler and have a look. Lay a flashlight in the duct and hold a small mirror so you can see back along the length of the duct.

1. 
   martnorman | May 06, 2009 07:13pm | #5

   Thanks, will try.

3. 
   Jay20 | May 06, 2009 05:14am | #4

   I always thought duct cleaning was a scam. D-wife hounded me enough that I gave in an had the ducts cleaned. I got suggestions as to who to use from a number of HVAC guys I trusted. They got a lot more material out of the ducts than I would of believed.

1. 
   DonCanDo | May 07, 2009 01:07am | #14

   I always thought duct cleaning was a scam...

   They got a lot more material out of the ducts than I would of believed.

   So does that mean that you now believe it to NOT be a scam?

   I'll admit that I find it hard to believe that dust that's adhered to the inside of the ductwork (and, in fact, requires a powered brush to be removed) can cause a problem with indoor air quality.  Now, once it's disturbed and becomes airborne, it may indeed be a problem, but hopefully the newly liberated dust will be trapped by the filter or be re-adhered to the inside of the ductwork.

    

1. 
   Scott | May 07, 2009 05:10am | #15

   I've always though it to be, if not a scam, a poor way to spend money. What little dust is sitting on the bottoms of ducts is stationary and not hurting anything. Anything that gets airborne is handled by the filters.But I suppose I shouldn't tell others how to spend their loot. If they want to support this business then so be it....Scott.

1. 
   DanH | May 07, 2009 05:15am | #16

   It used to make sense, back when people heated with coal and maybe ran a smoky fireplace a lot. Not so much anymore.
   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith

1. 
   Scott | May 07, 2009 06:58am | #17

   Funny thing is though, that the whole Duct Cleaning frenzy seems to have taken off in the last twenty years (at least around here), long after people stopped using coal.Scott.

2. 
   DanH | May 07, 2009 03:16pm | #18

   Yeah, it's sold as an allergy fighting tactic, among other things. Might be helpful in that regard in homes that have had (in the past) a bad cockroach infestation, but probably not otherwise.
   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith

3. 
   cudavid | May 07, 2009 03:55pm | #19

   Hi, I have the electronic air cleaners and metal mesh filters.

   A few years ago I bought the blue plastic like 1" thick filer mesh, opened all returns(1  or 2 in every room, in the wall), and cut a snug pc to fill the stud cavity. Then 1 x year I open and vacuum them. It does amaze me what they catch before it gets in the duct.

    Its also seem to be a way to see what returns are doing the mosr work. its cheap,  and hopefully will keep my ducts cleaner.

   Good luck!

4. 
   danski0224 | May 07, 2009 05:00pm | #20

   And the added restriction from the filters does this:

   Restricts airflow back to the furnace, reducing efficiency in the best case. Equipment damage is possible in the worst case.

   Now that the air can't be easily pulled through the relatively unrestrictive grille opening, air is sucked in from every single other opening in the duct system in an attempt to make up the difference... including the knockout on the bottom of the furnace if it hasn't been taped shut.

   If your duct systrem is in the attic, fiberglass particles are one thing being sucked in... plus hot/cold air depending on the season.

   If the return system is in the walls, using the stud and joist bays, you are sucking in dust there and increasing the possibility of air infiltration if the floor joist bay connects to the rim joist and isn't sealed well.

   Typical residential duct systems are not sealed well, if at all.

   Controlled air leakage is better than uncontrolled air leakage.

   $.02

5. 
   cudavid | May 07, 2009 07:33pm | #21

   yep, all filters restrict, its a balance betwen the two. I have 2 units in a single floor house, nbothe in basement, and well sealed and insulated, so I look at the dust that I catch and  deem  the restriction an acceptable cost (more power ect, BUT cleaner air and cleaner ducts!

6. 
   DanH | May 07, 2009 08:01pm | #22

   Sounds like a good idea to me, so long as the filters aren't too restrictive. Will keep out large junk like cat hair.
   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith

4. 
   DanH | May 06, 2009 07:20pm | #6

   We had our ducts cleaned after 30-odd years, and they got quite a lot out, but probably half of it was drywall dust from the original construction.

   Ducts don't really need to be cleaned regularly.

   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith
1. 
   martnorman | May 06, 2009 09:31pm | #7

   Thanks.

1. 
   Danthecook | May 06, 2009 10:26pm | #8

   I have a stainless steel round brush on a 2 meter cable. Its used for cleaning out the soot in German wood stoves and the heat exchangers they put next to them. Are those bristles similar to what the professionals for cleaning ducts? These are available all over Europe for about 6 euros. They work very well on soot, just be sure you and the brush hit the shower right after you clean up the mess! The soot (lampblack) will really stain fabric and unfinished wood.

1. 
   DanH | May 06, 2009 10:52pm | #9

   Generally the pros use an air hose with an air "brush" on the end.
   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith

2. 
   danski0224 | May 06, 2009 11:05pm | #10

   Check out Rotorbrush.

3. 
   cabanillas3 | May 06, 2009 11:56pm | #11

   we've got flex duct, that thing would probably eat it up and spit the residue out of the registers.jose c.
   --
   "Though I don't think" added Deep Thought "that you're going to like it."

1. 
   Danthecook | May 07, 2009 12:06am | #12

   The commercial equipment is a plastic bristle brush shapped like mine on the end of a vaccum cleaner.  Something to remember if you want to DIY.

   Mine is just for metal stoves.  The stoves are often built into a Ceramic faced shell and they exhaust thru another heat exchanger ( look like the really old cheap air tight stoves I saw in Maine) and then up thru the house.  You get the firebox really hot then close if up and the heat seeps off for hours.  They really need those wire bristles on mine to scrape the soot out. Its a real messy job but the stoves heat much better when they are clean.

2. 
   frammer52 | May 07, 2009 12:21am | #13

   Read the rotobrush web site.  They claim it won't harm them.

5. 
   Tim | Jun 03, 2009 05:15pm | #23

   Absolutely. Good filtration (MERV 7 or better), upstream of the fan, is all that is necessary.

   Duct cleaning, in the absence of a significant contaminating event (fire, flood, construction, etc) is up there with snake-oil for well perpetrated scams.

6. 
   junkhound | Jun 03, 2009 05:36pm | #24

   1 more scam vote

   35 years in present house, heated with wood furnace for close to 30 of those, then HP (same ducts) still clean, only have ever used the simple fiberglass filters.