We just got the bad news today that our 20 year old HVAC system (20 year old home) needs to be replaced! $$$$ One of the line items in this process is to have the ducts cleaned to prevent sending any of the accumulated dust through newly installed mechanicals. Oddly enough, they plan to install the AC unit first, the heater 2 days later, then clean the duct work 7 days after the AC unit is installed. It seems like a contradiction to say that we shouldn’t pull the old dust through the new system, the turn around and pull the dust through the new system for a week.
So, is it worth paying to have the ducts cleaned? Or is this just an unnecessary upsell with no added benefit to us, the homeowners?
I have mixed feelings about this one. Having your ducts cleaned is not a bad idea. The filters are down at the starting point. We have many feet of ducts (three stories) that accumulate dust. Eventually, it gets blown through the house and into the return vent, but I do not think it’s a bad idea to have the ducts vacuumed every few years. The timing of yours seems odd to me. Why not start with clean ducts?
@happy1 : How did you expect to be able to tell? Seriously. I was home and watched the entire process. I could see EXACTLY what came out of those ducts. I was glad it was gone. For me. it was like having the windows washed, No down side.
@BunsenBurner : That site does not suggest that it is always a scam. There are scammers in every industry. We found a local guy that I will bring back in a year or so. Licensed. Bonded. Insured. Good Yelp ratings. Offered soime good tips about our furnace filters as well. No, he did not try to sell us any.
A half-decent filter would catch all of that stuff. Really, the only reason I would think to have your ducts cleaned is if there was some sort of contamination issue (i.e. asbestos, mold, etc).
If you haven’t had any allergy issues related to your system, and you know asbestos wasn’t used in your house, then I wouldn’t do it.
We had our AC and Heat replaced this year. We had the ducts cleaned. Why? Well a few years ago we repainted the living room and that includedthe large vent cover for the down stairs. When we took it off there was a huge pile of dust and cat hair in the duct work by the vent. I vacuumed it out but I knew that the odds were that dust/cat hair was in the other vents too.
My mom just had her ducts cleaned for the first time ( have been in this condo for 26 years, It was about $1200. Before, when I walked around barefoot my feet would turn black - even though looking at the floor you didn’t see it.
I’m curious as to what prompted your mom to have the cleaning done? How old is her condo?
To address some of the above comments, we used to have pets, but not in the past 5 years. We have seasonal allergies, but seem to be bothered only if the windows are left open overnight when the trees are dropping pollen.
Her AC needed some maintenance and the service guy suggested it. Condo is 40 years old. She is in Florida so the AC is running pretty much all the time,
I’ve heard that it can do more harm than good as it can damage your duct work. I trust my local HVAC guys. They’ve never recommended cleaning the ductwork in the 18 years we’ve lived in our home.
Previous owners had pets, we don’t. When the Duct-cleaning crew arrived and opened the ducts in the floor, I could see how much stuff was in there. Ewwww! I was not surprised at all at the amount that they cleaned out of our ducts.
I used a company that had multiple local referrals.
A forced air heater blows air OUT of the duct vents. There is very little need to clean that part of the ductwork. I can see why the air intake or return ductwork might need some vacuuming. I can also see why ducts of an improperly functioning AC unit might need cleaning (cooler air, condensation, mold growth).
I’d rather put the money toward a better filtration system and just vacuum the returns and supply boots myself. A 5" media filter system, such as AprilAire or AccuClean, may be a better solution for you.
