Furnace/AC Maintenance – Duct Cleaning

Wondering if any IDOer’s here do this for a living or can make a recommendation based on experience?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Edit: Twin Cities Metro area

I’m also wondering about this.

Following as well

I’ve always thought it was more of a scam than anything else. I would love to hear some facts on the benefits of cleaning duct work.

suzuki wrote:

I’ve always thought it was more of a scam than anything else. I would love to hear some facts on the benefits of cleaning duct work.

I have a friend in the business. Based on the amount of stuff they pull out of the average homes duct work, I would say it is certainly not a scam.
DT

deertracker wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>suzuki wrote:</div>
I’ve always thought it was more of a scam than anything else. I would love to hear some facts on the benefits of cleaning duct work.

I have a friend in the business. Based on the amount of stuff they pull out of the average homes duct work, I would say it is certainly not a scam.
DT

What I seen come out of my old house, I was curious how we even were able to breath in the winter

Yah…amazing what collects in the duct work, carpet, furniture and everything else.

Not to mention your units will run more efficiently and last longer if you keep them cleaned and maintained.

I know our AC isn’t running as well as it could. Cools, but doesn’t pull the moisture out very well. Not good…

Ok. valid points. I just dont see how the debris stuck to the sides of the duct can all of a sudden escape into your house or how it affects air flow to any degree. I definitely see the benefit of cleaning coils. I’ve had the same furnace and AC for 23 years and they seem to function the same as ever.

Oh for pete’s sake. Are you an engineer, suzuki?

How do you think dust, dirt and debris are transported in the first place?

Do vents never expand or contract? Ever get sick of that noise you can’t figure out where it’s coming from and bang on it?

I didn’t say I had an airflow problem either…partially to your point that’s typically a filter issue.

Regardless of anyone’s opinions, just asking for some recommendations other than don’t do anything because it doesn’t make a difference…

Thank you in advance to someone with a useful recommendation!

Erik Swenson wrote:

Oh for pete’s sake. Are you an engineer, suzuki?

How do you think dust, dirt and debris are transported in the first place?

Do vents never expand or contract? Ever get sick of that noise you can’t figure out where it’s coming from and bang on it?

I didn’t say I had an airflow problem either…partially to your point that’s typically a filter issue.

Regardless of anyone’s opinions, just asking for some recommendations other than don’t do anything because it doesn’t make a difference…

Thank you in advance to someone with a useful recommendation!

Facts are useful for me. I hope you find your duct man. Post your results.

Here’s the EPA’s opinion on the matter. United States Environmental Protection Agency.
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/should-you-have-air-ducts-your-home-cleaned#Summary.

suzuki wrote:

Facts are useful for me. I hope you find your duct man. Post your results.

That is something we definitely agree on, Suzuki.

I’d rather trust someone relatively familiar on here to deliver them to me over an ad from the monthly Valu-Pack coupons though.

Thanks to this post I just remembered to swap out my furnace filter and it was worse than I have ever seen it. Thanks!!!!

Awesome!

Even if nothing else comes out of this post it’s a win!

I would recommend going with a well known company with good reviews, once while working on a furnace I had the plenum apart looking at the heat exchanger, a duct cleaning company had just been there and cleaned the ducts but made an absolute mess of the inside of the furnace. They must have failed to block off the furnace while cleaning, customer was not happy when he saw the big freshly made mess and spending a good chunk of change! Would have smelt pretty nice on the first fire up of the season.

If you guys saw how dirty some hospitals’ air handlers and roof top units are, you’d never be concerned about your little residential system’s cleanliness ever again.

I can imagine tornadochaser.

Still concerned about our little residential system though.

I scheduled an appointment online with Air Duct Cleaning Corp out of EP.

Will report back how it went if I can remember to do so later this month.

suzuki wrote:

Thanks to this post I just remembered to swap out my furnace filter and it was worse than I have ever seen it. Thanks!!!!

I was advised to change it more frequently with the wildfire smoke in the air this summer. I also had not seen my filter that bad.

The backpack leaf blowers work great for cleaning ducts. LOL

I had Coit clean my ducts in Dec. 2002 after my wife started chemo. I’ll probably have them cleaned again before winter. Coit used a rotary brush that physically gets the gunk off the duct surface. I think most companies do now. I may use Andersons Mechanical depending on how they do it. I’ve had them clean my gas fireplace insert a few times and they do a good job.

suzuki wrote:

Ok. valid points. I just dont see how the debris stuck to the sides of the duct can all of a sudden escape into your house or how it affects air flow to any degree. I definitely see the benefit of cleaning coils. I’ve had the same furnace and AC for 23 years and they seem to function the same as ever.

Totally agree if it is not disturbed it just stays there. Ever have your carpets cleaned and you say look how dirty it is which is 90% dust? If you cleaned them a month later you would say the same thing. I had an employee that thought his water furnace was installed incorrectly and was causing mold issues because his daughter was getting sick all the time. He hired a third party to test for allergens and mold. The test results came back an determined that the house had 10x less allergens and molds then the outdoors. Do what ever makes you feel good but if you really want to know what is going on inside your house have a test done. You would be surprised. Now for cleaning your furnace you should not have to do this unless you have pets and don’t change your furnace filters often. When I hear people say the ac isn’t working the first ? I ask them is do you have pets. An A coil that is not clean will freeze.

Change your furnace filter each time you make a Mortgage Payment.
If you Buy them buy the case most are $0.99 each.