Air Duct Cleaning - worth it?

[Teh One Who Knocks]

It's been just shy of a year now since we moved into the house and with the furnace coming back on because it's getting colder at night, I was thinking maybe all the ducts in the house need to be cleaned, especially since we have no idea when the last time they were cleaned out.

Got a quote back from one place and it was $450 to do it, including the dryer vent and cleaning the furnace. That seems expensive. So, is it worth getting it done?

[PorkChopSandwiches]

We did it when we moved into our house, I dont think it had ever been done. At the least it will keep you from blowing all that shit into your house whenever the air/heat turns on. I cant remember how much we paid though it was at least 10 years ago.

[Muddy]

Some of these ducts have insulation in them and not on them... I'm not sure I would mess with that if there is insulation in them.. I would prolly just put a really good filter on and let it eat.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

A filter is only going to clean the incoming air, the shit in the ducts currently will still blow out the vents when you turn it on.

[deebakes]

we do this about every 5 years or so in our houses and it is amazing how much shit accumulates in there, even with high efficiency filters in the furnace. the guys that come out to clean have a little robot cam that you can see how much is up there. if you have allergies, i would recommend it for sure, it makes a big difference for my wife. :shrug:

[Hal-9000]

Be careful though Lance...my Pa and I had a company come in last year...

Mook # 1 attached the large venting hose backwards to begin with..
Mook #2 did something to our gas valve and couldn't light the pilot light in the furnace after...as I walked downstairs he was hitting the gas valve with a large wrench...
Mook # 1 took all of our heat register covers off to do the cleaning, and we found paint chips on the floor and on the beds in some rooms, that came from the roof and walls where the registers were located....not sure what caused it but it was damaged from their process...
Mook #2 Used the wrong fluid to 'fresh scent' the house after the process....it smelled like burnt oil...


and finally...I'm the only smoker in the house and I constantly could smell gas in the mornings...the others thought I was crazy. We eventually had the gas company check it out...they had to replace a faulty valve...and I'm damn sure it was the one the guy was hitting with a monkey wrench trying to light the furnace...


My Dad is the most patient person in the world and at one point he just commanded Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum to leave his house...

I'm still in the process of complaining to their manager...he assures me ALL of the problems we encountered were not because of his workers...

funny...everything worked fine before they walked into our house :x

[Hal-9000]

I guess my humble advice would be to find a reputable company and be there when they're doing the work...definite benefit as others have mentioned


:lol:

[RBP]

we do this about every 5 years or so in our houses and it is amazing how much shit accumulates in there, even with high efficiency filters in the furnace. the guys that come out to clean have a little robot cam that you can see how much is up there. if you have allergies, i would recommend it for sure, it makes a big difference for my wife. :shrug:

Houses? How many do you own?

[Muddy]

I had 3 at one point.. Not that you asked me.

[deebakes]

Houses? How many do you own?

:idk:

[Noilly Pratt]

Make sure you ask how the company is going to do it..if they just stick a hose in there and suck, it won't get most of the dirt -- you can get as much with a shop vac. The guys who carpet clean, then say "Oh we can do your ducts, too" usually are a rip off. Had a similar experience to Hal.

I usually get out my shop vac and go in as far as the hose will let me, which is a good 10'. My wife has major dust allergies and doesn't get attacks except for the first day I switch the thing on from not using it...which I will do so soon - we keep our furnace off for about 4 months of the year here.

So I wait for a Saturday when she's at work and then when I turn on the furnace after cleaning, put the windows open for a few minutes.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

and go in as far as the hose will let me, which is a good 10'.

Impressive

[Hal-9000]

:hoseenvy: :oops:

[Muddy]

Im hard..

[Noilly Pratt]

Maybe it's an industrial one? A neighbour owed me money and as repayment, gave me his shop vac that he used to use when he was a caretaker at an apartment complex (now retired). It's powerful.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view/980203/over-your-head-o.gif

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Thanks for all the input....I did some more research and found that unless it really needs to be done (mold, rodents, etc) then it's best to just not do it at all. So I think I am gonna pass and save the $500 :)