Air Duct cleaning, necessary? (sale, house, inspection)

[pappy97]

My wife and I bought our home in Nov. 09. We are in that mode right now of doing things to keep our house in good and efficient condition. We fear the previous owners didn't do much (because it was essentially a distressed sale from a family with 4 young kids that couldn't afford their home anymore, and we have other evidence of them not doing things a good homeowner should have), even though the inspection came out good.

We are going to have someone come out to inspect/tune-up our A/C, but we are also wondering about air ducts.

We see many ads for local people who clean air ducts. They claim it helps for many reasons, but I was wondering what people thought here. Is this something that needs to be done?

If so, how often?

Thanks.

[kreeyax]

I wonder about this too. I've read if you have the flexible ducts then cleaning them can tear holes causing leaks, or even destroy them. I always assumed the duct cleaning services were only for rigid ducts.

[escanlan]

Originally Posted by kreeyax

I wonder about this too. I've read if you have the flexible ducts then cleaning them can tear holes causing leaks, or even destroy them. I always assumed the duct cleaning services were only for rigid ducts.

There are methods for cleaning flexible ducts but they do take additional efforts to perform properly so do not expect it is always performed properly. Yes many times they are destroyed by people not knowing how to clean them.

OP,

The frequency of duct cleaning is dependent upon many different factors. The only effective way is to inspect them which you can easily do at the return register and supply points. The grill covers come off easily, usually screwed into the ceiling joists or sheetrock. These points are a good indicator of the rest of the ducts condition. Another point is at the evaporative cooler coil in the heater/air handler unit. If there has been a lot of dust and dirt in the system, filters not changed regularly, etc., then a lot of dust and dirt will collect on the coils. This could potentially indicate further duct inspection and cleaning. Your HVAC Tech should be checking the condition of the evaporative coil and will also see some of the duct work from that point. He/She can tell you if cleaning is warranted.

[loves2read]

cleaning the coils is pretty expensive because in most systems it requires taking the unit apart to get to the "inner workings"

we had one HVAC guy who came in an emergency situation when the overflow line became clogged and caused the pan to break and cause a big leak tell us that our system (because it was older) needed to have the coils cleaned for better efficienty and to prolong the line of the unit...in addition to repairing the overflow pan and other stuff...

we had someone else come in to do the actual repair work and I was all prepared to have her (it was a female certified HVAC person with her own firm) do just that--clean the coils...

she told me that it was not necessary because the coils were not that dirty--
that there was a part of the HVAC system in the attic that indicated if the coils were that dirty without having to open up the housing and remove the coils...that checking the dust in that area showed there was minimum accumulation--so she did not think that tearing the unit apart--which would take over an hour and cost quite a bit--just to SEE the coils was warranted...

she also told me that the types of air ducts in our attic were the type that basically were declared faulty 20 yrs ago --they are more rigid than flexible--that trying to clean with would mean that they would likely shatter and have to be replaced...
that as long as the material insulating them was holding together unless we wanted to replace the entire system, we should just leave well enough alone...
the vents on that system are original--more than 25 yrs old--so when the HVAC needs to be replaced this time we are going to have to get new vent system as well as the compressor

I would say get more than one estimate of what needs to be done--and don't tell ANY of the people you have come in that you have had other estimates or what you were told...
I have found that the subscription to Angie's List has been worth it to me--but check the Better Business Bureau at least before you call anyone out...

[Pete53FR]

A really good filter solves a lot of problems.

[nmnita]

Don't know what is right or wrong, but we were told years ago, after having ours cleaned it was probably a waste. We are diligent about changing our filters regularly and have never had the ducts cleaned since we were advised it is just an expensive way to feel better.

Nita

[loves2read]

using a high-quality micron-type filter prevents dust getting into the HVAC central unit and the tubing--preventing lots of problems...

[Ron Okon]

AC Duct cleaning is ABSOLUTELY necessary!
According to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association on Washington, a reputable vent cleaning firm will charge $400-$1000 to clean the ducts in a typical 2,000 square foot house. But a low-ball price and quick service time where the equipment is connected to only one air return should be an immediate red-flag warning! It is vital that the technicians have open-access to each vent. For the vent cleaning service to be done correctly it should take a few hours. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association on Washington recommends that homeowners clean their air-conditioning vents every five years to get rid of built-up dust and allergens. The benefits of having your air ducts cleaned by a professional like the highly-skilled technicians are much greater than just saving you money on energy bills and keeping dust off your floor. The quality of the air in your home is directly related to the cleanliness of your air conditioning ducts. Dirty air ducts can lead to many health problems, which must be avoided. Dust can harbor dust mites, allergens, and numerous other elements that can cause mild to serious respiratory problems to those living in the house.
Ron Okon

[Tony_in_Dallas]

Here's some good info that will help you decide....

Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned? | Indoor Air | US EPA

[loves2read]

three of Ron's 5 posts are related to air duct/dryer vent cleaning
maybe he suggests it because it is his business...