“Do You Guys Clean Ducts?”
This is a very common call coming into our call center and of course the answer is yes. The first thing we need to do is to set up a duct evaluation. “Why do you have to evaluate my ducts? I just want you to come clean them,” is usually the next thing out of the client’s mouth.
Let’s take a deep dive into duct work and the types of duct systems that are out there in our market. I will do my best to answer the question as to why ducts need evaluation as well as exploring different types of cleaning and even sealing processes for duct work. I want to start with the types of duct work and go from there. We typically find three kinds of duct work in our homes here in South Florida.
Okay, that’s the types of duct work you’ll find in a home, so what about cleaning processes? First, beware the newspaper flyer that says we will clean your duct system for only $9.95 per vent. The old-adage of if it sounds too good to be true it is just stood up and waved a big red flag at you. From what I know about these types of companies they take down the grilles and stick a vacuum cleaner up the duct about two feet and call it cleaned. Uh… no, that is not a duct cleaning.
Duct work lines are at a minimum 5 feet long and can be as long as 30-40 feet depending on the duct system configuration. Specialized machinery such as a Roto-Brush system is required to properly clean ducts. There is also another method that involves a 20 HP vacuum with a 6” hose and a brushing system to really clean the duct system up.
How often do I need to clean my ducts you ask? The answer depends on you. If a duct system is properly sealed and you keep good filters on your air conditioner the answer is maybe every 5 years or so. If you are bad about filter changes, have a lot of pets in the home, have done major construction or have had a mold problem then cleaning more often may be required. This is where I’m going to point you right back to the duct evaluation to really answer the question.
One final note – cleaning your duct work without making sure it is properly sealed makes as much sense as getting your four-wheel drive truck completely detailed and five minutes later going four wheeling in the Everglades! Duct work that is not properly sealed will just pull dust, dirt, mold, pollen and allergens into it from the attic space in which it lives.
Alright, I am off to see why Mrs. Haywood’s master bedroom is 5 degrees hotter than the rest of the house. Until 604,801 seconds tic off the clock and we are back together, I got home the other day and thought about doing nothing until I realized I did know when I’d be done…
House Whisperer out!!