Should you clean your air ducts when you buy a new home?

Question

The folks that owned the house before did not do good cleaning.. should one do the air duct cleaning now, or after I throw out the old carpeting in the three (3) rooms.. (this only includes two bedrooms and the living room.. all else is carpet free). How will this benefit our home? Is it worth the money?

Answer 1

This is my third summer being one of the 4 duct cleaners that have made our Heating and Cooling company #1 for the past 6 years on Angie's List in Columbus, Ohio for duct cleaning. In this type of business, it's very easy to get screwed over. Please take this advice into account as I think you will find it quite invaluable.

New homes can need it but they sometimes don't. First off, know the age of the home. If the home is older than 15 years, then it's possible that it needs it. If it is older than 15 years, and/or the previous owners had any pets or children, then you can do one of two things or both. Check the inside of your return registers to see if there is a lot of build up. The other thing to do is to check the return drop in the basement (remove the filter and look to see if there's anything at the bottom of the drop). Some furnaces are built so the return drops straight from the main trunk line into the furnace. If that's the case then just look at the registers.

Secondly, check to see if it has ever been cleaned before. If they didn't clean that often then chances are they probably didnt have it done, but if they did, it might not need it. Look for plugged holes in your duct work and that will tell you if it has been done before.

Third, if you are removing carpeting and putting new ones in, or just removing, it is absolutely the worst idea to have your ducts cleaned beforehand. An infinite amount of dust and air pollutants will be knocked loose by removing the carpet. I'm sure you don't want that in your ducts as these pollutants also carry odors that I'm sure you also want gone. You will get more dirt out of your ducts (and at the same time, more "bang" for your buck) if you wait till after this is done. I cannot tell you how many times I've had to do duct cleanings during or before construction involving dry wall because the contractor is a friggin idiot. If you do this kind of work before you have all this crap become airborn, then you basically replace what the duct cleaners pulled out. I absolutely 100% recommend you wait till after you pull out the carpet to get this done if it's needed.

How do duct cleanings benefit your home? Dust literally disappears. If you currently dust frequently, then you will probably have to dust 1/4 as much, if at all. If you have dust or pet dandruff allergies, HUGE improvment in air purity and quality. In terms of your air handler, a 1/8 " layer of dust can decrease the air velocity in your ducts by 15%. By having your duct's cleaned, your furnace will work closer to it's maximum efficiency, which can possibly help save money on energy costs.

These benefits will only happen if you hire the right type of cleaners to do the job. The most efficient method for duct cleaning is the "suck and blow" approach. This method involves a huge refridgerator-sized vacuum being connected to your supply and return trunk lines (one at a time) in your basement and running compressed air through air hoses down each and every one of your vents. The physics involved is simple, the air pressure and the vacuum creates a negative air flow pushing as much dust and dirt towards the basement as possible. This method is the most efficient and works best in mostly unfinished basements. It can work in most finished basements but if the majority of your duct work is under drywall, then the cleaners might run into a problem. The second most efficient method is a type of rotary brush cleaning which works in the houses that the first method can't work in. I'm not very familiar with that method as that is not the way that our company does them. That is because around 5% of all houses out there are set up in a way that the first method can't be done properly.
Something else to look for is a company that pays their employees by the hour and not by the job. A quality duct cleaning usually takes at least 5 hours. If employees are payed only by the job, then their goal is to have it done in the least amount of time possible, rather than to get the most amount of dirt out. They'll also say you should have your ducts cleaned every 2 years. If the job is done right, you should wait a minimum of 5-7 years before just having your ducts looked at. These are things to look for and not a lot of people know that.

It's worth the money, as long as it is done correctly. I feel confident that this answer has provided you with enough "insider" information to get the most out of getting your ducts cleaned.

Answer 2

It well worth the money, and youre right in thinking you should wait until the carpets been replaced. There are different types of air duct cleaning though. One method is just for them to stick a brush as far as they can reach into the ducts. The other is to have a vacum fed into the ducts actually elimainating more mold spores and dust. The first is of course cheaper but gives you limited results. You'll find your ac will run more efficiently and you will breathe eaiser, and i sincerly recommend it especially if you live in warmer climates.(allergens)

Answer 3

Have one of the companies come over and run the TV camera in your ducts. After what you will see in there, the cost of a professional cleaning will not seem too high.

Also talk to someone about your filters to see if they are sufficient.

You might also inquire about a UV light purification system. I sell many of these. They are installed into your duct work , and they get rid of pretty much anything living in the air that passes through your duct work.

Answer 4

yes have them cleaned after you throw out the old carpet it will save you money, the central heat and air will work better saving you money and not only that but your family will breath better !!

Answer 5

its not that much money ...... benifits by removing allergins in the duct work .... - pull the rugs w/ the ac on - that will help pull stuff out of the air 1st the have appt set for duck work

Answer 6

Yes clean them very good. Check for mold too. Call a professional.