Cleaning Ducts

I know this might seem like a weird topic but it's been bugging me.
I've kept our heating and cold air return ducts clean, usually twice yearly and do it my self.

The way our layout is I can do most with the shopvac and those areas I have trouble getting to, I use (ready for this?) the leaf blower and use the high pressure to blow, disturb the dust and blow it towards the furnace with the blower on and with the orignal filter prior to replacing it, why plug up a new, clean filter?
Ok, that's all fine and good.

I also have a senior neighbour and her husband died a few years ago so my wife and I adopted her to help out around the house. She just bought a new furnace and AC unit. I checked out her ducts. Holy good grief are they ever dirty.

I checked a few contractors and even government websites and they clearly suggest that ducts don't need to be cleaned and there's no proof that ducts carry any bacteria. I find that a bit wierd because if any place has bacteria it would be in the ducts from years of circulation. Human and pet dander and typical airborne bacteria.
With my shopvac and even the leaf blower I know I can't reach all the areas but I should be able to clean and reduce some of the crap out of there.


Are there any HVAC people here that have the real answers?

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After you clean all your duct work ... or if it's a new system ...do like I do ,

Buy a roll of Jobber's thin filtration material (at Depot or Lowes) ....

Remove ALL the "Inlet" Duct covers and cut a piece of filter material to size ...

Stuff-it-in to fit between the register and the duct-work .......

Change THOSE filters more often than you do the regular system filter .

It's more WORK ..... but it will keep your duct work cleaner .

You won't have to change the MAIN filter as often .

Works very well for me ................ try it !


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Thanks
yes, I've seen those. I have to do the initial cleaning before I do anything but I'm curious why even the government suggests that it's not important to clean ducts.
Needless to say we all have our comments on government issues, but this is based on Health and Welfare, you'd think that they'd go the whole nine yards to assure clean ducts yadi, yadi.

I fell for the duct cleaning and all it did was create a stain on the ceiling near the register they used as the exhaust. Save your money.

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It's not really a Govt. issue ...............

It's more of a personal issue ......... if you have allergies .


If you have a NEW HVAC system , filter the air that goes INTO the ducts .

Then you won't have to have the ducts/plenums cleaned .

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P.s. ....... Posts are loading VERY SLOW today ...... wonder why ?

And bye-the-way .....Correct the OP title and spell "Ducts" properly.

we are NOT cleaning a FOUL for dinner !

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Most sporting goods stores sell a motorized rubber wheel that has rubber prongs on it. If you hold the duck against the wheel, the prongs knock all the feathers off. Then you just have to clean out the insides. And yes, it is a FOWL.

the forum effect - where everybody thinks they are an expert on everything.

so today i am a duct expert.

im thinking the dirt and dust in the duct is really dry, making it not a bacterial issue .

i too have tried cleaning ducks with that wheel , hard to get em to sit still .

cheers

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Hmmmm ...... who else stayed at Holliday Inn last night ??






That .............. , hard to get em to sit still . ............ made me laugh


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