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Cleaning HVAC Ductwork?

BradHotNCold
BradHotNCold Member Posts: 80
in A-C, Heat Pumps & Refrigeration

We are having a complete new HVAC system installed. Saw “Flushing a hydronic system” by Ray Wohlfarth talks about the importance of flushing a hydronic system before replacing a boiler in this Boiler Room Detective video.

Which made me wonder if we should have HVAC ductwork professionally cleaned prior to installation of new system? System dates back to about 1978 when condominium complex was built.

Comments

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,931

    I would never pay someone to clean ductwork.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

    Big Ed_4BradHotNColdSuperTech
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 6,501

    why?

  • HydronicMike
    HydronicMike Member Posts: 145

    Unless they run a camera thru the entire ductwork, live, to prove to you that it's actually ALL clean and sanitized. Which they won't, because it won't be.

    BradHotNColdGGross
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 18,598

    Ductwork is difficult to clean and probably impossible to get all the dirt out. Some of it is a scam some is legit.. They can say they cleaned it but how do you know?

    I know of oil service techs who go in a basement plug the vac in to clean a boiler and turn it on to make noise but they don't clean the boiler

    BradHotNCold
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,961

    Hi, I would shadow the contractor. Look over all equipment before installation. If you find mouse droppings or some other trouble, don't let that get installed unless it gets cleaned or replaced. If someone is cutting corners, or doing something you don't understand, get involved and make them satisfy you about it. They will do better work if they know you're watching. They may not be thrilled… but it is your house 🤠

    Yours, Larry

    BradHotNCold
  • BradHotNCold
    BradHotNCold Member Posts: 80

    Thanks guys!

  • HydronicMike
    HydronicMike Member Posts: 145
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1866615#Comment_1866615

    And what did you do about it (The oil service techs) ?

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,931
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1866638#Comment_1866638

    I'd assume he shook his head in disappointment and went about his business.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

    SuperTech
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 18,598

    "I know of oil service techs who go in a basement plug the vac in to clean a boiler and turn it on to make noise but they don't clean the boiler"

    I was hired by a homeowner who told me the story, he heard the vac running quite a while. When he went downstairs to check the tech shut the vac off and the boiler was all closed up and the tech told him he cleaned his boiler and "just finishing up"

    He had me check the boiler and nothing had been cleaned. New nozzle and new oil filter only. There are some that used to toss in a soot stick and call it a cleaning.

  • JMWHVAC
    JMWHVAC Member Posts: 92

    The techs who "clean" a boiler without cleaning should be happy with low sulphur oil. My experience is that boilers have much less accumulation of dirt than they used to. I find most boilers with very little dirt after several years and some hardly need a vacuum after 8 yr. My own oil boiler I installed 7-8 yr ago and haven't opened it yet.

    SuperTech
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 18,598

    @JMWHVAC

    Your right but it wasn't always that way. With modern burners and boilers, I don't consider oil boilers dirty but they have to be set up properly.

    I agree that a lot of boilers can go maybe 4-5 years without being cleaned. But they are still thing that need to be done during a proper tune up. Nozzle, filter, electrodes check combustion and oil pressure and test safety controls as a minimum. In fact the nozzle can go many years with clean oil.

    PC7060
  • offdutytech
    offdutytech Member Posts: 208

    Cleaning ductwork is not going to be 100% clean. You have to research companies in your area and find out who is a reputable company. The good ones will run a camera in the ducts and show you. In my area there is a company that specializes in duct cleaning air quality. The big thing is to stay up on changing your filters.

    Owner of Grunaire Climate Solutions. Check us out under the locate a contractor section. Located in Detroit area.

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,931

    What is the reasoning behind cleaning ductwork?

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 6,501
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1866875#Comment_1866875

    Salesmen!

    ChrisJ
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,961

    It seems the answer is "It depends." https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/should-you-have-air-ducts-your-home-cleaned 😏

    Yours, Larry

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