Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Adam Ketterman says he suffered from a nagging, dry cough after some drywall work created
a lot of dust in his home. He scheduled an air duct cleaning and immediately felt his
symptoms improve.
“I did feel a lot better physically right after the duct cleaning like within two to
three days. I noticed it was like flipping a switch, so I was kind of excited about that.”
There is no scientific evidence that regular duct cleaning improves air quality, but some
consumers have reported that when they have their ducts cleaned, they experience fewer
allergy symptoms and cleaner air. Air duct cleaning is designed to remove air-borne dust
and debris from the air duct system components of HVAC, forced air systems, gravity heaters
and other related systems. “This is the hose for the negative air machine
that pulls about 5,500 cubic feet of air per minute. We cut into the supply and the return
side. We push through the system. The debris comes through the system, hits this hose and
then is carried outside to the negative air machine filter and all of the debris is captured
outside so nothing will be inside your home. So this is our negative air machine where
the suction or the vacuum hose leads into this. When it’s on, it fills up and all
the debris that we get out of your ducts is collected right here.”
Angie’s List says you must do your research when hiring to ensure you are working with
a reputable contractor. Beware of bait-and-switch tactics that advertise an unbelievably low
rate and then immediately start tacking on up-charges or using scare tactics.
“One of the more common things that we hear about with air duct cleaning comes down to
pricing. It’s important for consumers to get written in-home estimates because a lot
of times air duct cleaning is based on either the square footage of the home or the number
of vents. A typical air duct cleaning might cost anywhere from $300-$500. If you find
you’re being offered a really low price, you’re going to want to question it.”
There are a couple of ways to tell if your air ducts are dirty.
“One of the easiest ways to find out is to take the vent cover off, stick a camera
phone down there and take a picture. They are going to be able to see down the duct.
Another sign is if the house is dusty a day or two after cleaning the house.”