Is duct cleaning necessary?

[question everything]

I get Centerpoint to check the furnace every year and now got an offer to both check the furnace and clean the ductwork. Quite expensive - $200 just for the ductwork, to be split on three payments.

But is it necessary? Yes, we do suffer from allergy, in both spring and now, with ragweed.

Any idea?

Thanks

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. I have never had it done and have had no problem

but I don't have allergies, either.

[daninthemoon]

2. I sure would like some answers on this, too.

[leveymg]

3. You'll still be sneazing from ragweed.

You'd do better to spend the $200 on a good HEPTA aircleaner. Put it in the room you spend most time in.

The most cost effective thing to do is change the air filter for your central air/heat unit. The filter is $5-15.

[oneighty]

4. I requested information

and received it from a US Government office. Bottom line: It does not seem to really clean the duct work, but does break loose dust and dirt which is fully entrenched thereby making things worse.

The jury is out. I will not get ours cleaned. FWIIW

180

[MissMarple]

5. It can help with allergies. How old your home is and if the ducts

have ever been cleaned before are things to consider. And I have heard construction debris is sometimes left behind in the ducts. How that happens I have no idea, except for untidy workmen.

edit. My sister had the ducts in her house which was built in the 1920's cleaned. She could tell a difference and was happy with the results. She said a lot of stuff came out of the ductwork.

[question everything]

9. The house is 20 year old. We bought it 3 years ago

so I don't know if the ducts were ever cleaned.

But I can see that for a 60 or 80 year old house this would make a difference. For example, the construction materials and the standards would be different.

[Iris]

6. We lived in a 1940s apt. building before we bought our 1940s home.

The apartment building never had ductwork done and I suffered horribly. Since moving into this house, which was renovated and has all new ductwork, I've had very few allergy problems.

[moobu2]

7. This is one of my favorite sites on the web.

Last year my central heater wouldn’t work and with help from others there, I took it apart and fixed it myself. They helped me repair my lawn mower and fix lots of other things (And I’m pretty much a mechanical incompetent). I know people there would be more than happy to answer your furnace questions. seriously, Check it out.

Main Forum page for doityourself.com

direct link to general Plumbing, Air & Heat @ doityourself.com

direct link to the Duct Systems, Air Filters & Ventilation area @ doityourself.com


I love that place.

[question everything]

10. Interesting site. Will have to check it more closely. Thanks (nt)

[achtung_circus]

8. If you live in an old house

and suffer from allergies it is probably worth it ONCE. You prevent future problems by purchasing a HEPA filter for the return air intake on your furnace. It costs more than the $10 standard filter but it catches more.

Dust gets into ductwork via the return air ducts, passes through the standard filter and the furnace, gets blown along the supply air ducts, depositing crap along the way, they gets pumped into your rooms again.

Another plus side to the whole house HEPA filter is less dusting.

[loveable liberal]

11. University of Minnesota did a study, found no difference.

I dont remember where I saw it though.

[question everything]

12. Thanks. I guess that does it. (nt)