Cleaning the ducts

[paulza]

I have remodelled my 20 year old house and during construction I'm sure a lot of drywall dust/wood shavings etc have fallen through the grates into the ducts.
What should I request in the way of cleaning from my HVAC contractor?
Thanks in advance for you help.

[drk]

You won,t every thing cleaned. From the point where the air enters the system to the point where the air exits the system. coils, drain pan, AHU, Blower all ducts need to be brushed. No chemicals should be used (except for coil cleaner) unless their is a need for them.

[Irascible]

Since you say that the dust fell in, I assume you have floor diffusers. Take a vacuum to the first foot or two of the duct right there at the floor and you'll remove 90% of what a duct cleaner would.

If there was a lot of sheet rock duct floating around, if you were running the system during construction (construction guys know better but do it anyway), and if you had cheap filters then the blower and/or cooling coil might need to be cleaned. Those are legitamite concerns. If you had a better grade filter and you kept up on it or if the system wasn't used then you might not even need that.

As far as duct cleaning goes, here are my feelings on the matter: http://www.duct-cleaning.biz There are some legitimate reasons to have the service done. I'm just not sure what those reasons might be. It's rare that the service produces real benefit.

[drk]

Their is no way using a shop vac at each register will get 90% of the dirt a duct cleaner will get out. If it is I need to come to your area and open a business. It should take 6 - 8 hrs for the average home. If you are using a shop vac the dust will be going back into the air for lack of filtration. Also construction guys don't know better.

[paulza]

Thanks very much for your help.