A/C Duct replacement vs Cleaning questions

[Slinger]

First off I’m trying to find out if it’s worth getting a company out to clean my duct work or just have it replaced. Ever since we had a bunch of remodeling and updates done in the house we’ve been fighting dust and so far the dust in winning. It’s been over a couple years now and every thing I try doesn’t seem to work. I’ve read so many different mixed reviews on the cleaning of the duct work that it has me leaning towards just having it replaced. Has anybody out there had there duct work cleaned? If so did it do any good? Is it worth the money? Also has anybody had there duct work replaced? If so do you happen to have a rough cost per foot or however they charge for this? I’m also looking for a reputable company in the Mont Belvieu/Baytown area to do the work. Obviously if we have someone in the TBH family that does this I would love to keep the work and the money in the family.
Thanks

[Traxx]

If you have flex duct then just replace it. Easy to do, but do it during the winter. Hard duct, I guess it depends on the method and if they will stand behind their work if the duct is damaged. I have had to deal with the aftermath at work when the duct cleaners beat the insulation off of the inside of the duct work and then the duct started sweating a lot. We ended up having to insulate around the outside of the ductwork. I have flex duct in my home and replaced it myself with a higher R value duct.

[db@100]

If you have flex duct then just replace it. Easy to do, but do it during the winter. Hard duct, I guess it depends on the method and if they will stand behind their work if the duct is damaged. I have had to deal with the aftermath at work when the duct cleaners beat the insulation off of the inside of the duct work and then the duct started sweating a lot. We ended up having to insulate around the outside of the ductwork. I have flex duct in my home and replaced it myself with a higher R value duct.

If you have a 2 story home, how do you replace the duct work that is between the floors?

[MadHatter]

If you have a 2 story home, how do you replace the duct work that is between the floors?

By doing lot's of sheetrock work .

[Traxx]

Use the old duct to pull in a pull string when you pull it out to the central unit and then pull in the new duct with the pull string. Assuming flex duct and a straight run. Don't yank it in. With out seeing the lay out it is hard to say.

[MadHatter]

Use the old duct to pull in a pull string when you pull it out to the central unit and then pull in the new duct with the pull string. Assuming flex duct and a straight run. Don't yank it in. With out seeing the lay out it is hard to say.

I'm in new construction daily. Most of what I see, is a chase or plenum, to the first floor, and it branches out from there. You wouldn't be pulling anything anywhere. Any retro I've ever seen, they had to gut it, to run new duct. Talking 2 story. I'm not a HVAC guy by any means though, just spend alot of time looking at it.

[Traxx]

I'm in new construction daily. Most of what I see, is a chase or plenum, to the first floor, and it branches out from there. You wouldn't be pulling anything anywhere. Any retro I've ever seen, they had to gut it, to run new duct. Talking 2 story. I'm not a HVAC guy by any means though, just spend alot of time looking at it.

I have mostly done commercial and industrial and the only residential I have any dealings with is my own home. I can honestly say that I will never have another 2 story home.

[Uncle Saggy]

Use the old duct to pull in a pull string when you pull it out to the central unit and then pull in the new duct with the pull string. Assuming flex duct and a straight run. Don't yank it in. With out seeing the lay out it is hard to say.

Are you for real with this advice?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Traxx]

Are you for real with this advice?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Worked in my house. Not easy but can be done.
I am a Electrician/Electronics Tech, I pull everything with string.

[Uncle Saggy]

I have mostly done commercial and industrial and the only residential I have any dealings with is my own home. I can honestly say that I will never have another 2 story home.

2 story home...... furnaces in basement.... all supply and return trunks in basement.... round to oval ducts for the floor supply's on both floors..... high/low returns in each room.... not one inch of flex in the entire house

What's the problem with a 2 story house?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Traxx]

Upstairs bathrooms, duct work though the floor, stairs and busted knees, kids and grandkids playing upstairs, wiring through the floor, way overrated, upstairs bathrooms, plumbing for upstairs bathrooms.

[Uncle Saggy]

I agree that 2 story homes suck..... my left knee makes it an adventure to get to the bedroom.
All I meant was that ductwork in a 2 story home isn't that hard when done right.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[tigerscowboy]

What insulation did you use on your house?

[bowtecmike]

Your problem is more with your filtration. Better filtration will get rid of the dust. Cleaning the ducts is a waste in my opinion.

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

[double bogey]

Replace what you can, clean the rest, get away from the 1" filters. Get a Honeywell (or some other equivalent) high efficiency filter housing installed when you have this work done. Lots of benefits, 10 times better filtration, change the filter once, maybe twice a year.