My lovely wife wants the vents in our house cleaned.

Removing the register covers is not a problem.  The stackhead or
register box in the walls have an adjustable slide door to control the
flow.  Oval 5" ducts in the walls transition to 5" round in the
basement.  Two story house with all supply vents on the outside walls.

I could easily disconnect the ducts in the basement and rig up a way
to connect my shop-vac in the basement to each duct.  This would
probably be eaiser than trying to seal all the vents and vaccum from
the main trunk or furnace.

Question:  Waht kind of tool do I need to clean the vents?

When I questioned a guy about doing this he said he would run a thin
hose through the grills and used high-pressure air to blast the dust
loose and connected a 'recovery vaccum' in the basement.

This tool is a long shot but I am sure someobody has a better idea.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?itemnumber=92396-1VGA&Submit=Go

10' is long enough to get me to the basement but this thing is flimsy
and I doubt would do much.

On May 14, 8:16=A0am, Limp Arbor  wrote:
> My lovely wife wants the vents in our house cleaned.
>
> Removing the register covers is not a problem. =A0The stackhead or
> register box in the walls have an adjustable slide door to control the
> flow. =A0Oval 5" ducts in the walls transition to 5" round in the
> basement. =A0Two story house with all supply vents on the outside walls.
>
> I could easily disconnect the ducts in the basement and rig up a way
> to connect my shop-vac in the basement to each duct. =A0This would
> probably be eaiser than trying to seal all the vents and vaccum from
> the main trunk or furnace.
>
> Question: =A0Waht kind of tool do I need to clean the vents?
>
> When I questioned a guy about doing this he said he would run a thin
> hose through the grills and used high-pressure air to blast the dust
> loose and connected a 'recovery vaccum' in the basement.
>
> This tool is a long shot but I am sure someobody has a better idea.http:/=
/www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?itemnumber=3D9239...
>
> 10' is long enough to get me to the basement but this thing is flimsy
> and I doubt would do much.

I would put the vacuum in the basement as you suggested, and then use
the tool pictured to go up and down the ducts (not vents) to loosen
whatever would come loose.  I have never figured out why you would
mess with the ducts as the dirt that is in them does not move and
except for harboring bugs does not cause any harm. Loose dust will
come out and is not in the ducts.   Only when dirt builds up and
restricts airflow is there a problem (in my opinion).  No matter what,
when you first turn on the airflow again, there will be a cloud of
dust coming outof every register since the vacuum cannot get
everything that is loosened up out.  I would put  something to catch
the worst of the loosened dust in front of every register when I first
turned on the airflow.

On May 14, 8:16=A0am, Limp Arbor  wrote:
> My lovely wife wants the vents in our house cleaned.
>
> Removing the register covers is not a problem. =A0The stackhead or
> register box in the walls have an adjustable slide door to control the
> flow. =A0Oval 5" ducts in the walls transition to 5" round in the
> basement. =A0Two story house with all supply vents on the outside walls.
>
> I could easily disconnect the ducts in the basement and rig up a way
> to connect my shop-vac in the basement to each duct. =A0This would
> probably be eaiser than trying to seal all the vents and vaccum from
> the main trunk or furnace.
>
> Question: =A0Waht kind of tool do I need to clean the vents?
>
> When I questioned a guy about doing this he said he would run a thin
> hose through the grills and used high-pressure air to blast the dust
> loose and connected a 'recovery vaccum' in the basement.
>
> This tool is a long shot but I am sure someobody has a better idea.http:/=
/www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?itemnumber=3D9239...
>
> 10' is long enough to get me to the basement but this thing is flimsy
> and I doubt would do much.

Buy the tool, make a lot of fuss about using it so SWMBO is well aware
of your heroic efforts. Then, hook up the loudest shop vac you can
find, maybe even rent a commercial version to help remove the debris
and keep the things running for as long as can be tolerated while you
flail away at the duct work. Take several breaks for refreshment, and
continue the 'cleaning' until you hear the magic words, "Aren't you
done yet?" Then reply in an exhausted tone of voice, "Another half
hour..". She may reply, "Well, hurry up.", at which point you have won
the battle.
Predictably, reason will prevail and duct cleaning will never be an
issue again. Good luck.

Joe

On May 14, 11:19=A0am, "hr(bob) h...@att.net" 
wrote:
> On May 14, 8:16=A0am, Limp Arbor  wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > My lovely wife wants the vents in our house cleaned.
>
> > Removing the register covers is not a problem. =A0The stackhead or
> > register box in the walls have an adjustable slide door to control the
> > flow. =A0Oval 5" ducts in the walls transition to 5" round in the
> > basement. =A0Two story house with all supply vents on the outside walls=
.
>
> > I could easily disconnect the ducts in the basement and rig up a way
> > to connect my shop-vac in the basement to each duct. =A0This would
> > probably be eaiser than trying to seal all the vents and vaccum from
> > the main trunk or furnace.
>
> > Question: =A0Waht kind of tool do I need to clean the vents?
>
> > When I questioned a guy about doing this he said he would run a thin
> > hose through the grills and used high-pressure air to blast the dust
> > loose and connected a 'recovery vaccum' in the basement.
>
> > This tool is a long shot but I am sure someobody has a better idea.http=
://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?itemnumber=3D9239...
>
> > 10' is long enough to get me to the basement but this thing is flimsy
> > and I doubt would do much.
>
> I would put the vacuum in the basement as you suggested, and then use
> the tool pictured to go up and down the ducts (not vents) to loosen
> whatever would come loose. =A0I have never figured out why you would
> mess with the ducts ...

Did I mention my wife wants this done?
During spring in NJ it is hard to find anyone without runny eyes and
sneezing.
Easier to do it than have a discussion about pollen.

> ...as the dirt that is in them does not move and
> except for harboring bugs does not cause any harm. Loose dust will
> come out and is not in the ducts. =A0 Only when dirt builds up and
> restricts airflow is there a problem (in my opinion). =A0No matter what,
> when you first turn on the airflow again, there will be a cloud of
> dust coming outof every register since the vacuum cannot get
> everything that is loosened up out. =A0I would put =A0something to catch
> the worst of the loosened dust in front of every register when I first
> turned on the airflow.

Excellent point.  I didn't think of that.

On May 14, 12:54=A0pm, Joe  wrote:
> On May 14, 8:16=A0am, Limp Arbor  wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > My lovely wife wants the vents in our house cleaned.
>
> > Removing the register covers is not a problem. =A0The stackhead or
> > register box in the walls have an adjustable slide door to control the
> > flow. =A0Oval 5" ducts in the walls transition to 5" round in the
> > basement. =A0Two story house with all supply vents on the outside walls=
.
>
> > I could easily disconnect the ducts in the basement and rig up a way
> > to connect my shop-vac in the basement to each duct. =A0This would
> > probably be eaiser than trying to seal all the vents and vaccum from
> > the main trunk or furnace.
>
> > Question: =A0Waht kind of tool do I need to clean the vents?
>
> > When I questioned a guy about doing this he said he would run a thin
> > hose through the grills and used high-pressure air to blast the dust
> > loose and connected a 'recovery vaccum' in the basement.
>
> > This tool is a long shot but I am sure someobody has a better idea.http=
://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?itemnumber=3D9239...
>
> > 10' is long enough to get me to the basement but this thing is flimsy
> > and I doubt would do much.
>
> Buy the tool, make a lot of fuss about using it so SWMBO is well aware
> of your heroic efforts. Then, hook up the loudest shop vac you can
> find, maybe even rent a commercial version to help remove the debris
> and keep the things running for as long as can be tolerated while you
> flail away at the duct work. Take several breaks for refreshment, and
> continue the 'cleaning' until you hear the magic words, "Aren't you
> done yet?" Then reply in an exhausted tone of voice, "Another half
> hour..". She may reply, "Well, hurry up.", at which point you have won
> the battle.
> Predictably, reason will prevail and duct cleaning will never be an
> issue again. Good luck.
>
> Joe

Good advice.  You must be a long time veteran of marital bliss.

Commercial duct cleaners are essentially scammers.

Visually inspect the inside of ducts, as much a you can gain access. Just 
sample them. You will probably find that they are as clean as a whistle.

Even after our house was smoke-damaged, there was no soot and no dirt in the 
ducts. Save your money.

Commercial cleaners use a combination rotating power-blast nozzle and vacuum 
cleaner nozzle, which they insert in the ducts as a unit.

-- 
Walter
www.rationality.net
-
"hr(bob) h...@att.net" <hrh...@att.net> wrote in message 
news:4...@z19g2000vbz.googlegroups.com...
On May 14, 8:16 am, Limp Arbor  wrote:
> My lovely wife wants the vents in our house cleaned.
>
> Removing the register covers is not a problem. The stackhead or
> register box in the walls have an adjustable slide door to control the
> flow. Oval 5" ducts in the walls transition to 5" round in the
> basement. Two story house with all supply vents on the outside walls.
>
> I could easily disconnect the ducts in the basement and rig up a way
> to connect my shop-vac in the basement to each duct. This would
> probably be eaiser than trying to seal all the vents and vaccum from
> the main trunk or furnace.
>
> Question: Waht kind of tool do I need to clean the vents?
>
> When I questioned a guy about doing this he said he would run a thin
> hose through the grills and used high-pressure air to blast the dust
> loose and connected a 'recovery vaccum' in the basement.
>
> This tool is a long shot but I am sure someobody has a better 
> idea.http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?itemnumber=9239...
>
> 10' is long enough to get me to the basement but this thing is flimsy
> and I doubt would do much.

I would put the vacuum in the basement as you suggested, and then use
the tool pictured to go up and down the ducts (not vents) to loosen
whatever would come loose.  I have never figured out why you would
mess with the ducts as the dirt that is in them does not move and
except for harboring bugs does not cause any harm. Loose dust will
come out and is not in the ducts.   Only when dirt builds up and
restricts airflow is there a problem (in my opinion).  No matter what,
when you first turn on the airflow again, there will be a cloud of
dust coming outof every register since the vacuum cannot get
everything that is loosened up out.  I would put  something to catch
the worst of the loosened dust in front of every register when I first
turned on the airflow. 

The idea behind vent cleaning is basically wrong.  Studies show it's
basically a scam.