# Is it expensive to have a house's heating/cooling ducts cleaned out? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 17, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272 "2009-02-17T15:24:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/21 "2009-02-18T17:03:20Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Granted but, if it wasn’t in the ducts > **THAT DUST WOULD JUST BE IN THE HOUSE!** > Get it? > Ducts don’t generate dust, so to say that cleaning them makes your house cleaner makes no sense at all. Yes if it’s not in the ducts, it’s in your house. Then it settles and you vacuum it during normal cleaning. :rolleyes: I’m not sure what we’re arguing here. I don’t know if it’s specifically bad to have dust in the ducts, but any dust that sticks would tend to have a cumulative effect, like a log jam in a river. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/22 "2009-02-18T17:17:28Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Yes if it’s not in the ducts, it’s in your house. Then it settles and you vacuum it during normal cleaning. :rolleyes: > > I’m not sure what we’re arguing here. I don’t know if it’s specifically bad to have dust in the ducts, but any dust that sticks would tend to have a cumulative effect, like a log jam in a river. Your friend said her house was “much cleaner” after having her ducts cleaned. I just don’t believe it - it defies common sense, and smacks of [confirmation bias.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias) That’s all. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/23 "2009-02-18T17:22:01Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Your friend said her house was “much cleaner” after having her ducts cleaned. > I just don’t believe it - it defies common sense, and smacks of [confirmation bias.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias) > That’s all. That wasn’t me. I’m not saying it will make the house cleaner. I’m just saying ducts get dirty. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/24 "2009-02-18T17:23:45Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > That wasn’t me. I’m not saying it will make the house cleaner. I’m just saying ducts get dirty. Sorry, that was **Kalhoun**. I got cross-threaded. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/25 "2009-02-23T22:09:15Z")
> [@Carson\_O\_Genic](#): > > Money spent on duct cleaning would be better spent on either electro-static air treatment or better, pleated media filtration in the air handler. MERV ratings are now in the mid-teens, with 1 micron average removals, though it would be wise to consult with an HVAC pro regarding the effect on airflows. > My ducting has pleated media filter. Recent temporary ductwork removal due to other work showed virtually spotless ducting after 15 years. What he said. raindog (hvac guy) ---
**Author:** ![FalconFinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@FalconFinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FalconFinder)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/26 "2009-02-24T16:19:25Z")
Years ago, I got duct cleaning for my parents for their Christmas present. Our house was originally an old one room schoolhouse built in the late 1800’s and was converted to a house in the late 1940’s. The dust in the house was horrible, and my mom cleaned every single day. Each year, when the heating season started, I would invariably get sick from the weird burning smell that would waft through the house when the furnace kicked on. I asked my brother-in-law, who owns a Heating and A/C business if duct cleaning was a good idea. He said it wouldn’t hurt. So, I had a crew come out and clean the duct work. We had a pile of dust and debris that piled up to a good 4 feet off the floor! It was disgusting! I also had them spray the germicide in the ducts, just in case. My mom noticed almost immediately that she didn’t have nearly the same amount of dust on the furniture that she used to and was even able to cut down on the amount of housework she had to do. I noticed the next heating season that the awful burning smell that would make me sick was gone. None of us expected that sort of result, and were thrilled by the outcome. So, I think if the house is old enough, it might be worthwhile. Newer houses may not need it done as filtering has changed for the better and might catch more of the dust and crud before it gets recirculated into the house. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/27 "2009-02-24T17:12:36Z")
> [@FalconFinder](#): > > Years ago, I got duct cleaning for my parents for their Christmas present. Our house was originally an old one room schoolhouse built in the late 1800’s and was converted to a house in the late 1940’s. > > The dust in the house was horrible, and my mom cleaned every single day. Each year, when the heating season started, I would invariably get sick from the weird burning smell that would waft through the house when the furnace kicked on. > > I asked my brother-in-law, who owns a Heating and A/C business if duct cleaning was a good idea. He said it wouldn’t hurt. > > So, I had a crew come out and clean the duct work. We had a pile of dust and debris that piled up to a good 4 feet off the floor! It was disgusting! I also had them spray the germicide in the ducts, just in case. > > My mom noticed almost immediately that she didn’t have nearly the same amount of dust on the furniture that she used to and was even able to cut down on the amount of housework she had to do. I noticed the next heating season that the awful burning smell that would make me sick was gone. > > None of us expected that sort of result, and were thrilled by the outcome. > > So, I think if the house is old enough, it might be worthwhile. Newer houses may not need it done as filtering has changed for the better and might catch more of the dust and crud before it gets recirculated into the house. In my experience your circumstance is one of the few where I recommend duct cleaning; specifically houses that are 60 years old or older that were initially heated with gravity fed furnaces, the bulk of which actually started as coal burners. The others are houses that have seen a lot of remodeling with new drywall, floors etc. (drywall dust, saw dust etc) In the absence of those type of circumstances, my opinion is that the better investment is the one \*\*Carson O’Genic \*\* suggested. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/28 "2009-02-24T17:33:55Z")
We just bought a house that was built in 1981 and still has the original HVAC system. Sears came out and cleaned the ducts for $150ish. Can’t say it’s improved the air quality any, but it did knock our power bill down about 3%. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/29 "2009-02-24T17:46:11Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Granted but, if it wasn’t in the ducts > **THAT DUST WOULD JUST BE IN THE HOUSE!** > Get it? > Ducts don’t generate dust, so to say that cleaning them makes your house cleaner makes no sense at all. I don’t think anyone suggested that ducts generate dust. But if your ducts are dirty (even if it’s because you don’t change your filters often enough), it only stands to reason that the dust and cat hair would blow around the house when the furnace or A/C are on. That dust settles on furniture and your house needs dusting more often. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/30 "2009-02-24T19:00:47Z")
Chimney sweep and duct cleaning set us back around $600. ---
**Author:** ![skylyn12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@skylyn12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skylyn12)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/31 "2009-02-24T19:39:27Z")
Duct cleaning is a scam, plain and simple. It will not: reduce dust in your house, help with allergies or better your furnace’s efficiency. Let me repeat, it is a scam, end of story. Read the info I posted above, then read this: [The Truth About... - High Performance Heating & Air](http://hphaa.com/editorials/index.htm) Here are some select quotes: “From Canada Mortgage and Housing: In the 1990s duct cleaning research conducted by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the US Environmental Protection Agency tested house and duct performance before and after cleaning. Researchers observed little or no discernible differences in the concentrations of house airborne particles or in duct airflows due to duct cleaning.” **Duct cleaning had virtually no effect on air quality or airflow."** “From Indoor Air 2002 (1C6o5 on page 25): Duct cleaning had no measurable effect on supply air quality. Dust was removed from the ducts but the effect on the air was nil. Interestingly the occupants perceived an improvement in air quality.” “Air duct cleaning has been widely promoted as being beneficial, but there were no data we know of,” explained Amy Tsay, a research specialist with Indoor Biotechnologies, Charlottesville, Virginia, which specializes in detecting the substances that cause allergies, called allergens." ---
**Author:** ![skylyn12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@skylyn12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skylyn12)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/32 "2009-02-24T19:43:11Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I don’t think anyone suggested that ducts generate dust. But if your ducts are dirty (even if it’s because you don’t change your filters often enough), it only stands to reason that the dust and cat hair would blow around the house when the furnace or A/C are on. That dust settles on furniture and your house needs dusting more often. This does not make any sense on multiple levels. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/33 "2009-02-24T20:20:54Z")
> [@skylyn12](#): > > Duct cleaning is a scam, plain and simple. It will not: reduce dust in your house, help with allergies or better your furnace’s efficiency. Let me repeat, it is a scam, end of story. Read the info I posted above, then read this: [The Truth About... - High Performance Heating & Air](http://hphaa.com/editorials/index.htm) > > Here are some select quotes: > “From Canada Mortgage and Housing: > In the 1990s duct cleaning research conducted by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the US Environmental Protection Agency tested house and duct performance before and after cleaning. Researchers observed little or no discernible differences in the concentrations of house airborne particles or in duct airflows due to duct cleaning.” > **Duct cleaning had virtually no effect on air quality or airflow."** > > “From Indoor Air 2002 (1C6o5 on page 25): > Duct cleaning had no measurable effect on supply air quality. > Dust was removed from the ducts but the effect on the air was nil. Interestingly the occupants perceived an improvement in air quality.” > > “Air duct cleaning has been widely promoted as being beneficial, but there were no data we know of,” explained Amy Tsay, a research specialist with Indoor Biotechnologies, Charlottesville, Virginia, which specializes in detecting the substances that cause allergies, called allergens." In the interest of full and honest disclosure, is that _your_ web site? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/34 "2009-02-24T20:31:30Z")
> [@skylyn12](#): > > This does not make any sense on multiple levels. We know that some ducts get dirty because we have at least one poster who saw it with his own eyes. Tell me how dirt in the ducts would _not_ get into the house if forced air is blowing through them. ---
**Author:** ![skylyn12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@skylyn12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skylyn12)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/35 "2009-02-25T00:12:39Z")
> [@raindog](#): > > In the interest of full and honest disclosure, is that _your_ web site? Uhh no. I have nothing to do with that website. Why would _you_ assume that (hey look, I can use italics & underline too!)? ---
**Author:** ![skylyn12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@skylyn12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skylyn12)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/36 "2009-02-25T00:16:49Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > We know that some ducts get dirty because we have at least one poster who saw it with his own eyes. Tell me how dirt in the ducts would _not_ get into the house if forced air is blowing through them. Read the website I posted above and the EPA cite above that. This is answered quite clearly. There is no evidence, whatsoever, that dirt (if there is even dirt apart from dirt at the mouth of a duct) from ducts gets into the air. This has been tested and retested multiple times. I really don’t know what else to tell you. This isn’t guess work, these are scientifically proven facts. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/37 "2009-02-25T00:52:01Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > We know that some ducts get dirty because we have at least one poster who saw it with his own eyes. Tell me how dirt in the ducts would _not_ get into the house if forced air is blowing through them. Because then the ducts would be _clean_! ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/38 "2009-02-25T01:03:32Z")
> [@skylyn12](#): > > Uhh no. I have nothing to do with that website. Why would _you_ assume that (hey look, I can use italics & underline too!)? Well, because you posted a URL that was from a contractor, hardly a cite that should render the discussion “End of Story.” ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/39 "2009-02-25T01:09:32Z")
> [@skylyn12](#): > > Read the website I posted above and the EPA cite above that. This is answered quite clearly. There is no evidence, whatsoever, that dirt (if there is even dirt apart from dirt at the mouth of a duct) from ducts gets into the air. This has been tested and retested multiple times. I really don’t know what else to tell you. This isn’t guess work, these are scientifically proven facts. Let me ask you, do you have a background in this area? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272/40 "2009-02-25T11:21:52Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Because then the ducts would be _clean_! Um, no they wouldn’t _necessarily_. They’re not perfectly smooth. They have bends and stuff clings to them. I know this because I have the air exchange on my floor and I have to move the chair to clean it periodically. When I take the grate off, I can see that the intake passage is dusty and I clean it as far as I can reach. Though I haven’t yet had them professionally cleaned, I know that there is dust and hair accumulation that contributes to the dustiness in my house. Why would you think that those who have posted about removal of lots of crap from their ducts are lying? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-expensive-to-have-a-houses-heating-cooling-ducts-cleaned-out/486272.md?page=3)