Archive for the duct cleaning category
Twin Cities Duct Cleaning Minneapolis A/C Cleaning
By Dave Trosdahl on June 8th, 2008
Duct Cleaning | Furnace Cleaning
By Dave Trosdahl on April 16th, 2008
If you are a homeowner you are most likely in the “spring clean-up mode”, if not, I bet you will be soon. As the temperatures start getting back to normal and the old furnace gets a break, most people start thinking about spring cleaning and how they can get some fresh air back into the house.
Spring Cleaning Includes the Air Ducts too!
In addition to cleaning up the yard, washing windows and shampooing carpets, don’t forget about your home’s heating and air conditioning system. As one of the most important…and most expensive… appliances in your home, the ductwork is just begging to be cleaned! If you think about it, the furnace has been forcing musty, stale air through the cold air return, past the furnace filter and back into your home through your air vents all winter long. And for $1.50 at the local home depot, don’t expect that furnace filter to stop too much in the way of dust and dirt. Your furnace is designed to be cleaned frequently (yearly according to manufacturer recommendations), and not to be dependent soley upon a cheap little furnace filter.
Want Fresh Air - Clean the Air Vents
If it’s fresh air you want, consider duct cleaning as one of the top items on your list. Most companies offer a $99 Philly Duct Cleaning Special and as long as they are a reputable firm, it’s well worth the money. Chances are, you will save that back in the first few months running your a/c since your furnace won’t need to work so hard to blow cool air through the air ducts. For more duct cleaning facts read; “Twin Cities Duct Cleaning Facts” and you might want to read; “Is routine Duct Cleaning a Good Choice?“
Good luck with the spring clean-up!
A/C Spring Cleaning Air Conditioner Tune-up
By Dave Trosdahl on April 10th, 2008
At Duct-911.com, we would love nothing more than to be able to help you save energy and save money by lower your heating and cooling costs while still helping you maintain a cool climate inside your home this summer.
A/C Spring Cleaning
When thinking about your furnace or air conditioner it is important to under stand that most central air conditioners have three basic parts:
- Compressor/Condenser - This is the outdoor unit that sits next to your home
- Evaporator/A-coil - an indoor unit which is located in the plenum (the duct work above your furnace).
- Duct work and air vents More
Now Duct-911.com Has a Toll Free Duct Cleaning Number: (877) 382-8911
By Dave Trosdahl on January 19th, 2008
Duct-911.com has a new way to be contacted for air duct cleaning: (877) 382-8911. In an atempt to make it even easier for customers to contact us, wee have created a new duct cleaning hotline.
Whether you would prefer to schedule online or by phone, we would love to hear from you. We service many major markets and will be adding more metro areas as quickly as we are able to locate air duct cleaning contractors who meet our stringent requirements.
If you are an experienced duct cleaner and have a reputation of putting the homeowner first, we would love to talk with you. Our $99 duct cleaning service is expanding rapidly and we will be needing duct cleaning pros to work with homeowners who are in need of duct cleaning, furnace cleaning, dryer vent cleaning, chimney sweeping and more. Please call our office at 877-Duct-911.
Time to Change Your Furnace Filter?
By Dave Trosdahl on January 6th, 2008
Here’s a question we are asked all the time; “How often do I need to change my furnace filter?”. While there are many factors involved, a good rule of thumb is to change your furnace filter every month. here are some of the factors to consider when deciding how often you should change the furnace filter in your home:
- Is your house dusty? - A house with dirty air ducts will blow dust and dirt around the house and will ultimately assist in plugging up the filter faster. If it’s been a while since you had your air ducts cleaned, play it safe and get them cleaned.
- Do you have pets? Cats and dogs are notorious for shedding hair which will eventually find it’s way into your heating and cooling system.
- How often does your furnace run? If you live in Minneapolis or New York City, chances are your furnace will run a lot more than if you live in Atlanta. On the other hand, the people that live in Atlanta will run their A/C a lot more than the folks who live in the northern climates.
- Are you bothered by allergies? You might be tempted to go out and purchase a HEPA filter, but be prepared to pay for it twice! Not only will you pay more for it and still have to replace it every 6 months or so, your furnace will be required to work much harder to draw air through the filter.
- If you have an electrostatic furnace filter you will need to wash it as recommended by the manufacturer.
No matter what you decide, remember that if there is a forced air system in the home or office the filter must be changed regularly and duct cleaning should be considered as a part of routine home maintenance. Doing so will help insure that your family is breathing cleaner air and your heating/cooling system is not overworking.
$99 Duct Cleaning - is it Even Worth the Money?
By Dave Trosdahl on December 5th, 2007
The quick answer? Yes, it is worth the money.
Here’s the way we look at it. Let’s say your car is dirty and you want to wash it. The best is to do it yourself by hand. Sometimes though, that just isn’t practical. So, you take it through the “touch-free” wash. It won’t be quite as clean, but it certainly will be much cleaner.
The same is true when it comes to the $99 duct cleaning. While it doesn’t “scrub” the walls of the duct work, it will remove about 90% of the dust and dirt. Not bad for a quick job which only takes about an hour.
What’s the difference between the $99 duct cleaning and the $189 duct cleaning?
The main difference between the $99 duct cleaning and the $189 duct cleaning is the equipment used. For $99, pressurized air is blown through the air ducts to a high powered vacuum which has been attached to your furnace. The $189 duct cleaning on the other hand incorporates a soft-bristled brush and a vacuum. The rotobush is sent through the air ducts and will loosen all the dirt and debris so the vacuum can remove it.
If money is tight or time is a concern, go with the $99 duct cleaning. If at all possible though, consider the $189 duct cleaning, since it is clearly a much more thorough way to clean duct work.
Clean Duct Work Means Your Heating and Cooling System Will Run More Efficiently
By Dave Trosdahl on November 30th, 2007
Every once in a while, one of us at Duct-911.com come across a very well written article promoting the benefits of duct cleaning. Today we found just that. We uncovered an awesome post from a heating and cooling contractor located in Bellingham, WA.
Wes Diskin of Barron Heating and Cooling, has crafted a very well written article with tips a homeowner can use to properly maintain their heating and cooling system. It goes into detail the steps involved in doing proper maintenance and cleaning of the components in a typical heating and cooling system.
Mr. Diskin also addresses the importance of duct cleaning whenever replacing a heating and cooling system. In his article published at www.barrongreenteam.com, he says; “If a new furnace is being installed, you should probably invest in a duct cleaning at the same time, because chances are the new blower will be more powerful than the old one and will stir up a lot of dust.”.
At Duct-911.com, we always encourage homeowners to clean their duct work whenever a new heating and cooling system has been installed. Most professional HVAC contractors agree that it is better for your furnace AND your family members to breathe clean air.
Worried About Having a Bad Duct Cleaning Experience?
By Dave Trosdahl on November 1st, 2007
We don’t blame you for being worried. Anytime you hire a stranger to come into your home it can be a little unnerving. And, as in any industry, there are companies that give our industry a bad rap. As a professional air duct cleaning company, I would like to mention a few things regarding hiring air duct cleaning companies. Check with the BBB, ask for RECENT referrals, join Angie’s List. These should be steps you take whenever you hire a service company to come into your home.
First, you need to understood in advance that $39 for anything is not cost justifiable. Throw that coupon out! Many people do not understand this. These companies have already started out the relationship under false pretenses. When it comes to duct cleaning, If the company is quoting a price it should state “whole-house” (who would partially clean their duct work?). If it does say whole-house, and you don’t agree to any upgrades, write the check out for the coupon amount and not a penny more! They will never pursue it in court, they know they are in the wrong.
Our air duct cleaning company offers a $99 “whole-house” special. It is not at all uncommon for our techs to leave a job with a $99 check. That’s all some people want or need. For others, they want the rotary brush method. That takes longer and we charge $189. Others also want their dryer vents cleaned. That’s another $65. We are not pushy, we show, explain and then let the customer decide. We like to think that we play fair. We don’t mislead you with an artificially low price, nor do we inflate the cost of a rather simple procedure by making it sound very complicated, dangerous, and high tech. We know that some people want this reassurance, we just don’t do it that way. Some shop at Wal-Mart, others want Saks Fifth Avenue.
We like using the “upgrade” method because it saves the customer money. This way, you don’t pay for things they don’t need. For example, if your furnace was just installed, you don’t need a furnace cleaning for one year from the date of install, so why pay for it? If you don’t have central air, a dirty chimney, or a dirty clothes dryer vent, why would you pay a lump sum which includes all that?
Lastly, I disagree with the EPA’s comment that air duct cleaning should take 4-6 hours. Our installers can install new ducts in 6-8 hours! Many of these expensive companies make a big production out of duct cleaning. They are only air ducts! This comes from a guy who has been in the home services/air duct cleaning business for many, many years!
Here’s the big picture.
- Because ducts are made of metal, they are typically much easier to clean than carpeting or fabric.
- No company will send two of their techs to your home for less than $100. When you add up all the expenses, the math doesn’t work. Our company plays the odds. We know that a large percentage of people will want other things cleaned when they see how dirty (and dangerous) the dust or lint build up in their vents can be.
- Read and re-read the coupon. Is their a limit on how many vents? If so, count them and tally it up. does the price include both the hot AND cold air returns, if not, ask how much this will add to the price. Is furnace cleaning included or how about your a/c if you have one?
- Ask the duct cleaning company if they will cover the vents. This will prevent dust from blowing around your home.
- If you want video, you are going to pay. It takes much longer. Again, remember…it’s duct work! Unless you expect to see something, or you are overly curious, or suspect you have a severe mold problem, this is usually just a scheme for duct cleaning companies to increase the overall ticket of their jobs. They will tell you it’s necessary, we think it’s just a gimmick.
- You should be able to tell if they are professionals within the first 15 minutes. If they are anything less than you expect, ask them to leave.
- Visit the bad service forum and read the good and bad experiences of others.
I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Dave Trosdahl
Duct-911.com
