Re: Humidifiers [cheapo duct clean]

[Guest guest]

Jackie,

Sorry, but a heat pump is a forced air system. You must have a MERV-

11 filter on the system (such as an Aprilaire or Air Bear) and any

lining material with exposed fiberglass must be replaced with foil-

coated insulation.

Most new systems that I have looked at were contaminated with sawdust

and drywall from construction. Check the ducts.

Here is a cheapo way to " clean " ducts. Buy one section of 8 or 10-

inch flexduct long enough to reach from any supply register to the

nearest window in the room where the supply is located. Close (or

seal all but one of the supply registers with aluminum foil and

removable painter's tape). Tape one end of the flexduct to the

register so that it is airtight; put the other end outside a window

and seal around the opening so no dust can blow back in. (You could

use a piece of cardboard cut to fit tightly in a window, with a

circular hole in the cardboard for the flexduct.)

Make sure that you have not covered any of the returns. Hold the duct

at the supply in place (it MUST not fall or leak as irritating dust

will leak into the house) and have someone turn the blower ( " fan

only " ) on for a few seconds. (DO NOT CYCLE an AC or furnace on and

off; only the blower. Do not leave the blower on more than 10-15

seconds as the motor might overheat.)

All the air from the blower will be forced through the one register.

The air flow should be about 10 times normal and lots of debris will

blow out, into the taped flexduct and out the window.Turn the blower

off and then on again and see if more debris blows out. When the air

comes out clean, seal this supply up and move to the next one. Blow

air out of each supply while all the other supply registers are

closed and all the return grilles are open.Do not blow this air into

the house as it will be very dusty due to the high velocity of the

flow.

After each supply is done, open them or unseal them and temporarily

cover with some coarse filter material to trap any loose material

that might blow out. Open all the windows and doors and turn the

system on. Air it out for a few minutes.

Apart from over-heating the blower motor, the only possible risk I

can see to this procedure is that a poorly connected duct would blow

off somewhere from the higher pressure. Try to start with a supply

that has a duct that has visible connections such as one in the attic

or basement and check the connections after one cycle.

Keep in mind that this procedure only gets rid of some of the loose

dust in the ducts. It is not a substitute for system cleaning, which

would include disinfecting an AC coil, cleaning the blower,

condensate pan. etc.

May

www.mayindoorair.com

>

> <SNIP>

> > But if you have allergies, try to avoid homes forced

> > hot air heat!!!

> >

> >

> > C. May, M.A., CIAQP

> >

> >

> > >8a. Humidifiers

> > >Posted by: " barb1283 " barb1283@... barb1283

> > >Date: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:38 pm ((PST))

> > >Hi. I wasn't going to use a humidifier but humidity

> > in my house is at 20% >and my skin and lips are

> > bothering me. Does anyone have any tips of

> > >humidifying the air? I know we are all usually

> > trying to do the >opposite. I probably will only

> > need to for a couple of months.

> >

> > >I have an Aprilaire on the furnace but I have to

> > get a repair person to >look at it since it doesn't

> > seem to be working properly.

> >

> > >I used to have a portable that had a 'wick' type of

> > filter but I needed to >constantly change the

> > wicking filter as it would start to turn moldy very

> > >quickly.

> >

> > >Thanks

> >

>

>

>

>

______________________________________________________________________

______________

> Never miss a thing. Make your home page.

> http://www./r/hs

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you for explaining this! I had to read it 3

times to grasp how to clean them. This is a lot of

great info about duct cleaning! I am going to do this.

I am sure lots of sheet rock stuff is in there as I

had to change the filter as soon as we moved in

because it was full of that dust. We do have the foil

coated ducts so that is a good thing. I have seen the

MERV ratings but had no idea what they meant. I don't

know what kind mine is but it is the best one Wal Mart

had..I know that might not be saying much but I wanted

to make sure I had one that would catch the most

stuff. It said it will last 3 months. It has not been

3 months but I believe with the saw dust and sheet

rock dust settling, I can use one of the better ones

you suggested right now

Thanks again for taking time to share this. I am sure

this will benefit all of us.

--- jmhiaq <jeff@...> wrote:

> Jackie,

>

> Sorry, but a heat pump is a forced air system. You

> must have a MERV-

> 11 filter on the system (such as an Aprilaire or Air

> Bear) and any

> lining material with exposed fiberglass must be

> replaced with foil-

> coated insulation.

>

> Most new systems that I have looked at were

> contaminated with sawdust

> and drywall from construction. Check the ducts.

>

> Here is a cheapo way to " clean " ducts. Buy one

> section of 8 or 10-

> inch flexduct long enough to reach from any supply

> register to the

> nearest window in the room where the supply is

> located. Close (or

> seal all but one of the supply registers with

> aluminum foil and

> removable painter's tape). Tape one end of the

> flexduct to the

> register so that it is airtight; put the other end

> outside a window

> and seal around the opening so no dust can blow back

> in. (You could

> use a piece of cardboard cut to fit tightly in a

> window, with a

> circular hole in the cardboard for the flexduct.)

>

> Make sure that you have not covered any of the

> returns. Hold the duct

> at the supply in place (it MUST not fall or leak as

> irritating dust

> will leak into the house) and have someone turn the

> blower ( " fan

> only " ) on for a few seconds. (DO NOT CYCLE an AC or

> furnace on and

> off; only the blower. Do not leave the blower on

> more than 10-15

> seconds as the motor might overheat.)

>

> All the air from the blower will be forced through

> the one register.

> The air flow should be about 10 times normal and

> lots of debris will

> blow out, into the taped flexduct and out the

> window.Turn the blower

> off and then on again and see if more debris blows

> out. When the air

> comes out clean, seal this supply up and move to the

> next one. Blow

> air out of each supply while all the other supply

> registers are

> closed and all the return grilles are open.Do not

> blow this air into

> the house as it will be very dusty due to the high

> velocity of the

> flow.

>

> After each supply is done, open them or unseal them

> and temporarily

> cover with some coarse filter material to trap any

> loose material

> that might blow out. Open all the windows and doors

> and turn the

> system on. Air it out for a few minutes.

>

> Apart from over-heating the blower motor, the only

> possible risk I

> can see to this procedure is that a poorly connected

> duct would blow

> off somewhere from the higher pressure. Try to start

> with a supply

> that has a duct that has visible connections such as

> one in the attic

> or basement and check the connections after one

> cycle.

>

> Keep in mind that this procedure only gets rid of

> some of the loose

> dust in the ducts. It is not a substitute for system

> cleaning, which

> would include disinfecting an AC coil, cleaning the

> blower,

> condensate pan. etc.

>

> May

> www.mayindoorair.com

>

>

>

> >

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

Never miss a thing. Make your home page.

http://www./r/hs

[Guest guest]

I paid a company to clean the ducts in my house for 400.00 a few years

ago and the bag they were catching the debri had a HOLE IN IT!!! I

went down into the basement where they were and there was dust

everywhere. They seemed satisfied that they were catching 'most of

it'! They had a good reputation too as a cleaning company, drappery

cleaning, carpet cleaning, duct cleaning.

>

>> Here is a cheapo way to " clean " ducts.

[Guest guest]

It's a money maker saying your air duct need cleaning. Air that flows

thru the ducts have to go past the filters. Change the filters

frequently. Where can this duct be hiding?