Post-remodel: house cleaning or duct cleaning first?

last year

We're at the end of a major kitchen remodel and going to have the house cleaned and the airducts cleaned, but now I'm wondering which should we do first? Or doesn't matter?

Featured Answer

Kendrah

last year

@Ty Peterson When you start your remodel, close off your kitchen registers so less debris has a chance to enter.

My husband has terrible dust allergies. My dad is an HVAC engineer and he said to never get our vents cleaned that it would kick up way more dust than simply running the system with the debris in it. The EPA concurs.

When we had a lot of work done, we ran put very tight weave cheese cloth into our air vents and ran the system so make sure whatever shmootz that was loose would not make its way out.

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Comments (10)

Ty Peterson
last year
I don’t have a answer but I’m curious too. I will be starting a kitchen remodel soon.
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Nora thanked Ty Peterson
Susan Brooks
last year
I’m mystified. See EPA?? Please explain.
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Here's my school of thought--if it aint broke, don't fix it. If you're having a dust problem in the house, the first place to look are the filters. Yes, dust collects in the ducts for a whole lot of reasons, but it doesn't necessarily get into the house from there, it stays in the ducts unless disturbed. That's how the ducts GOT so dusty in the first place. BUT, if you're highly sensitive to dust and you've already thoroughly investigated the filters issue and maybe even installed an air filter in your home (they can make a huge difference), then maybe spending the money on the duct cleaning will be worth while. To me it would depend on if I had a dust problem or not, and if I thought duct cleaning would solve it. If I didn't have a problem, then to me it seems like a waste of money to have something done that may have a negligible effect. But I'm not dust sensitive, so that would be the deciding factor for me. BTW, I run an air filter in my basement and it helps a lot with dust, I can compare that to the upstairs without the filter. To me, that would be a better investment if I was worried about dust in the air. But if your mom isn't experiencing any problems, then I would say it is just an unnecessary sales pitch. It would be difficult to make an across the board recommendation for something that may only help in certain circumstances. I say, let sleeping dust lie! :) But if your mom is uncomfortable with the dust in there, and has the money to spend, go for it. Somebody had to have jobs in this economy, might as well be duct cleaners! :)
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I had mine cleaned last summer. I think there's a noticeable difference, and my friends with allergies seem to have less problems now. My house is old, I got it 3 years ago and who knows when they'd been done, if ever. When I took off my cold air return and other registers to have a look it was quite, um, gross. When they were all shiny and not gross, I was much happier. I probably won't do it after the reno though. I'm just changing my furnace filters weekly right now and so far, so good. The dust in the house seems to be settling or getting sucked up, so I don't feel like I'm breathing it in all the time. Tip: Take the vent cover off, stick a hand or vanity mirror into the duct with a small flashlight, angle the mirror so you can see down the duct and take a look. You should be able to tell if it's dusty and needs a cleaning.
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Nora
Original Author
last year
Its been a few years and our 5-month project generated a lot of dust, from demolition to sanding drywall to sawdust etc We’ve had a good filter in the furnace but peeking in the registers tells me they need to be well vacuumed out now that the dust has settled , so to speak.
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Nora
Original Author
last year
Ty, good luck with your remodel!
vinmarks
last year
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/should-you-have-air-ducts-your-home-cleaned#deciding
Nora thanked vinmarks
Mrs. S
last year
Maybe just run your HVAC and change your filters, if there has been a crazy amount of dust. My HVAC friend says that I would never need duct cleaning unless something got in there (a dead rat?).
Nora thanked Mrs. S
Heather
last year
No remodel here, but we had our ducts cleaned bc we weren’t sure if they’ve ever been serviced. Our house isn’t old but it’s not brand new. Had dust in the air after the ducts were cleaned, so I would do ducts first then house cleaning.
Nora thanked Heather
PRO
Charles Ross Homes
last year
Depending on how much the builder or remodeler protected the HVAC ducts, dust and debris from demolition and construction can get inside ductwork. It can generally be removed by vacuuming without the need for a specialty duct cleaning service. I'd do that before any other cleaning.
Quarchwo Alex
last month
last modified: last month
It's exciting to be at the end of your kitchen remodel! For your question, it's generally recommended to have the ducts cleaned after the house cleaning. This way, any dust or debris stirred up during the cleaning process can be captured by the duct cleaning. However, if your house cleaning involves heavy-duty tasks that might create a lot of dust, like sanding or drywall work, it might be best to have the ducts cleaned first to prevent that dust from spreading.

Overall, it's a good idea to consult with your cleaning professionals for their expert opinion based on your specific situation. If you need help with house cleaning services, you can check out Hemstäd for reliable options in Malmö.
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