best way to check heating ducts for clogs
Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 9:41 am
I bought a 1998 bank repo mobile home, that had lots of stuff in the heating ducts (looks like the 6 year old enjoyed putting aluminum and small plastic sacks in them)
I have pulled out as much stuff as I can reach, but wonder how to check the ducts to see that I got 99% of stuff. the air flow is pretty wimpy in the rooms furtherest from the furnace, which is not unexpected, but this seems like worse than usual
if there would be a clog, how would I get it out? is there a tool to rent I don't know about lol? I have pulled out a garbage bag of stuff from the worse register, but there were still aluminum cans rolling around for a bit that took a while to get near an opening where i could reach them.
I have tried putting a light and a mirror in the ducts, but there are metal collars in the ducts which are making it hard to get access.
I may be having to remove, trim ,a reinstall the collars since they have mostly pulled away from the subfloor, and get pushed around when I try to put new vents into the the holes. I am considering stapling them with my air compressor, if i can get the edge of the gun into the right spot. any other install hints for that task?
obviously, i am trying to avoid the extreme of opening the underbelly and disassembling the ducts, this is a newer home and the underbelly is in good shape unlike the other homes I remodelled. and i hate the feel of insulation raining down on me if I can avoid it... lol
Brenda (OH)
I have pulled out as much stuff as I can reach, but wonder how to check the ducts to see that I got 99% of stuff. the air flow is pretty wimpy in the rooms furtherest from the furnace, which is not unexpected, but this seems like worse than usual
if there would be a clog, how would I get it out? is there a tool to rent I don't know about lol? I have pulled out a garbage bag of stuff from the worse register, but there were still aluminum cans rolling around for a bit that took a while to get near an opening where i could reach them.
I have tried putting a light and a mirror in the ducts, but there are metal collars in the ducts which are making it hard to get access.
I may be having to remove, trim ,a reinstall the collars since they have mostly pulled away from the subfloor, and get pushed around when I try to put new vents into the the holes. I am considering stapling them with my air compressor, if i can get the edge of the gun into the right spot. any other install hints for that task?
obviously, i am trying to avoid the extreme of opening the underbelly and disassembling the ducts, this is a newer home and the underbelly is in good shape unlike the other homes I remodelled. and i hate the feel of insulation raining down on me if I can avoid it... lol
Brenda (OH)