When you move into an apartment or home, have you ever once thought of the vents and what has fallen in them? I know I never did..that is until I moved into a contaminated and toxic home. The next home I just moved into, in fact, had way more than a handful of debris in just one vent alone! Talk about GROSS!
And we would have been breathing that stuff?!
I want you to call around, when it comes to this topic or any other for that matter.
When it comes to cleaning out your vents, they should be licensed, and it should take them more than an hour or two...to do it right. Also ask if they use a flap over the individual vents as they clean them. They have a tool that spins as it goes into the vent, to get the debris loose, and a vacuum on the base(bottom), down where the furnace is located...thus, the loosened materials will be immediately sucked down in...baby shoes, clothing, necklaces, dog hair, crayons...you name it...if it's there, you will be breathing it..or smelling it until it is cleaned out!
Make sure it will take them several hours..for a 1400 s.f home with 12 vents, it took the guys oh, at least 3 hours..but it could take 6 hours for the same home if the equipment wasn't as good..so check around..
Some offer before pics and after...some charge for this, some don't...when you get a good look at the pics...those or the actual shoe in their big two foot wide hose..it is then and only then, in which you realize just how glad you are that you did it.
My cost was 400 bucks...that was a deep cleaning..and I am willing to bet that there are more of quality professionals in this field that are needed, vs. the 200 dollar general ones. I will say this: if you plan on spending much less on one contractor, than their competitors' prices, more than likely it isn't as great of a cleaning, and thus, you may as well try to do-it-yourself. Take the vent off, grab what you can (which will be much more than likely), then vacuum as far down as you can...and if you like, wipe down in there real deep with something moist..getting all the dander you can. Our current home now has so much cat hair that caused allergy attacks in my eyes, but it only took a few weeks' time to get most of it out of the home...and cleaning the vents was part of it...2 cats for 8 years is alot of dander!
THE HOMEOWNER is ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST!
IF RENTING YOUR HOME: there are certain HABITABILITY LAWS in many states, which require once a year cleaning of ventilation systems..including the duct work...so if the landlord doesn't care to pay, you can do it, and then take it out of rent..but be sure to get the company's DETAILED quote sheet, work order of work done, and have them write on there about the safety/health issues revolving around the current situation,....and pictures are always nice to have, and their best Professional opinion on how long it looks like it was cleaned last!
*You must give your landlord proper written notice before you do it yourself. There are certain habitability issues such as this one that would allow ONLY a two-ish day for a waiting period to proceed without permission. (Other examples include bad toilets, faucets...necessary habitability items)
And we would have been breathing that stuff?!
I want you to call around, when it comes to this topic or any other for that matter.
When it comes to cleaning out your vents, they should be licensed, and it should take them more than an hour or two...to do it right. Also ask if they use a flap over the individual vents as they clean them. They have a tool that spins as it goes into the vent, to get the debris loose, and a vacuum on the base(bottom), down where the furnace is located...thus, the loosened materials will be immediately sucked down in...baby shoes, clothing, necklaces, dog hair, crayons...you name it...if it's there, you will be breathing it..or smelling it until it is cleaned out!
Make sure it will take them several hours..for a 1400 s.f home with 12 vents, it took the guys oh, at least 3 hours..but it could take 6 hours for the same home if the equipment wasn't as good..so check around..
Some offer before pics and after...some charge for this, some don't...when you get a good look at the pics...those or the actual shoe in their big two foot wide hose..it is then and only then, in which you realize just how glad you are that you did it.
My cost was 400 bucks...that was a deep cleaning..and I am willing to bet that there are more of quality professionals in this field that are needed, vs. the 200 dollar general ones. I will say this: if you plan on spending much less on one contractor, than their competitors' prices, more than likely it isn't as great of a cleaning, and thus, you may as well try to do-it-yourself. Take the vent off, grab what you can (which will be much more than likely), then vacuum as far down as you can...and if you like, wipe down in there real deep with something moist..getting all the dander you can. Our current home now has so much cat hair that caused allergy attacks in my eyes, but it only took a few weeks' time to get most of it out of the home...and cleaning the vents was part of it...2 cats for 8 years is alot of dander!
THE HOMEOWNER is ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST!
IF RENTING YOUR HOME: there are certain HABITABILITY LAWS in many states, which require once a year cleaning of ventilation systems..including the duct work...so if the landlord doesn't care to pay, you can do it, and then take it out of rent..but be sure to get the company's DETAILED quote sheet, work order of work done, and have them write on there about the safety/health issues revolving around the current situation,....and pictures are always nice to have, and their best Professional opinion on how long it looks like it was cleaned last!
*You must give your landlord proper written notice before you do it yourself. There are certain habitability issues such as this one that would allow ONLY a two-ish day for a waiting period to proceed without permission. (Other examples include bad toilets, faucets...necessary habitability items)
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