If you live in a slab constructed house and have a force hot air heating and cooling system, the air duct work is either in the attic or buried in the concrete slab. If duct work is in the attic you are fortunate inasmuch as you don’t have the problems associated with buried air ducts.

Buried air heat and air-conditioning distribution ducts are either manufactured from PVC piping or they are galvanized thin sheet metal. Buried PVC ducts are far superior to the galvanized ducts. PVC is impervious to corrosion and water leaks but galvanized sheet metal ducts are extremely susceptible to corrosion that results in water leaks.

The problem with the buried galvanized air ducts is that the chemical interaction between the concrete and the metal quickly corrodes the ducts. In addition, the joints are almost impossible to seal against water leaks. Water in the buried ducts will become stagnant and smelly in a short while giving off a terrible odor every time you run the heat or air-conditioning. If your buried sheet medal ducts don’t have water leaks you are very fortunate.

Cleaning the air ducts should be performed at least every two years. Keeping the forced air ducts dust free and clean of debris will improve the quality of your indoor air as well as reduce cooling and heat costs. Although many professional air duct cleaners are ready to clean your ducts for you it can be expensive. Cleaning dirty forced air ducts is a relatively easy homeowner DIY task.

How to clean buried forced air ducts:

Remove the grates in the floor. Use a long brush with extension as necessary to dislodge the dirt and dust from inside the ducts.
Insert a common wet dry vacuum hose into the opening and vacuum the dust, dirt or debris from the duct. Hose extensions may be required to reach all the areas of the system.
The heating system filters should be changed at the same time. To help keep your forced air ducts clean the filters should be changed often.

Cleaning slab house air ducts yourself will save you several hundred dollars. If you have sheet metal ducts that are leaking water you will need a professional air duct cleaning service to clean and repair the ducts. Such leaks can be resealed with specialized equipment. The only other alternative is to install new duct work in the ceiling. Installing new duct work can be a very expensive task. I recommend using a professional to seal any ducts that are leaking.

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