What are you breathing ?

[Aarons Air]

Just thought i'd share a couple of pics. These are of a joist space, in a recent customers home. This space is being used as duct to pull return air back to their furnace. Its common for air duct cleaning companies to have " touched up" photos showing their work. Though these are completely untouched. This is typical of what i see in many homes. This is a buildup of skin that people shed, dust mites, dust mite feces, and pet dander. Changing your filter regularly helps in keeping the air in your home clean. Though this still builds up, especially in the return duct.

 

[steve from staten island]

Wow!! Glad I have hot water heat
Ive seen joists used for returns in older homes. Maybe to save money with not having to use ducts?

 

[440RUSH]

Man that's nasty. I never knew those could be that full of crud. I kind glad I have electric baseboard heat. But it's expensive to heat with.

 

[Budnicks]

gross

 

[Aarons Air]

Makes you wonder whats in your house, doesn't it ?

 

[Aarons Air]

There were a ton of for sale ads posted, right after i put this up. So i dont think many people saw it. I just thought people should be aware.

 

[dadsbee]

Why I have always had filters placed over all the return vents, since building our house 25 years ago. But that would put you out of business... lol

 

[dartforforty]

Wow!! Glad I have hot water heat
Ive seen joists used for returns in older homes. Maybe to save money with not having to use ducts?

using the bay space for return air is still a common practice today.
easier to pan off a bay than run duct work for returns in certain applications

 

[Aarons Air]

Why I have always had filters placed over all the return vents, since building our house 25 years ago. But that would put you out of business... lol

Filters dont stop everything. Putting filters over every return puts too much stress on the blower motor, it raises the amp draw of the motor, causing it to have a shorter life. It also raises the delta of the furnaces operating temp range. and restricts air flow.
I've also seen people put filter material under supply registers, which does the same thing.

 

[vintage chromoly]

using the bay space for return air is still a common practice today.
easier to pan off a bay than run duct work for returns in certain applications

I built my house in 2006 and we used the joist space as a plenum for cold air return.

I’ve been told recently Ohio building code no longer permits that.

 

[dadsbee]

Filters dont stop everything. Putting filters over every return puts too much stress on the blower motor, it raises the amp draw of the motor, causing it to have a shorter life. It also raises the delta of the furnaces operating temp range. and restricts air flow.

Okay, 25 years in, same oil fired heat exchanger and blower, maintained by myself yearly. Maybe I should buy a spare blower motor just in case.

 

[dartforforty]

In New Jersey the hot air hacks get away with murder especially in housing development projects.

Us plumbers get put under the magnifying glass when it comes to our inspections though

messed up part is we don't do the condensate drains for the HVAC systems but it falls under our plumbing insspections

 

[Aarons Air]

Okay, 25 years in, same oil fired heat exchanger and blower, maintained by myself yearly. Maybe I should buy a spare blower motor just in case.

Youve been lucky. But its still pulled more power than necessary. 25 years is near the end of expected life.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I have forced hot water heat, and a central a/c system in the attic. How often should that be cleaned out?

 

[fratzog lover]

Glad I have a wood stove to reduce the run time. Then there is the A/C season....

 

[Aarons Air]

I have forced hot water heat, and a central a/c system in the attic. How often should that be cleaned out?

The nadca ( national air duct cleaners association) recommends having the duct inspected ( not cleaned, as many misquote) every 3-5 years. Many variables affect when it needs done, ie, the number of people & pets, type of filter, how often its changed, etc.

 

[dartforforty]

I have forced hot water heat, and a central a/c system in the attic. How often should that be cleaned out?

Air filters say to change them every 30 days, these are the 1 inch filter
I use a 4 1/2 inch media filter for my forced air system and change it every 3 to 4 months.