Mikey P
Administrator
Is that the Ken Harris gizmo?
Air Duct Cleaning With A Porty
- Thread starter Travis Sonderegger
- Start date
rhino1
Member
Looks just like it, except his didn't come with the round brush part, we had to add it.
Desk Jockey
Member
Its like saying you can do a fine job of carpet cleaning with a Rug Doctor. Yes you can use it and it does clean but its not ideal.
Just not enough cfm to move the debris back to the collector and the hose diameter is a joke.
The orange is 1.5 the blue is 2.0 but air duct hose is usually 8-10 inches in diameter.
If you must use a portable then look at units like abatement technologies or something with the power to pull the debris back to the collector.
"Source Removal".
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rhino1
Member
I could do $99 duct cleaning jobs all day long with that thing, by myself. It was great until one day I got a bad one and filled the whole damn house up with dust... and that was using it with a TM, just can't imagine what could be accomplished with a portable.
Desk Jockey
Member
I understand trying to get the most out of the equipment that you already own, but I think this is stretching it to the point you are taking risks not worth the savings of not using the proper equipment & tools.
Thank you Chris for you frank & honest statements! You may have saved someone some grief and wasted $$$$$.
Thank you Chris for you frank & honest statements! You may have saved someone some grief and wasted $$$$$.
Larry Cobb
Member
An improved Turbine-Powered model.
The vacuum inlet is a couple of inches away from the spinning brush . . .
vs.
25 feet away with an 8" hose.
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Desk Jockey
Member
How large is the collector hose?
rhino1
Member
Our vac source pulls around 6500 cfm with 13 inches of service pressure, there are vacs that go to 10k or above, like caddy vacs or Pringle trucks. Yesterday we used 75 feet of hose to tie into a system of 30 or so vents, around 100 feet of mains located in a crawlspace. There was an inch thick blanket of dust throughout the system. How would you be able to do this job with that tool? You can't.
You won't be able to fit a 1.5 inch hose down alot of the vents you come across, so you can't do those jobs either. Some vents are a tight fit for a 5/8 air line.
Larry Cobb, I like the tool you have. I made alot of money with it... but it doesn't really do the job. Like I said, it is definitely the tool to use to put a show on...and that is how some choose to run their business, I don't judge.
There was an old sales guru who used to say that customers had your money in their wallet, your job was to get it out without going to jail...not my personal view but I do like the saying.
You won't be able to fit a 1.5 inch hose down alot of the vents you come across, so you can't do those jobs either. Some vents are a tight fit for a 5/8 air line.
Larry Cobb, I like the tool you have. I made alot of money with it... but it doesn't really do the job. Like I said, it is definitely the tool to use to put a show on...and that is how some choose to run their business, I don't judge.
There was an old sales guru who used to say that customers had your money in their wallet, your job was to get it out without going to jail...not my personal view but I do like the saying.
Desk Jockey
Member
Imo.... Unless you are dominating your local area with carpet cleaning, I would not add another service til my bread and butter service(carpet, upholstery, etc) has taken off.
I respectfully disagree. It can be much easier to cross market a couple of different services. You can use one of the services as a "loss leader" and then be a premium deliver er of the other service or services you offer.
For instance being very aggressively priced carpet cleaner in an area can get you a lot of jobs that you can bid on tile and grout and duct cleaning. Or any combination.
However virtually all business plans if aggressively pursued and thought out work very well.
I do have to agree with the Desk Jockey that any extra service you offer you must be able to do it right or don't do it.
Matt Middleton
Member
Yes. We have been cleaning air ducts since 2004.
That's a Ken Harris bullshit thing. I had one, it was awful . By a used rotobrush for $2,000 or go with a push pull system. Check laws as some states require a Hvac license to cut a hole in the line. Also many people don't want you CUTTING A HOLE. If you do, install a nice door port, don't do a tape and run.
That being said, Airduct cleaning is a pain in the ass. If the vents are in the ceiling it can be a pain getting them screwed back in. Often you have to cut the vent out as it has been painted over 67 times. Then the people want you to repaint their whole ceiling. I urge you, beg you to do a ride along with someone before taking the leap into air duct cleaning. Someone with a push pull system that does it correctly. It not that profitable. I would push commercial carpet cleaning like CRAZY and tile & grout. Buy a cimex or similar HIGH PRODUCTION machine and make bank in the business you are in.
If you want to start another business, go to beauty school.
I agree with everything the guy above said except the rotobrush. I had 2 of them and the older coke cooler design worked better than the newer one. Keep that in mind if you go that route. I hated doing it. It’s a 2-3 man job. It’s not a single owner op friendly service. If you decide to do it with just a portable, you can’t guarantee full removal.
Duct cleaning is one of those services where there’s only 1 proper way. Negative sir system. If you don’t want to go that deep in it, don’t mess with the portable. Stay with carpet.
Duct cleaning is one of those services where there’s only 1 proper way. Negative sir system. If you don’t want to go that deep in it, don’t mess with the portable. Stay with carpet.
I agree with everything the guy above said except the rotobrush.
#ME TOO
Except when the house is a slab or condo. Push pull is then worthless.
The Air +xp was pretty good. I played with three different rotobrush models that I bought at auction to resell. Not a bad unit just way way OVERPRICED. Where the rotobrush shines is condos. Getting your average negative air unit up more than a few steps is a no go.
The bottomline, knowing what I now know, air duct cleaning was a horrible idea.
#ME TOO
Except when the house is a slab or condo. Push pull is then worthless.
The Air +xp was pretty good. I played with three different rotobrush models that I bought at auction to resell. Not a bad unit just way way OVERPRICED. Where the rotobrush shines is condos. Getting your average negative air unit up more than a few steps is a no go.
The bottomline, knowing what I now know, air duct cleaning was a horrible idea.
Dolly Llama
Number 5
I think ultrasonic blind cleaning and drop ceiling spray 'n run cleaning is way to go for add on services ......
..L.T.A.
Cleanworks
Moderator
Ultrasonic blind cleaning is a pita. You either need a shop or a box truck with the unit mounted inside. You have to be able to dry them sufficiently to rehang if doing on location. If doing in a shop, you have to do a large volume to make it worthwhile. Ceiling cleaning though is like liquid gold for some. spray & run describes accurately.
The Great Oz
Member
Ultrasonic blind tanks are a hefty investment for start-up, sideline work. We dropped blind cleaning, just not enough profit for the hassle. Too many jobs cancel when you explain you can't fix the paint damage caused by them squirting the blinds with Windex.
Ceiling cleaning is a cheap add-on sideline, but still has to be done correctly. Spray and run can leave a star field of bleach spots on the carpet. As carpet cleaners, we've been blamed for this enough in restaurants that we just move the tables to show the perfect carpet under each table. Not sure what re-carpeting a restaurant costs, but it would probably take the fun out of that service.
Kenny Hayes
Member
Spray and run with disinfectant is the way to go
Cleanworks
Moderator
Hopefully you can outrun the lawsuits right behind you.Spray and run with disinfectant is the way to go
Kenny Hayes
Member
Won’t be one lawsuit after me, unless someone somehow gets in front of me and I spray em in the eye
Kenny Hayes
Member
Any of my customers who don’t actually use us and want to spray, I tell them where to get the equipment and what to use. Doesn’t bother me in the least. We’re killing it! By the way, they’ll be suing Home Depot Pro first.
Dolly Llama
Number 5
Hack Attack
Member
nah, misdirection and misunderstanding is what this place is about
The Great Oz
Member
I guess there should be a sarcastic icon
< You have to use it for foggy minded people (I'll blame the sinus infection) like me.
Mikey P
Administrator
I'll stick to disgusting shower stalls, thank you
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