I would like to

[adamh]

I would like to "maybe" get into duct and dryer vent cleaning.

Is there a place I can get training and what equipement do I need?

Thanks

Adam

 

[Mikey P]

If you can pass the NADCA test then buy the big vacuum bag truck and go for it.

Will you be getting out of cleaning?

 

[handdi]

we bought a meyer machine outfit
richard has one also i think
think about it we don't get much but its nice sometimes also
ya have to charge 500 and up to make it worth while dirty work
for us any way
our systems are under the house so ya spend almost half your time under there
you may have basements which will be a lot easier
call jimmy meyer 847 395 2970 great people
they have training and on going support for ya.
I think there is some one up your way also harolds i believe it is
buy a gas powered don't waste your time with an electric unit.
go with a big truck ya have to do full time they start at 100 grand
do it the right way what ever ya do do;nt do it half a__
great need for this service.

 

[K P]

Not a good diversification without having help.Takes half a day or more to do a decent job.For 250.00 and a cordless drill you can add on dryer vent cleaning.

 

[John Olson]

The ram air is simple and low cost relatively speaking. Call me and we an talk. Air-care in Vegas has good products and good training but they have no desire to work with distributors so much so they are complete jerks. I don't like mentioning them but they do have a good product and old training and ultimately that's what's most important.

 

[Hoody]

I don't like Air Care's customer service however, they do carry some great products. Selling their filters as an addon is a no brainer, and highly profitable.

I used stuff from abatement technologies ( http://www.abatement.com ) Their stand up negative units are great. I also used the Viper Clean Air Wash System to evacuate the duct work of contaminates, you need an air compressor to use it.

 

[mcatt]

Interesting. The ram air I have been interested in since seeing it advertised in cleanfax mag awhile ago. Are any of you guys using it and could you tell us how it works, time, typical job cost, etc..

 

[tmdry]

This company is in my town. Great looking trucks.

http://www.ductdoctor.com/Residential/equipment.htm

 

[Steve Manier]

I spent hours researching this and even came across a very informative but dead board called Duct Cleaners Network, that I tried to sign up for but never heard from them...They have some public viewing info but they have a bunch of locked info that you can't get to unless you're a member which seems impossible to do!

I like the idea and think it would be a great "add on" with the right equipment. It's just like carpet cleaning equipment with the best being a negative air truck, then negative air portable, then RAM AIR and contact cleaning...Air Care is great and is suppose to have a great training program but once you show interest, they "Hound" you like crazy! They manufacure many different portable units and have something called the "Truck Master". It's a contact cleaning unit that uses your truckmount for suction and has a portable motor drivin brush system with a control box that kinda looks like a tool or spotter box. It brushes and vacuums at the same time while going through the duct... Very convienient but not sure if this or the RAM AIR would be better. RAM AIR uses an air compressor, air hose, and a whipping ball that blows the dirt from the back, forward to your vacuum unit thats sealed to a vent...I believe you can use your TM with both or use a porty for vacuum...The negative air units are much better and more efficient but much more expensive...It's better to google those to see how they work!

Equipment prices start at about 1 to 2k for the RAM AIR (this includes buying a "decent" air compressor}, 2k for air care Truckmaster (no compressor needed), 5 to 10k or more for a portable negative air unit and 50 to 100k or more for a new air truck (this will get you "Baller" status :mrgreen: )...They also have lot's of accessories and tools...Some you will need and some will sit in the garage collecting dust...Inexpensive, used trucks are hard to find unless you want junk and there is all the other used stuff out there but not as easy to find as carpet cleaning stuff ...It's definately more difficult to do, takes longer, and just as expensive or even more to get into than carpet cleaning. From what I understand, it can be very profitable if you get the right clients and jobs...From what I have read, stay away from Rotobrush!...Good luck!

PS...If you think carpet cleaners can be arrogant, just wait till you come across a "Baller" Duct Cleaner! :shock:

 

[rwcarpet]

We have a few in town here, and most seem to be "bait and switch" operators......maybe $5 a vent, and many add-ons to actually complete the job.

The State of Ohio is looking at licensing duct cleaners because of these fly-by-night operators.

 

[Desk Jockey]

For the money the Meyers Porta Vac is a great unit 5200 cfm, we've got 250 feet and still good suction. We just recently bought a used Abatement Technologies 2500C unit for $3,000.00, it's electric but we have 82 units to clean at a retirement community and hose setup for the Porta Vac would have been a pain.

I'm not sure about training, we sent guys several years ago to classes in Houston, St Louis, Michigan.

Not sure if Byron Ware is still teaching but this is or was his company.

http://www.cleanducts.com/training.asp

It's a very simple process, you cut an access to the plenum, attach the hose from you vacuum collector, clean the trunk line and then return line, clean the vents, hand wipe the boots, remove and clean the blower (air wash if your state does allow removal). 4-5 hours most systems, usually $100.00 or more average per hour. The negative is it is hot dirty work, not hard but dirty and dusty.

In the last several years when we would have a booth at home shows, that's all the people want to talk about is air ducts.

You should see the stuff we suck out of vents, petrified bats, mice, snake, a rabbit that turned into a liquid mess, beer cans, McDonalds sacks, piles of lint. Just about anything and everything. LOL

 

[K P]

250 feet :shock: I carried 75ft(2 25 ft 8" and 25ft. of 10") you do know what the wheels are for right Richie? :mrgreen:

 

[Desk Jockey]

Hey that's after off loading the unit. Now you know why we bought the electric unit, just not worth the extra CFM's to use that gas setup.

 

[Jimbo]

Hey Adam...Some states want you to be a licensed hvac contractor to open access holes in ductwork.

I bought a full-size pto operated Pringle Power Vac truck about 17 years ago...never really had time to put it to work...sold it after a year!

How about finding the best real hvac company in your area that also does duct cleaning...and getting a referral spiff off each job you send to them?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Here is a good gas fired one for a good price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NIKRO-PORTABLE- ... 1e6de1c2f2

 

[dgargan]

We went with the Ram Air system. Very cheap to get started. Just use your TM and an air compressor along with the Ram Air kit. It's about $1000 We don't cut into any systems just work back from the ducts and clean out at the main system. Clean or change the filter. Very easy learning curve. Our techs do it alone except when there are ducts in the ceiling. We are getting on average $350 for a single story home and $450 for a 2 level home. We also add on fogging for extra charge. Also easy to get a dryer vent cleaning to go along with this at $75. Average 1 story home takes 2.5 hours. Very easy and very profitable

 

[Desk Jockey]

They used the Abatement unit today at the retirement home, they said it did very well, 2500 cfm's 5-ft of 10-inch hose. They were cleaning 8-opening systems in about 2-hours and they felt it had as much suction as they were getting with our gas fired collector at 200-ft.

 

[K P]

We went with the Ram Air system. Very cheap to get started. Just use your TM and an air compressor along with the Ram Air kit. It's about $1000 We don't cut into any systems just work back from the ducts and clean out at the main system. Clean or change the filter. Very easy learning curve. Our techs do it alone except when there are ducts in the ceiling. We are getting on average $350 for a single story home and $450 for a 2 level home. We also add on fogging for extra charge. Also easy to get a dryer vent cleaning to go along with this at $75. Average 1 story home takes 2.5 hours. Very easy and very profitable

Do you honestly think you are doing the people a service?There are many trunks in a normal house that are 15-20-25ft and more in lenth and you are using a reverse whip and trying to pull it back to the first 4ft(if you are lucky) to the air movement :roll: may as well stick a shop vac hose down in there.You really are not much better than the 59.00 for up to 12 vents guys.I now no why Canada does not want Warrington to visit.

 

[dgargan]

Kevin have you even seen how the ram air system works? And yes I feel we are doing our customers a valuable service. Your comments remind me of the rug Gods that think you can't clean an area rug unless you have $100,000 in equipment and a 20,000 sq ft shop.

 

[handdi]

what about all the crap you are pushing down into the main trunk lines with that ram air
like i said do it right or don't doit at all

 

[K P]

Kevin have you even seen how the ram air system works? And yes I feel we are doing our customers a valuable service. Your comments remind me of the rug Gods that think you can't clean an area rug unless you have $100,000 in equipment and a 20,000 sq ft shop.

Do you not cover the vent,attach your vac hose and feed a reverse air line to the furthest point of that vent and pull it slowly backwards to your vac?How far do you think the airflow of that 2"hose is pulling?I cleaned ducts for awhile and before I purchased I did my homework,and you should have too.Dont confuse the issue with what a rug guy thinks you need to clean rugs,I spent 10,000 on a decent setup for ducts,you obviously were looking for the cheap.So David,if I come after your carpet custy's with a hoover,is that ok?Yes,that analogy is exactly the difference between you and a "real" duct cleaner.

PS-A real duct cleaner also has a camera

 

[dgargan]

Still not buying it. The rug cleaning example still fits just like the portable vs Tm debate. Yes, one is more expensive and powerful but with education, and attention to details decent results can be archived with smaller units. We clean the system to where the customers amazed at the amount of junk that we get out and they are happy. We feel they received a good service and are satisfied they've received value. No regrets here.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I've not seen the Ram Air unit used so I can't say too much, however my concern would be using the TM as a collector.

Using a TM 2-inch hose vs 10-12-inch standard air duct hose just seems to have obvious limitations. ???

The CFM's needed to return the dislodged debris to the vacuum collector also seems questionable. TM's don't pull any where near the CFM of even a electric duct unit, to say nothing about gas fired.

I'm not saying some cleaning isn't being accomplished there but I would question in comparrison how much in comparrison?

I look at those types of add on sytems as I do the Rotobrush, easy to use but limited in ability.

:?:

 

[RGH269]

The Ram Air system doesn't rely just on TM vac it also utilizes the systems air handler to remove contaminants (1500-2500 CFM's) with most residential systems. I tried using one of the push pull systems using just my TM 10 or 12 years ago it was and is a poor excuse for duct cleaning that is why I gave it up not long after I started. Duct cleaning is a profitable add on.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Bobby but doesn't it still use the 2-inch hose to deliver the debris to your TM collector?

The 2-inch size I would think would clog and fill with debris. ????

This debris came out of an HVAC system we cleaned. Now it's certainly not the norm but we find all kinds of stuff in our collector that I just can't see passing through a 2-inch hose.

 

[RGH269]

Yes it does Richard, I see your point. I'm not saying the Ram Air system does it all, but based on my experience with a push pull & TM setup it is a vast improvement. It isn't meant to do commercial systems. I think it would perform well on most residential jobs. Check out the videos @ Ramair industries.com. Let me know what you think. I have given some thought to Nikro equipment.

I don't remember who I got my stuff from it came from Canada I think it might have been Ken Harris, a very similar set up is still being sold by Steam Brite.

What the heck is that and where didi it come from? Residential or commercial?

 

[Desk Jockey]

It was just 30-years of lint and debris. It had built up to the point it was restricting allow airflow to a couple of bed rooms.

It's amazing the junk we find in their ducts, bats, frogs, birds nest, snake skin, dead snake, dead rabbit, beer and pop cans and of course construction debris. New homes sometimes have a terrible mess in the boots and system when the contractor sweep the stuff right into the vents. :shock:

 

[Hoody]

It was just 30-years of lint and debris. It had built up to the point it was restricting allow airflow to a couple of bed rooms.

It's amazing the junk we find in their ducts, bats, frogs, birds nest, snake skin, dead snake, dead rabbit, beer and pop cans and of course construction debris. New homes sometimes have a terrible mess in the boots and system when the contractor sweep the stuff right into the vents. :shock:

Man I use to really hate that!!! :x :x

What if the home owner wasn't having their ducts cleaned.....lazy bums!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Yea when I built my house I taped cardboard over the boot openings. somewhat amus

 

[K P]

Commercial is easier most times because you can get to a main trunk through a drop ceiling and either put in an access or drill a small hole for the air line every so many feet.That is where an electric works fine.Bobby, if the logic of the air handler moving the debris to the vac is correct,then you do not even need a TM for removal,you can just hook a shop vac to that plexiglass panel,but if that were the case,then the debris would not have settled there in the first place.