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Started By
Message
Duct cleaning (i know, i know..)
Posted on 6/27/25 at 6:36 pm
Posted on 6/27/25 at 6:36 pm
The last couple of months have been really earthy-damp smelling air coming from our floor registers.
The house was built in 1979 and while a new 4T HVAC was installed in 2023, I seriously doubt they did any kind of cleaning of the ductwork.
Its been really REALLY damp this year in Nashville (more rain so far than Seattle gets in a year) and with 97 degree 90 percent humidity days, I am not totally surprised the house smells a little bad but I've given it a month or so to resolve and its not getting better.
The local 'duct cleaning' co is $199 per HVAC unit so not a huge financial hurdle, but what is everyone's thoughts on this?
i didn't smell anything at all the entirety of 2024 which was our first year in this house if that helps. Its clearly coming from the registers and I just replaced the filter a couple weeks back.
anything else i should do or direction I should take on this?
The house was built in 1979 and while a new 4T HVAC was installed in 2023, I seriously doubt they did any kind of cleaning of the ductwork.
Its been really REALLY damp this year in Nashville (more rain so far than Seattle gets in a year) and with 97 degree 90 percent humidity days, I am not totally surprised the house smells a little bad but I've given it a month or so to resolve and its not getting better.
The local 'duct cleaning' co is $199 per HVAC unit so not a huge financial hurdle, but what is everyone's thoughts on this?
i didn't smell anything at all the entirety of 2024 which was our first year in this house if that helps. Its clearly coming from the registers and I just replaced the filter a couple weeks back.
anything else i should do or direction I should take on this?
3
Posted on 6/27/25 at 8:29 pm to CAD703X
cleaning won't get rid of moisture. you need to eliminate the source
Posted on 6/28/25 at 10:13 am to CAD703X
Sounds what you are describing is what many in the HVAC trades refer to as “Dirty Sock Syndrome”. Associated with a build up of mold-mildew on the evaporator coil or primary evaporator drain pan. Sometimes, wet insulation inside the air supply plenum.
As I’ve read it seems to be more common with the newer 100% aluminum evaporator coils which you likely have with your system installed in 2023. Older evap coils had some copper in them which provided some algicide properties but then they were notorious for leaking at 5-6 years so manufacturers have switched over all aluminum coils to hopefully mitigate that issue. Also it appears to be more common with heat pumps vs traditional split HVAC systems.
Anyway just internet search that topic and you’ll finds lots of articles commentary on that subject, and see if describes what you are experiencing, and potential fixes. Here’s an article to get you started. LINK
I seriously doubt HVAC duct cleaning is the solution to your problem. Do you have rigid ducts or flex ducts? Rigid ducts can be cleaned, flex ducts can not. If you do indeed have dirty ducts that is an indication you have some type of air leak in the ducts-plenum on the return side (negative pressure) of the system and/or return air is somehow by-passing the filter so cleaning the ducts would just be treating the symptom, not the root cause of the issue.
As I’ve read it seems to be more common with the newer 100% aluminum evaporator coils which you likely have with your system installed in 2023. Older evap coils had some copper in them which provided some algicide properties but then they were notorious for leaking at 5-6 years so manufacturers have switched over all aluminum coils to hopefully mitigate that issue. Also it appears to be more common with heat pumps vs traditional split HVAC systems.
Anyway just internet search that topic and you’ll finds lots of articles commentary on that subject, and see if describes what you are experiencing, and potential fixes. Here’s an article to get you started. LINK
I seriously doubt HVAC duct cleaning is the solution to your problem. Do you have rigid ducts or flex ducts? Rigid ducts can be cleaned, flex ducts can not. If you do indeed have dirty ducts that is an indication you have some type of air leak in the ducts-plenum on the return side (negative pressure) of the system and/or return air is somehow by-passing the filter so cleaning the ducts would just be treating the symptom, not the root cause of the issue.
Posted on 6/28/25 at 10:31 am to CrawDude
I think you nailed it. That's got to be what's going on.
Posted on 6/28/25 at 11:51 am to CAD703X
quote:
97 degree 90 percent humidity days,
144 degree heat index? gotdamn
But you ain't lying about it being wet. Its damp all over the deep south this Juen.
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