legit air duct cleaning

[Walt]

I seem to have an in on getting air duct cleaning jobs. Where do I find out about getting legit gear and training? Lot's of stuff on sale on the internet, I just don't know where to start.

BTW - I wont be doing this work personally - if that affects your recommendation. I'll possibly be getting family member trained.

 

[MicahR]

www.nadca.com
www.caddyvac.com

 

[Kevin. McCreary]

http://www.heatsealequipment.com/dc/us/index.htm

 

[Joe Appleby]

I have the complete Abatement Tech. start up package 'B' that sells for 11,995.00 with under 80 hrs. It's yours for $ 6,000.00

 

[royalkid]

DO NOT use/buy ROTOVAC!!! 100% Crap!!!

 

[Walt]

I have the complete Abatement Tech. start up package 'B' that sells for 11,995.00 with under 80 hrs. It's yours for $ 6,000.00

What else would I need? a trailer, the little video thingy?

 

[Walt]

I have the complete Abatement Tech. start up package 'B' that sells for 11,995.00 with under 80 hrs. It's yours for $ 6,000.00

What else would I need? a trailer, the little video thingy?

How close to you have to get that thing to the furnace? Most are in the basement here, which could be a total PITA

 

[MicahR]

First I would consider educating myself as much as possible and cleaning to industry standard.

Do it right or don't do it at all.

google duct cleaning a read to your hearts content.

then look at different types of equipment.

Nikro
Abatement technologies
Biltwel

I'm starting a duct cleaning company the first of Sept.

I go down next week to Idaho to pick up my truck. www.caddyvac.com So I'm a little biased.

If you have any questions give Mac Matoon there a call. Great guy that won't steer you wrong.

 

[steve frasier]

avoid the rotovac, I had my house done when I was looking at buying one

I sub it all out to McCalls

 

[Walt]

First I would consider educating myself as much as possible and cleaning to industry standard.

Do it right or don't do it at all.

google duct cleaning a read to your hearts content.

then look at different types of equipment.

Nikro
Abatement technologies
Biltwel

I'm starting a duct cleaning company the first of Sept.

I go down next week to Idaho to pick up my truck. http://www.caddyvac.com So I'm a little biased.

If you have any questions give Mac Matoon there a call. Great guy that won't steer you wrong.

Now that is what I'm talking about. Which model did you get?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Research it, it's an entirely different business.

It's hot, dirty, hard work, but can be rewarding and profitable.

I second Micah's recommendation of Caddy Vac if your budget can afford it. I'd like one of their trucks some day!

However if you want another lower cost but still powerful unit Check out Meyer Vacuum Systems.

They have The Porta Vac, The Zephyr slide in, Hi Range (big Silde in) we have the Porta Vac, it's been a great unit for the money.

http://www.meyervacuums.com/air_duct_cl ... ta-vac.htm

 

[MicahR]

Got the ACV 3 on the Chevy 4500 chassis with.

It is a used one Mac used in his business and is replacing with a new one.

I'm stoked! Huge hole in the market here for a company that will do it right. I have six local carpet and restoration companies that will be referring me. Already have jobs scheduled! Looking forward to it.

 

[Joe Appleby]

"How close to you have to get that thing to the furnace? Most are in the basement here, which could be a total PITA"

I believe the vac hose is about 10'. We did not have any access issues in basements or attics.
You could always get more hose.

 

[Desk Jockey]

That's a great price for an electric unit Joe, does that include an air compressor?

There will be times, just like in carpet cleaning where an electric makes much more sense than stringing out hundreds of feet of 10 inch hose.

I don't know how many times we've kicked ourselves for getting rid of ours.

 

[Greenie]

I just had mine done with an Abatement unit, Unlike carpet cleaning, I am wondering if at some point "more suck" wouldn't cause some issues, like in a collapsed duct, or some damage in a place I really don't want to crawl into to repair.

The portable unit sounded like one of Joe's, just roll it into the furnace, hook up, it's HEPA, so no exhaust hose, the dude did have a pretty impressive compressor, I take it that is a big part of doing a good job....toothbrush cleaning the blower fan was nice too, it's sparkles now, did the whole sanitize fog as well, mine is just a small 8 duct job.

 

[Desk Jockey]

hey Greenie!

Unlikely to collapse the ducts but anything is possible. :wink:

A good vac collector could make it pop, but no worry unless you're talking about flex duct. If it were dirt flex we would just replace it.

"Source Removal Method" is as you said,loosen debris with brushes and whips and use the high volume air compressor to suspend and push contaminents to the vac collector.

 

[Kevin. McCreary]

I have collapsed trunk lines before. That caddyvac truck is the bomb. However truckmounted duct machines
require a lot more maintenance than a carpet machine and they are a pain in the ass to repair. It also will take longer
to set up and tear down a job than it will to clean.

In this day and age the good old 1000 dollar jobs are becoming scarce because of the bait and switch guys.
Now its more of the 300-500 dollar crowd. Which is not bad by any means, but after you sell all your cc customers a
good duct cleaning you start running out of customers because they don't repeat like ccing. So what you will find is you
can absolutely bank for about two years cleaning ducts off your current customers. When they run out, be prepared to
venture into a whole new competitive business.

 

[John Buxton]

Alot of good points here. I did ducts for 10+ years. started with an electric hepa vac, and compressor in a trailer, added a rotojunk for one particular job (had to), then a truckmount. Eventually you will need all of them because every job is different. Thats one of the things I really liked. You had to think about how to do the job unlike carpet.

Since you wont be doing the work, you will probably need 2 guys unless you have a really good guy that knows hvac systems, or has experience. I got out of it because I started there weere only 4 of us in the yellow pages in the 13th largest city in the us. Now every ccer, and hvacer do it. Bait and switch ads for 49.99 whole house run weekly.

It's very hard, very dirty, very detail work. I made a good living from hvac, and mold companies.

If I were to start over, I would buy a gas powered portable like Meyer and a 200 psi compressor in a van or trailer (van is better for employee). They are closer to a truckmount for a fraction of the cost. My truckmount retailed for over $60K. Add a viper system you dont need video yet a mirror and flashlight work good enough for now.