Vent Cleaning...Please Look

Higgy · 12-11-10, 11:32 AM

So I had my vents cleaned and I just have to ask...is this normal? We had our vents cleaned before by a different company and I never had these issues. My wife was home while they did it so I didn't get to see what they were doing. Something I know they shouldn't have done was wreck my cold air intake vent covers. They're all bent as you can see in the screenshots. I tried bending them back, but they bent them in such a way that they won't go back to normal. Then they put 1" holes all over my main rectangular part of my cold and hot air vents downstairs in the basement, and all they did was covered them up with metallic tape. Again shown in the pictures below. Is this normal procedure? I'm guessing putting holes every 4 feet is normal to clean the main vents, but to just put metallic tape over top? That doesn't seem right. Also, from my previous cleaning they had capped part of my vent properly...well when these guys went to recap it, it's like they didn't bother lining the screws back up and just punctured new holes instead. I found one screw hole right beside one of the proper caps with holes where they just taped it up.

I had taken half a day off and my wife picked me up after they were done and we went Christmas shopping. When we got home later on in the day I went downstairs, and although not a big deal, but they had left my furnace filter half way out. So my newly cleaned vents were now slightly dirty again because my furnace was running while we were out for the other half of the day and it only had half a filter sticking in the furnace. I'm kind of ticked off at what seems like a shoddy cleanup and the wrecking of my vent covers.

Anyway, please let me know if this is normal. I'm going to complain about the white cold air vent covers for sure, but I want to know what else to complain to them about.

strider3700 · 12-11-10, 11:35 AM

The guys that did mine didn't tape the big patch they put over the large cut outs, I had to do that. Mine didn't drill 1" holes anywhere though. And they didn't damage anything. I'm not sure what the holes are for.

iamgeo · 12-11-10, 12:13 PM

I do not think it is "normal" for a company to damage your stuff.
I would be on the phone to management and have him come over to see the damage himself. Then have them right their wrong.

Daox · 12-11-10, 01:04 PM

I agree with iamgeo. They shouldn't have damaged anything. The taped over holes I wouldn't be too concerned with though.

Ryland · 12-11-10, 08:17 PM

Tape is not duct work and should not be used to do anything other then seal cracks or seams, you can get rubber plugs to plug the holes and that is what they should have done, not tape, try pulling the tape off right now and see how easily it pulls off easily.
When I had my ducts cleaned they drilled the holes where they needed to get at bends in the duct work, or where a run was to long for their compressed air hose, they use a compressed air hose with a 360 degree spray to either push the dust, or another that pulls the dust along with the hose.
But I would call them up and ask they they left it unfinished without telling you when they would be back to fix what is wrong.

12-11-10, 11:32 AM	#1
Higgy The Gardener Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manitoba - Canada Posts: 492 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	Vent Cleaning...Please Look So I had my vents cleaned and I just have to ask...is this normal? We had our vents cleaned before by a different company and I never had these issues. My wife was home while they did it so I didn't get to see what they were doing. Something I know they shouldn't have done was wreck my cold air intake vent covers. They're all bent as you can see in the screenshots. I tried bending them back, but they bent them in such a way that they won't go back to normal. Then they put 1" holes all over my main rectangular part of my cold and hot air vents downstairs in the basement, and all they did was covered them up with metallic tape. Again shown in the pictures below. Is this normal procedure? I'm guessing putting holes every 4 feet is normal to clean the main vents, but to just put metallic tape over top? That doesn't seem right. Also, from my previous cleaning they had capped part of my vent properly...well when these guys went to recap it, it's like they didn't bother lining the screws back up and just punctured new holes instead. I found one screw hole right beside one of the proper caps with holes where they just taped it up. I had taken half a day off and my wife picked me up after they were done and we went Christmas shopping. When we got home later on in the day I went downstairs, and although not a big deal, but they had left my furnace filter half way out. So my newly cleaned vents were now slightly dirty again because my furnace was running while we were out for the other half of the day and it only had half a filter sticking in the furnace. I'm kind of ticked off at what seems like a shoddy cleanup and the wrecking of my vent covers. Anyway, please let me know if this is normal. I'm going to complain about the white cold air vent covers for sure, but I want to know what else to complain to them about. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Higgy; 12-11-10 at 11:34 AM..

12-11-10, 01:04 PM	#4
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I agree with iamgeo. They shouldn't have damaged anything. The taped over holes I wouldn't be too concerned with though. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-11-10, 11:35 AM	#2
strider3700 Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver Island BC Posts: 745 Thanks: 23 Thanked 37 Times in 30 Posts	The guys that did mine didn't tape the big patch they put over the large cut outs, I had to do that. Mine didn't drill 1" holes anywhere though. And they didn't damage anything. I'm not sure what the holes are for.

12-11-10, 12:13 PM	#3
iamgeo Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Lakehills, Tx Posts: 168 Thanks: 4 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts	I do not think it is "normal" for a company to damage your stuff. I would be on the phone to management and have him come over to see the damage himself. Then have them right their wrong.

12-11-10, 08:17 PM	#5
Ryland Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Western Wisconsin. Posts: 913 Thanks: 127 Thanked 82 Times in 71 Posts	Tape is not duct work and should not be used to do anything other then seal cracks or seams, you can get rubber plugs to plug the holes and that is what they should have done, not tape, try pulling the tape off right now and see how easily it pulls off easily. When I had my ducts cleaned they drilled the holes where they needed to get at bends in the duct work, or where a run was to long for their compressed air hose, they use a compressed air hose with a 360 degree spray to either push the dust, or another that pulls the dust along with the hose. But I would call them up and ask they they left it unfinished without telling you when they would be back to fix what is wrong.