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Today I’m going to demonstrate how we clean air ducts using hyper back Technologies 220 volts equipment here you can see me bringing everything in setting up zoning off the furnace we replace the filter with a stopper I cut three holes I put a mat over the coil or heat exchanger you can see here I mean large pieces of debris will fall in there instead of the Furnace
Creating Negative Pressure and Sealing the Door
we’re then going to set up the back, turn it on, and get cleaning it up to 60 hertz. Check for negative pressure on the system — the line sunk in a little bit, a good sign. Go to each register and just make sure that we’re drawing air from each one. Here in the suction, tape any registers that might be falling through the floor joists; we just tape it up to make sure there are no air leaks. You can see the suction I got there — it’s quite strong. Now I’m pulling in the airline, and we’re going to set up a sealer door that I have. It’s December, so it’s a little cold outside. You can see me here just sealing the door closed so that it doesn’t stay wide open while I clean.
If you’re wondering whether air duct cleaning is really necessary for your home, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides helpful guidance here
Register Cleaning with Forward Push Ball and 175 PSI
got 175 PSI that’s a minimum we’re going to use a forward push ball down each register blow the dirt and debris dust down into the trunk line in the basement takes a little bit of fight getting it around some 90 degree angles got to make sure you go back and forth and bend it a little bit and make sure that it gets as far as you could possibly get it to the end of the branch line into the trunk Boot and the register or cleaned at this time as well
Trunk Line Access, Camera, and Air Whips
Next, we head down into the basement to clean the ceiling registers and prepare for trunk line cleaning. To access the inside of the ducts, we drill 1-inch holes into the trunk line. This allows us to insert our air whips, cleaning rods, and the Cobra View duct cleaning camera, which provides a live view inside the trunk line as we clean. The live footage is also displayed on-screen and included in the final edit so viewers can see exactly what’s happening during the process.
- We start with Forward Air Whips to remove large debris and fine dust.
- Multiple sweeps are performed into the back of the trunk line until the area is thoroughly cleaned.
- Once satisfied, we switch to Reverse Air Whips to clean from the opposite direction for complete coverage.
After that, we move to the trunk line encased in drywall and find the best spot to insert the camera and rods. Since the trunk line runs through the drywall, we choose a point across the way for a straight airline entry. The airline is pushed all the way to the back first, then the air is turned on in reverse mode while pulling the rods back instead of pushing them toward the vacuum, ensuring deep and even cleaning throughout the trunk line.
Coil or Heat Exchanger Protection and Cleanup
next we’re gonna clean out the dust and debris that may have fallen into my mat above the heat exchanger or in some instances an AC coil you’re just going to want to make sure that’s nice and clean in there and any large objects usually it’s like golf balls or cat toys that might fall and they don’t get picked up by the vacuum
Cold Air Return
next we switch to the cold air return you can see I laid the vacuum down to get more suction the hole is close to the ground it’s easier to have the vacuum close to the ground as well you can see I uh I’m now pushing the dust and debris from the cold air return down into the cold air return trunk line this takes a little bit of fight as well and you’re going to want to sweep it back and forth a good amount of times and just make sure it’s nice and clean in there
Cold Air Trunk Line, Camera Positioning, and Duct Sealer
Next, we repeat the same process with the cold air trunk line, using the Cobra View Camera to monitor the cleaning from inside. We start by pushing debris from the far side of the trunk line toward the vacuum, then move to the opposite side to use the reverse air whip for a thorough clean.
During this process, the camera occasionally gets knocked around by the whip due to its position, so it’s important to carefully plan where to drill holes and place both the camera and rods for better maneuverability and viewing angles.
- Begin by cleaning from the far side and pushing debris into the vacuum.
- Switch to the opposite side and use reverse movement to ensure complete cleaning.
- Adjust camera placement as needed if it gets hit or moves out of view.
While cleaning, what initially appears to be dust buildup turns out to be duct sealer that had been applied some time ago. We also clean the J-transition section connected to the furnace (not shown on camera). After inspecting closely, it’s confirmed that the surface is not dust but painted duct sealer, leaving the area nice and clean once the process is complete.
Blower Cleaning and Before/After Views
next we can’t really see it it’s off camera but I have the vacuum hose down in front of the blower it’s a fairly new furnace so there was only a little bit of dust beside the blower we just uh use a little bit of air and vacuum and clean out the blower sometimes if it’s a really dirty system you’ll have to pull out the blower and give it a wash but here’s a before and after video of the cold air trunk line the main hall here’s the one bedroom cold air return this is a newer portion of it so the after looked a little bit more shiny I don’t think there was a duck sealer on the far part 100 of the dust and debris removed from every system
Sealing Access Panels, Stickers, Grommets, and Final Checks
foreign using stainless steel patches and the proper aluminum foil tape heat resistant eight screws in each patch so put my sticker on there to show when it’s been cleaned you can use these access panels in the future for any future cleanings there’s also grommets or plugs that go in each of the one inch holes that I cut forgot to mention at the beginning as well we shut the furnace off of course before doing anything and at the end we turn it back on and just make sure everything’s flowing good that’s how we do it this is all from that one house this vacuum after every single cup
How often should I have my air ducts cleaned?
Most homes do well with a full duct cleaning every three to five years, but if you’ve had renovations, pets that shed, new construction dust, or allergy concerns, we recommend sooner. We verify the need with live camera views so you’re not cleaning more often than you have to.
How long does a full duct cleaning take?
A typical single-system home takes about two to four hours depending on the number of registers, how the trunk lines are laid out, and how impacted the dust is. We include setup, negative pressure testing, camera verification, and sealing access panels in that window.
Does negative pressure really matter?
Yes, it’s everything. We set strong negative pressure with our hyper back Technologies 220 volts equipment and check suction at each register, then seal any leaks so all debris moves toward the vacuum and not back into your home.
What PSI do you use and why?
We run a minimum of 175 PSI to power our forward push balls and reverse air whips, which break loose debris and drive it into the trunk line under negative pressure. It’s powerful on dust but safe for properly installed metal and flex duct when used by a trained tech.
Do you clean both supply registers and cold air returns?
Absolutely. We push from every supply register down to the trunk, then repeat on the cold air returns, finishing with trunk lines from both directions using forward and reverse air whips while watching live on the Cobra View camera.
Will duct cleaning damage duct sealer or painted duct interiors?
No. If we encounter duct sealer or a previously painted interior, we confirm on camera and adjust our technique so we don’t remove sealer that’s doing its job. You’ll see what we see on the live camera before and after.
