Question 1

My Eichler has radiant slab heat and no real ductwork — is there anything to clean?

Accepted Answer

Often yes, just not where people expect. The original radiant slab has no ducts at all, but almost every Eichler-era house in south Palo Alto that has cooling got it added later: a ductless mini-split, or a retrofit air handler with runs buried in a soffit or a new chase built into the flat roof structure. Those retrofit runs are short and tight, usually installed during a remodel, which means they often still hold construction dust from the day they went in. If your house is purely radiant with mini-splits and no ducting, we'll tell you that, and there's nothing for us to do beyond pointing you toward indoor-unit coil and blower wheel service.

Question 2

We just finished a remodel and the vents are blowing dust. What's happening?

Accepted Answer

This is the most common call we get here. During a remodel, supply runs sit open in the ceiling or under the floor while drywall is hung and sanded, and that fine white dust settles inside the ducts. It doesn't sweep itself out. When the system runs the first few weeks after move-back, that dust comes out of the registers and lands on everything you just paid to finish. Cleaning works best after sanding and painting are done but before you fully settle back in. If the contractor taped the boots off properly, there's usually much less, and we'll say so.

Question 3

How do you clean ducts in an older Craftsman or Spanish house with a raised foundation?

Accepted Answer

In the older north and central neighborhoods, the sheet metal typically runs under the floor in the crawlspace, with floor registers above. We access the trunk and branches from the crawl where we can get to them, and from the register openings inside. Older crawlspaces vary a lot: some are tall and dry, some are tight with low clearance and old insulation hanging off the joists. We look first before quoting the work, because access is the thing that determines how long the job takes. We also check for disconnected or crushed sections, common in ducting that's been worked around by plumbers and electricians for decades.

Question 4

What makes the cost go up or down in Palo Alto?

Accepted Answer

A few things, mostly. Crawlspace clearance on the older raised-foundation houses, since low or obstructed crawls slow everything down. The number of supply runs, which is higher on homes that have been expanded. And whether the system is post-remodel, because drywall dust is heavier and clings more than ordinary household dust and takes more passes to clear. Retrofit soffit and attic-chase ducting in the Eichler-era tracts usually has a smaller run count, which tends to work in your favor. We walk the house and look at the equipment before we give you a number, and the number doesn't move after that.

Question 5

Can you come out same day, and how far ahead should I book in spring?

Accepted Answer

Same-day is sometimes possible, usually when we have a cancellation or we're already working nearby. Spring is our busiest stretch in Palo Alto because the mature oaks and street trees push a heavy pollen and fine organic load, and people notice it the first warm week when the system kicks on. During that stretch, booking a few days to a week out is realistic. Off-season we're generally more flexible. If you're coordinating around a remodel schedule, tell us the drywall and paint dates when you call so we're not cleaning ducts that are about to get dusty again.

Air Duct Cleaning in Palo Alto, CA

Duct cleaning in Palo Alto homes

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Air Duct Cleaning services in Palo Alto

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