Duct cleaning required during switch from oil to natural gas?
#1
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Duct cleaning required during switch from oil to natural gas?
We are in the process of getting quotes for upgrading our oil furnace to natural gas. We are told by one company that it is mandatory to have the ducts cleaned due to smell and soot. The other doesn't think it is necessary.
Does anyone have any advice on whether or not this is necessary?
Thanks.
Does anyone have any advice on whether or not this is necessary?
Thanks.
#2
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Delaware, The First State
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Duct Cleaning
Unless the heat exchanger is split wide open & has belched soot into the ducts, the first company is full of bull. Five will get you ten, they offer a duct cleaning service.
If any of the companies offer to replace the furnace without doing a heat loss calculation, show them the door. To keep the honest people honest, I strongly suggest you do your own for comparison.
If any of the companies offer to replace the furnace without doing a heat loss calculation, show them the door. To keep the honest people honest, I strongly suggest you do your own for comparison.
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Actually, both contractors offer duct cleaning service.
We currently don't have issues with soot or smell in the main living area (the basement and under the porch where the tank is have some smell).
The heat loss calculation is another story. All three quotes I got, nobody did one. One entered some stuff into a computer, but from what I've read here about heat load calcs, I don't think it was complete. That is too bad because outside of the duct cleaning issue, I felt really good about two of the three contractors. Now I'm not so sure.
We currently don't have issues with soot or smell in the main living area (the basement and under the porch where the tank is have some smell).
The heat loss calculation is another story. All three quotes I got, nobody did one. One entered some stuff into a computer, but from what I've read here about heat load calcs, I don't think it was complete. That is too bad because outside of the duct cleaning issue, I felt really good about two of the three contractors. Now I'm not so sure.