HVAC Duct Cleaning in Los Gatos, CA

Why Los Gatos ducts load up with dust and debris

Most of it enters through gaps, not the filter. Ranch tracts here were built with one undersized central return. That return pulls hard. Air sneaks past a leaky filter rack, through wall cavities, and down from the attic. In 1980s and 1990s homes, flex duct separates at the boot. A disconnected branch dumps cooled air into the attic and drags attic dust and loose fiberglass back into the system. That is the real source of most gray buildup.

Older downtown and foothill houses add their own problems. Crawlspace supply runs sweat through wet winters. Microbial growth follows, especially near creeks. Rodents nest in attic and crawlspace runs and leave droppings inside the metal. Remodel dust is constant around here. Fine ash settles in after heavy smoke seasons.

Cleaning means negative pressure on the trunk, mechanical agitation in each branch, and every register pulled. Blowing compressed air into a sagging flex belly just moves the mess.

Two things we check before quoting. Pre-1975 plenums sometimes carry asbestos-containing tape, which stops the job and goes to an abatement contractor. Badly crushed flex should be replaced, not cleaned. Most homes here need this every three to five years.