Duct cleaning to get rid of odors
The technician provided a duct cleaning service.
Last fall, when the weather changed, I raised the thermostat setting and started up the heating system. The whole house filled with the smell of dead rodent. Even though it was only 45 degrees outside, I opened all the windows. I preferred bundling up in sweaters and my winter coat to inhaling that odor. Unfortunately, as soon as I ran the furnace again, the smell came back. I lit scented candles, bought room deodorizers, cleaned with disinfectant and hoped it would work itself out. After two days, I couldn’t stand it anymore. My whole family was complaining constantly. It was absolutely horrible and unbearable. I contacted a professional HVAC contractor and scheduled service for the furnace. The technician took the unit apart and found a minimal buildup of dust inside. He told me that the rodent was most likely inside the ducts. He wanted to know when was the last time we’d had the air ducts professionally clean. I’d never had them serviced. The ductwork is concealed inside the walls, ceilings and crawlspace, so I never gave it a thought. He said that dust and debris accumulates inside the network of pipe and not only restricts airflow but absorbs odors. The odors, along with all sorts of contaminants, then get spread throughout the house. Plus, issues with the ductwork places added strain on the furnace and leads to malfunction and higher running costs. The technician provided a duct cleaning service. He brought in what looked a lot like a huge vacuum cleaner. The machine had a long hose and a wand with a brush attachment on the end. This works to dislodge contaminants and suck them up. The duct cleaning eliminated the smell of dead rodent and improved the performance of the furnace.