We had some smoke/soot damage in our house in the recent SoCa wildfires.

Our insurers (State Farm) had the interior of the house cleaned and washed
by professional cleaners.

After they cleaned the house, they had a commercial duct cleaning outfit
(Airtek) clean the heating ducts.

A few hours after they had cleaned the ducts, we noticed an unsightly layer
of black, gritty soot coming out of our heating vents. It was noticeable on
paper that had been lying on the floor under the vents.

Airtek has been back four times and kept cleaning the ducts, and still there
is soot coming our of the vents. Now there is less gritty soot coming out,
but more small patches of thin plastic overlaid with soot.

Any ideas what the problem might be?

--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Cduct cleaning probably isn't effective and you may have to replace.

"Walter R." wrote in message
.. .
We had some smoke/soot damage in our house in the recent SoCa wildfires.

Our insurers (State Farm) had the interior of the house cleaned and washed
by professional cleaners.

After they cleaned the house, they had a commercial duct cleaning outfit
(Airtek) clean the heating ducts.

A few hours after they had cleaned the ducts, we noticed an unsightly
layer of black, gritty soot coming out of our heating vents. It was
noticeable on paper that had been lying on the floor under the vents.

Airtek has been back four times and kept cleaning the ducts, and still
there is soot coming our of the vents. Now there is less gritty soot
coming out, but more small patches of thin plastic overlaid with soot.

Any ideas what the problem might be?

--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-


--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

On Sat, 1 Dec 2007 11:02:47 -0800, "Walter R."
wrote:

We had some smoke/soot damage in our house in the recent SoCa wildfires.

Our insurers (State Farm) had the interior of the house cleaned and washed
by professional cleaners.

After they cleaned the house, they had a commercial duct cleaning outfit
(Airtek) clean the heating ducts.

A few hours after they had cleaned the ducts, we noticed an unsightly layer
of black, gritty soot coming out of our heating vents. It was noticeable on
paper that had been lying on the floor under the vents.

Airtek has been back four times and kept cleaning the ducts, and still there
is soot coming our of the vents. Now there is less gritty soot coming out,
but more small patches of thin plastic overlaid with soot.

Any ideas what the problem might be?

--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-

Just ask your insurance to build you a new house so that all in your
life is absolutely perfect once again.

On Sat, 01 Dec 2007 14:55:10 -0600, Duff wrote:

On Sat, 1 Dec 2007 11:02:47 -0800, "Walter R."
wrote:

We had some smoke/soot damage in our house in the recent SoCa wildfires.

Our insurers (State Farm) had the interior of the house cleaned and washed
by professional cleaners.

After they cleaned the house, they had a commercial duct cleaning outfit
(Airtek) clean the heating ducts.

A few hours after they had cleaned the ducts, we noticed an unsightly layer
of black, gritty soot coming out of our heating vents. It was noticeable on
paper that had been lying on the floor under the vents.

Airtek has been back four times and kept cleaning the ducts, and still there
is soot coming our of the vents. Now there is less gritty soot coming out,
but more small patches of thin plastic overlaid with soot.

Any ideas what the problem might be?


Walter
www.rationality.net
-

Just ask your insurance to build you a new house so that all in your
life is absolutely perfect once again.

He doesn't need a new house! It survived the So Ca wildfires.

OP, might need to replace ducts, if any heat damages. I would think
after four visits back the duct cleaners; insurance company would wise
up.

What are the ducts made of? If ductboard and/or flex, they should be
replaced. Actually should have been replaced from the start and been
done with it. If they are sheet metal, they should be able to be
cleaned. What is the outfit using to clean them? I don't know about the
company you have now, but there are some so called duct cleaning outfits
here that piddle around with a little glorified shop vac -- talked to
several people that said "Hell, I could have done what they did myself."
Need more info to make any more suggestions Larry
PS, an afterthought== sheet metal that is insulated inside will probably
have to be replaced also. I was thinking of sheet metal insulated
outside.

I have black soot coming out my ducts too. In fact, the vents in my
white ceiling and wall have to be cleaned periodically to remove the
black soot.

But there has been no fire anywhere near me. Ducts tend to pick up
soot and redistribute it in a concentrated area because they move so
much volume of air.

In addition to what you have on all the items in your home, when you
open your doors, you are letting in a tremendous amount of 'soot' that
is run thru your duct system. Also molds and all the million of
bacteria and germs you see on tv commercial.





On Sat, 1 Dec 2007 11:02:47 -0800, "Walter R."
wrote:

We had some smoke/soot damage in our house in the recent SoCa wildfires.

Our insurers (State Farm) had the interior of the house cleaned and washed
by professional cleaners.

After they cleaned the house, they had a commercial duct cleaning outfit
(Airtek) clean the heating ducts.

A few hours after they had cleaned the ducts, we noticed an unsightly layer
of black, gritty soot coming out of our heating vents. It was noticeable on
paper that had been lying on the floor under the vents.

Airtek has been back four times and kept cleaning the ducts, and still there
is soot coming our of the vents. Now there is less gritty soot coming out,
but more small patches of thin plastic overlaid with soot.

Any ideas what the problem might be?

--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-

On Sun, 02 Dec 2007 13:28:07 -0600, Duff wrote:


I have black soot coming out my ducts too. In fact, the vents in my
white ceiling and wall have to be cleaned periodically to remove the
black soot.

But there has been no fire anywhere near me. Ducts tend to pick up
soot and redistribute it in a concentrated area because they move so
much volume of air.

In addition to what you have on all the items in your home, when you
open your doors, you are letting in a tremendous amount of 'soot' that
is run thru your duct system. Also molds and all the million of
bacteria and germs you see on tv commercial.


Sound like the burner flame is not combusting completely. A red or
yellow flame indicates free carbon formed. Make a note if the furnace
walls next to the burners are sooty. Sit by the furnace when it comes
on and take a good look until it shuts off. Its fairly easy to adjust
the air/gas mixure yourself until you get a hot blue flame. Remember
the bunsen burner in high school lab?

I am winging it here. The burner combustion gases should go straight
up the flue and never get into the heated air circulation. Else you
would get carbon monoxide poisoning. Do make your own observations as
to whether you feel nauseous or "not that good" when the furnace come
on. Don't let your imagination get the better of you. But its a
precaution worth taking.