Hello everyone.

I have just moved into in with my mother and our house is 30+ years old. I do not think the ducts have ever been cleaned, nor has the dryer vent.

For those who clean their ducts and dryer vent: do you DIY (I've seen kits being sold online to clean dryer vents - not so much for duct cleaning) or hire a professional?

If you do get it professionally done, is the "disinfecting fog spray" for people with respitory problems and/or allergies worth it and really helps to do the job?

Is it better to have a vendor that uses a scrub brush vs a 4 stage HEPA filtration vacuum system?

Prices for duct cleaners I talked with are about $300-$350... and the disinfection fog is another $150-200...

Thanks for reading and your input.

The dryer vent has to be cleaned. Sometimes it's not the vent, per se, but trapped lint in other places in the dryer. It can cause the dryer to shut down and not dry clothes. It doesn't have to be a spotless removal.

As for cleaning ducts, it depends if there are allergies and the allergies are identifiable. If the previous owner was a cigarette smoker and the new owner is sensitive, then by all means go for it. Pull off a couple of cold air returns and take a look around with a mirror.
If the person never changed the filter, then by all means have it done.

The HEPA filter filters the fine particles of the exhaust.

You can easily clean as far as you can with a vacuum that contains a HEPA filter.

If you know what the occupant is sensitive too, you can address the short-term and long term remedy. Take a look around.

As an example, if the previous owner had a pet and the new owner is allergic to pets, then by all means have the ducts cleaned.

Cigarette smoke is probably best removed mechanically by the brush.

What state and city do you live in and do you know if you ghave metal ducts and is your unit in the attic or a closet