Air Duct Replacement in Houston, TX

When does Houston ductwork need replacing instead of cleaning?

Ask that before anyone quotes a cleaning. Cleaning moves debris. It does not fix torn flex or wet liner. In pre-1960 Houston homes we find round galvanized sheet metal or an octopus trunk-and-branch layout. Some 1950s ranches still run original under-slab ducts. Those collect water and sediment. Roots get in too. Slab ducts are usually a replacement or abandonment call, with new runs routed overhead through the attic.

The 1960s through 80s brought rectangular sheet metal trunks lined on the inside with fiberglass. That liner erodes after decades and sheds fibers into the airstream. You can check it yourself at a return grille with a flashlight. If the liner looks fuzzy or torn, cleaning strips more loose. The same goes if it looks dark.

Newer builds use insulated flex duct, R-6 or R-8, strung across attic framing. Flex sags between supports. Low spots hold dust. Attic storage and foot traffic crush runs flat. Collars tear and boots pull off the ceiling entirely. A single disconnected run above a bedroom explains a lot of hot rooms.

We also look at the return side. Platform returns and stud-bay returns pull attic air straight into the system. Condensate dripping at uninsulated plenum seams and mold on returns near the air handler point the same direction. Replacement is worth it when the problem is the duct itself, not what is inside it.