What Types of Ducting Are Common in Milwaukee & SE Wisconsin?
The three most common types of ducting found in Southeast Wisconsin homes are rigid galvanized sheet metal, flexible plastic or foil ducts, and fiberglass duct board. In older Wauwatosa bungalows and historic homes built with Milwaukee “Cream City” brick, you will almost exclusively find aging, rigid sheet metal trunk lines running through damp basements. Conversely, modern split-level ranches in New Berlin often incorporate a mix of a main sheet metal trunk with flexible ducting branching off into individual bedrooms and additions. Accurately identifying the types of ducting installed in your walls is the first step in determining the precise duct cleaning method and equipment our technicians must use to safely extract decades of dust built up from running your furnace non-stop during sub-zero winters.
Rigid Sheet Metal Ductwork in Wisconsin Homes
Rigid sheet metal ductwork is constructed from galvanized steel or aluminum and represents the most durable, common, and easily cleaned air distribution system in residential properties. Because the smooth interior metal walls do not trap debris as aggressively as corrugated lines, our technicians can safely deploy high-pressure pneumatic agitation whips and massive negative air pressure to scour the metal bare. However, the joints and seams in sheet metal naturally loosen and leak over time due to normal expansion and contraction. If you want to stop paying to heat your basement rafters during January cold snaps, we recommend exploring the 5 air duct sealing methods to close those gaps permanently. For standard rigid systems, booking a thorough air duct cleaning is straightforward and yields a massive, immediate improvement in airflow.
Can Flexible Air Ducting Handle High-CFM Vacuums?
Yes, flexible ductwork can be safely cleaned with high-CFM vacuums, but technicians must strictly use soft-bristled silicone whips instead of harsh metal brushes to avoid tearing the delicate inner plastic liner. Flex lines are frequently snaked through tight attics or crawlspaces in Brookfield homes to reach difficult supply vents. Because the internal ridges inherently trap heavy pet dander and drywall dust, we must calibrate our gas-powered vacuums to pull over 5000+ CFM in air duct cleaning to completely clear the sagging lines. If you are wondering can flexible air ducting be cleaned without damage, the answer is absolutely, provided the crew rigorously follows understanding NADCA standards for air duct cleaning and inspects the vapor barrier first. Torn flex lines exposed to the extreme humidity of Wisconsin summers will rapidly breed mold and must be entirely replaced.
Fiberglass Lined and Duct Board Systems
Fiberglass duct board and metal ducts lined with fiberglass insulation require specialized, low-abrasion contact cleaning to prevent releasing hazardous glass fibers into your home’s breathing air. These acoustic duct systems are highly effective at dampening blower noise, which answers why some homeowners ask is air duct cleaning loud or notice their system is quieter than their neighbors’. However, the porous fiberglass acts like a sponge, soaking up moisture from damp Milwaukee basements and locking in musty odors. When you prepare for your duct cleaning, informing us about the presence of fiberglass ensures our technicians arrive with the correct HEPA-filtered extraction tools to sanitize the material without destroying it.
How to Seal and Protect Different Duct Types
You protect your system and lower utility bills by sealing all duct seams from the inside out using an aerosolized vinyl acetate polymer, regardless of whether you have sheet metal or flex ducting. Before applying this technology, you must absolutely clean ducts before aeroseal so the polymer bonds directly to the bare metal or plastic walls rather than a shifting layer of dirt. We use specialized computer diagnostics to map the leakage in your property, whether it’s a Menomonee Falls industrial site requiring heavy-duty commercial air duct cleaning or a standard residential home in Franklin. If your property falls within our core service locations, you can reach out today for an exact, flat-rate service quote to find out exactly what it takes to service the ductwork hidden in your walls.
About the Author: James Green James Green is the Owner and Lead Technician at Totally Clean, a family-owned HVAC and duct cleaning service based in Brookfield, WI. Starting his career in the field dragging hoses through Wisconsin snowbanks and navigating hot attics, James eventually bought the company to provide Southeast Wisconsin with transparent, flat-rate duct cleaning. He specializes in NADCA-compliant mechanical source removal, Aeroseal applications, and improving indoor air quality for homes across Milwaukee and Waukesha counties.
