Can a rotary brush inside a shop-vac hose be used instead of the power vac and compressor?
These products have limited applications in small, round ducts that are easily accessible. However, real-life conditions often make it difficult if not impossible for “brush with a hose” products to produce acceptable results. In some cases, these products can potentially worsen the situation since the very low airflow (typically only 100-200 cfm at most) is not sufficient to pull contaminants dislodged by the brush out of the ductwork. The 3″ to 4″ diameter vacuum hose greatly limits their ability to handle the quantity, weight and size of debris generally found in air ducts. In addition, the configuration of many duct systems makes it impossible to use a rotary brush or a hose without getting hung up on obstructions within the duct. This is particularly true of panned-in returns and other difficult to access ductwork locations.
