Hi all! We have a (new to us) 1998 Dutch Star Newmar 38' Diesel Pusher w/slide. My friends who sold it to us live in Maryland, and last year they had a horrendous infestation of stick bugs. Fortunately, they all died! I've spent the last two weeks cleaning this beast from stem to stern, finding buckets of layers of dead bug carcasses EVERYWHERE, even under all the drawer cabinets and behind panels. When we turned the heat system on, the bug carcasses were flowing out of the air vents. I have found a Groupon bargain for a whole house Air-Duct Cleaning, but need to know if our Dutch Star would require any specialized equipment/handling to clean the duct system.Any thoughts out there would be appreciated! :)Thanks!Rosalynn

Just had it done in my house. Big equipment that connects to the hot and cold air vents and brush that moves through the ducts and finally vents are plugged and one by one the debris is sucked out. I wonder if the motorhome system is just to small to work with the professional system. On the other hand perhaps you could accomplish the same general theme with a good vacuum cleaner. Good luck.

I don't know what equipment they would use but it wouldn't hurt to call them and ask them if they have experience with RV ducts and also ask them if they can clean ducts that are non-rigid as I believe much of the duct work after the furnace plenum is probably vinyl duct. Do you have ducted AC as well? Have you run that duct work? Finally, I would consider doing a fumigation of your coach just to make sure all the bugs are dead. Avoid the aerosol type fumigators. I would consider using Raid House and Yard Fumigator as it is easy to use and I believe does a much better job than those aerosol fumigators.

You know those little buggers go into hibernation. We got a bunch in our coach when we stayed in North Carolina for four days last year. They kept coming out for months. I would do a bug bomb and then finish your cleaning.I'll never stop in North Carolina again....I'll make sure I have enough fuel to traverse the state!!

Some friends....:BStink bugs are nasty critters and infest everything. Good solid advice to fumigate first, before you put any of your stuff in there, then clean it well. A word of caution about duct cleaning...make sure whatever company you call, they know what they're doing. Groupon is a *rap shoot, sometimes you get a really good company and others advertise there because they can't get business any other way. You don't want them damaging the duct work. Getting to some of it for repairs could get costly. Seems like a good leaf blower could solve your problem, be pretty cheap but pretty messy. Put it at one end of the coach and let er rip....good luck....Dennis

Thanks for the recommendations guys.Stug, unfortunately, stink bugs aren't affected by any pesticides at all, and they have no natural predators. This is the reason the huge invasion (much like that of chiciatas) have covered whole houses in the Maryland and western Pennsylvania. Communities have been at a loss as to what to do with them. I've found a couple of slow moving crippled ones and removed them, all others were dead carcasses.I'm a bit concerned with having large equipment introduced to smaller flexible ducts. The last thing we need is to puncture our duct system.Thanks guys!-R!

Air-Duct Cleaning | Good Sam Community

cpoo
Explorer
Nov 04, 2014
Just had it done in my house. Big equipment that connects to the hot and cold air vents and brush that moves through the ducts and finally vents are plugged and one by one the debris is sucked out. I wonder if the motorhome system is just to small to work with the professional system. On the other hand perhaps you could accomplish the same general theme with a good vacuum cleaner. Good luck.
stugpanzer
Explorer
Nov 04, 2014
I don't know what equipment they would use but it wouldn't hurt to call them and ask them if they have experience with RV ducts and also ask them if they can clean ducts that are non-rigid as I believe much of the duct work after the furnace plenum is probably vinyl duct. Do you have ducted AC as well? Have you run that duct work? Finally, I would consider doing a fumigation of your coach just to make sure all the bugs are dead. Avoid the aerosol type fumigators. I would consider using Raid House and Yard Fumigator as it is easy to use and I believe does a much better job than those aerosol fumigators.
DSDP_Don
Explorer
Nov 04, 2014
You know those little buggers go into hibernation. We got a bunch in our coach when we stayed in North Carolina for four days last year. They kept coming out for months. I would do a bug bomb and then finish your cleaning.

I'll never stop in North Carolina again....I'll make sure I have enough fuel to traverse the state!!
Executive45
Explorer III
Nov 04, 2014
Some friends....:B

Stink bugs are nasty critters and infest everything. Good solid advice to fumigate first, before you put any of your stuff in there, then clean it well. A word of caution about duct cleaning...make sure whatever company you call, they know what they're doing. Groupon is a *rap shoot, sometimes you get a really good company and others advertise there because they can't get business any other way. You don't want them damaging the duct work. Getting to some of it for repairs could get costly. Seems like a good leaf blower could solve your problem, be pretty cheap but pretty messy. Put it at one end of the coach and let er rip....good luck....Dennis
luv2dsgn
Explorer
Nov 04, 2014
Thanks for the recommendations guys.
Stug, unfortunately, stink bugs aren't affected by any pesticides at all, and they have no natural predators. This is the reason the huge invasion (much like that of chiciatas) have covered whole houses in the Maryland and western Pennsylvania. Communities have been at a loss as to what to do with them. I've found a couple of slow moving crippled ones and removed them, all others were dead carcasses.

I'm a bit concerned with having large equipment introduced to smaller flexible ducts. The last thing we need is to puncture our duct system.

Thanks guys!
-R!
rgatijnet1
Explorer III
Nov 04, 2014
If you have a shop vac, just run the hose down the duct in each direction after you remove the floor grills. After a couple of times, this should clear the bugs out.
luv2dsgn
Explorer
Nov 04, 2014
Thanks RG
fischer
Explorer
Nov 04, 2014
Be careful some are not worth what they charge
stugpanzer
Explorer
Nov 04, 2014
Are they stink bugs or box elder bugs?

If stink bugs then they might be wintering there and will come out on warm days and/or in the spring. They had to get in somehow so if you haven't already, you need to check all joints and seals, screens, etc to make sure there is no way for them to get in. Re-caulk where needed and especially check around your furnace and make sure that everything is sealed-up.
J-Rooster
Explorer
Nov 04, 2014
My wife has a Shark vacuum that has duct detachments that can get down into vents.