How Much Does it Cost for Air Ducts Cleaning?
Cost Factors
You’re heating and cooling system is composed of multiple parts, including air ducts that push air through the house. Air duct cleaning involves removing dust, debris, and mold from both the air ducts and the heating and cooling components, such as the blower, condensing coils, and air vents.
There are a lot of factors that go into the overall cost of cleaning HVAC air ducts. Not only does the cost depend on how many vents and the type of ductwork you have, but also accessibility to the HVAC system and the number of floors in the home.
The most important factor to consider is if you even need air duct cleaning
Look for these signs that it’s time for a cleaning (a common reason to clean the ductwork):
- Visible mold growth inside hard surface ducts or on other parts of your heating and cooling system, or a mold smell
- Ducts infested with vermin, like mice
- Ducts clogged with large amounts of dust and debris
- Dust particles entering your home from your supply registers
Air Duct Cleaning Cost
Homeowners should expect to pay $450 – $1500 depending on the size of your system, how hard it is to get to it, climate and level of contamination.
Some companies charge for air duct cleaning by the hour ($90-$125), and the amount of time it takes depends on the complexity of your project.
Beware of Scams!
Avoid advertisements for “$99 whole house specials” and other sales gimmicks. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. For example, a company advertising a “Whole Home Air Duct Cleaning” for $99 is not a reasonable estimate and you will probably not get any benefits from the cleaning process. They quickly go through the house, vacuuming out a few vents, and are gone in less than 30 minutes. A legitimate air duct cleaning should take three to four hours to per system complete.
These “companies” may also persuade the consumer into unneeded services with and/or without their permission.
Those who fall prey to these air duct cleaning scams often pay upward of $700, even into the thousands.
Related things to remember:
Cleaning your system may improve its efficiency and extend its life and may result in some energy and maintenance cost savings.
Be sure that the cleaning will be done by a trusted contractor. Air duct cleaning means more than just cleaning the ducts themselves. An experienced professional will know to clean all components of your system. The cleaning process may involve loosening and vacuuming debris and dust, applying EPA-approved cleaners to the ductwork and air duct components. The blowers, plenums, air vents, and cooling components will all need to be cleaned. This is particularly important if you have evidence of mold, if so, leaving parts unclean may lead to mold returning quickly.
