How Much is Air Duct Cleaning?

“How much does air duct cleaning cost?” is a frequently asked question, as the answer varies across cleaning companies and their process. In general, proper air duct cleaning involves cleaning all accessible components of your HVAC system every 3-5 years. With routine cleaning, you can help improve indoor air quality while also increasing the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. Since every home and HVAC unit is unique, this makes pricing and costs unique as well. Read on to discover factors that affect pricing, common pricing structures, and more!

Curious about our air duct cleaning prices? Schedule online or call 1-800-STEEMER 24/7 to set up your free inspection and have our technicians come out to perform a detailed system checkup and provide accurate estimates. It’s recommended to have your air ducts inspected every 3-5 years.

Factors That Go into Air Duct Cleaning Costs & Estimates

A number of different factors can go into the estimate process as noted by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA). When an air duct cleaning specialist evaluates your home, they’re more than likely going to assess the following factors: (1) Type of Ductwork (2) System Size (3) Ductwork Configuration & Accessibility (4) Level of Contamination (5) Environmental Factors.

1. Type of Ductwork

   Different types of ductwork include fiberglass duct board, insulated flex duct, metal air ducts, metal interior insulated, and metal with exterior wrap. Different types of ductwork mean different cleaning procedures. Our air duct specialists can identify and inform you of your specific system type, so you don’t have to.

2. System Size

   The number of air devices (registers and grilles) determines the size of your system. Having multiple air handling units also impacts pricing. For our cleaning process, we use agitation and negative air pressure. From this, we locate all air devices to ensure all but one duct openings are sealed off during the cleaning. This way dirt and dust are extracted back into our vacuum collection equipment – rather than blown into your home.

3. Ductwork Configuration & Accessibility

   No home is built the same, and that holds true for the duct system built within the house as well. Our air duct cleaning will evaluate where the vacuum is connected to your unit and the best way to clean your system. Accessibility means how the specialists will get into the ductwork for proper cleaning.

4. Level of Contamination

   Some homes require additional specialized services that air duct cleaning alone may not be able to solve. Although most heavy contamination can be thoroughly cleaned by our air duct cleaning process, some instances such as, rodent & insect infestation or severe mold growth will require remediation.

   Note: Dust, dirt, and other particles can act as food sources for growth like mold and mildew. With routine HVAC cleaning, you can actually help minimize the risk of other biological contaminants surfacing in your unit and help prevent contamination.

5. Environmental Factors

   Environmental factors can include housing type, household factors, and the climatic region you’re located in. Housing types such as condos, duplexes, one-story homes, etc. determine what type of equipment can be used. Additionally, living habits can impact dirt and dust levels as well. Having pets, use of smoke or tobacco, recent renovations or construction, etc. can all increase the amount of debris in your system.

Overall, understanding the health of your HVAC system helps technicians to know what level of work will be required for your cleaning services. This process allows our specialists to show up prepped and equipped to tackle the job on the day of service.

Structures for Air Duct Cleaning Costs

Generally speaking, air duct cleaning can cost anywhere around $450-$1000 according to NADCA and the EPA. It’s important that your air duct cleaning service includes source removal and cleaning all accessible components of your HVAC system. Source removal refers to the process of actually removing the dust, dirt, pollen, and other matter from your air ducts, rather than just dislodging the matter and blowing it around.  

The HVAC components that will be accessible to technicians depends on the setup of your individual system. Still, our team will assess whether or not they can clean the following components: air ducts, coils, the drain pan, registers, the air plenum, the blower motor & assembly, and the air filter. Rest assured, whichever components are accessible will be cleaned according to NADCA standards.

While there are more than 3 pricing structures, it’s common for air duct cleaning estimates to use some variation of the following methods as their base:

1. Per Vent – These types of services charge based off how many vents you have.
2. Flat Fee + Vent – These services charge a flat service fee (sometimes used as a mileage fee) as well as per vent.
3. Per Square Footage – These services are price based off the square footage of your home.

At Stanley Steemer, we assess all accessible components to gauge the level of contamination and size of your system. Throughout your inspection, we’ll answer any questions or concerns you have so you’re well-informed from start to finish. This also allows for full transparency and communication. We never sub-contract technicians and provide honest, accurate estimates.

Additional Services for Air Duct Cleaning

Outside of HVAC cleaning, there are additional services that you can opt into that will be included in your final price. These offerings can include dryer vent cleaning and in-duct air purifier installation.

• Dryer Vent Cleaning – Professional dryer vent cleaning should be done annually. Clogged vents not only mean longer drying times, but they can also lead to house fires. Just like air duct cleaning, our dryer vent services include cleaning the entire system, including the dryer unit! Routine cleaning helps your dryer run more efficiently and keeps your home safer.
• In-Duct Air Purifiers – In-duct air purifiers typically use UV-C light technology to detoxify air and fight common sources of indoor air pollution. Restore™, our in-duct air purifier, is effective against biological and chemical contaminants found in air ducts including mold, allergens, viruses, and bacteria. This is especially important as indoor air pollution is often two to five times worse than outdoor air pollution.

Call 1-800-STEEMER to see if dryer vent cleaning and in-duct air purifiers are offered at your local Stanley Steemer!

Beware of Air Duct Cleaning Scams

Low prices can catch your eye, but when it comes to air duct cleaning, this can actually be a red flag. Be wary of companies that make claims, such as “$99 air duct cleaning” or “whole house cleaning” at extremely low prices. These bait-&-switch tactics use low offers to entice customers to book services, then upcharge once crew members are in the home. The offer price is most likely per vent pricing and does not factor in the cost of the entire cleaning. While it may seem like a money-saving deal, the final price tag will probably be closer to that $450-$1000 range.

Also, keep an eye out for scams where the price doesn’t change once the technicians arrive at your home, but they don’t clean all of your ductwork. Instead, they vacuum or wipe the dust off the air vent register and then clean a few inches inside your vent. They may also blow dust around your air ducts rather than removing the debris in them.

As a reminder, it’s important for any air duct cleaning to involve source removal and cleaning all accessible components of your HVAC system.

Overall, it’s always important to read the fine print on any offer to understand the service details.

Air duct cleaning is serious business. At Stanley Steemer, we clean to the standards and guidelines set by NADCA. Our process uses high-powered vacuums mounted in air duct trucks engineered at Stanley Steemer manufacturing facilities right here in the US. We’re trusted experts in the industry and even have crew members who train NADCA classes at a national level. With air duct cleaning from Stanley Steemer, expect honest pricing, quality service, and exceptional results.

Ready to breathe cleaner indoor air? Call 1-800-STEEMER to schedule your free air duct cleaning estimate!