A duct system in any modern home ensures the safe running of your furnace and air conditioning systems, maintaining equal temperature in all parts of the house. Be it your bedroom or kitchen, the air you breathe travels through the ducts installed behind your walls or below the floor. Experts recommend cleaning residential ducts every 5-6 years to remove any obstacles in these huge pipes. Removing dust, dirt and any other obstructions such as debris from your ducts can be very difficult to perform by yourself. You can hire a duct cleaning professional in Ottawa for the job.
In this cost guide, we have compiled the average, lowest and highest reported costs for duct and furnace cleaning in Ottawa. These costs are based on 404 verified homeowner reviews. You can refer to these costs before hiring a duct cleaner or ask a local cleaner for a custom quote. There are various factors that may impact the final cost of duct cleaning.
Duct Cleaning Services Costs in Ottawa
| Task | Average Cost* | Lowest Reported* | Highest Reported* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duct Cleaning | $436 | $100 | $4,000 |
| Furnace Cleaning | $486 | $115 | $4,000 |
Costs as of November 2020*
Duct Cleaning
- The HVAC system in your home is installed to maintain a comfortable temperature in your residence. Cleaning the ducts periodically will remove any grime and grit, eliminating the possibility of poor air quality.
- If you see any visible mold in your ducts, an increase of dust particles indoors, rats or other vermins crawling through your ducts or have insulated ducts that are hard to reach, we recommend you get them cleaned. Along with dust and mold, duct cleaning will remove any pollutants, allergen particles and debris from your ducts.
- Professional duct cleaners will inspect your ducts and based on their size and degree of contamination, may charge you up to $4,000 to clean them.
Furnace Cleaning
- Cleaning the furnace regularly will improve its efficiency and lifespan. Furnaces are often regarded as magnets for dust, dirt and debris. If not cleaned properly, these particles can find their way around your home through the air ducts. An increased ratio of dust, dirt and allergens in the air can be harmful if you have sensitive air-borne allergies or have asthma.
- To maintain the cost of cleaning the furnace regularly, you can hire professional cleaners in summer to clean your furnace. The season has ideal weather conditions for duct cleaning and will also save you on costs. You may have to pay $486 on average for furnace cleaning in Ottawa.
Factors Impacting Duct Cleaning Costs in Ottawa
Accessibility
- To clean a regular duct in your home, the professional cleaners will use powerful vacuum cleaners along with some other cleaning tools. They will require easy access to the duct for successful cleaning. If your duct doesn’t have easy access to your basement or utility room, it will become more difficult and time-consuming for the cleaners to do their job. They might charge you extra for accessibility difficulties.
Custom Designed Ducts
- If you have custom designed ducts in your home, make sure you give its details to the cleaners beforehand. Cleaning of custom-installed ducts often requires more time and effort. Cleaning some of its features like grilles and fans can be tricky and may require more time.
- Discuss the cost and time to clean custom ducts while hiring the cleaners to avoid any surprises later.
HVAC Mold and Mildew Removal
- Indoor air quality can be seriously affected if the HVAC system is not cleaned properly. Saturated mold and mildew due to moisture in the ducts can be very unhygienic and result in different health issues.
- The duct cleaning professionals will assess the ducts, create a plan of work, seal the HVAC system from all sides for cleaning purposes and finally clean the ducts by blowing and drawing air through them at the same time using huge cleaning equipment.
- If there is a huge saturation of mold, we recommend you hire a separate mold removal specialist for the job.
Rats and Mice
- Rodents often find a home in air ducts, building their nests or leaving droppings behind. The tiny fecal spores from these droppings are blown away by the heated or cold air travelling through the ducts and entering your home. This can highly contaminate your indoor air and can have adverse effects on your health. If a rodent has died in a duct, it can create a putrid odour making it difficult for you to breathe.
- The duct cleaners can take care of the rodent problem for you or hire a subcontractor to exterminate the mammal in question. Discuss any additional costs for such extermination while booking your appointment.
Benefits of Duct Cleaning
- Eliminates unpleasant odours
- Improves indoor air quality
- Improves airflow efficiency
- Increases efficiency of HVAC system
- Lowers energy bills
- Reduces allergens and irritants in the air
- Removes hazardous contaminants like mold and mildew
Cleaning ducts requires powerful vacuum cleaners and other tools. Hiring professional cleaners who have these tools is budget-friendly instead of buying such expensive tools just to use twice in a decade. If you are not sure when to clean your ducts, we recommend you manually check the ducts first. There are some telltale signs for determining whether your ducts need cleaning or not. If you find a lot of debris, dust and dirt, the presence of rodents in your ducts or if you have family members with particular allergies or asthma, we recommend you consider cleaning your ducts.
Duct cleaning can clear all obstructions in the airflow, improving the efficiency of the system and lowering your utility bills. It may seem like an expensive cleaning service but based on the size of your ducts and degree of contamination, you can negotiate the costs with the cleaners. You can ask them to provide you with a custom quote for your next duct cleaning session. Before hiring them go through their company profiles to evaluate their Star Score, verification badge and verified reviews by Ottawa HomeOwners. This will help you make a confident hiring decision.