Frequently Asked Questions
Q – How do I know if I need my air ducts cleaned?
Q – How much does it cost?
Q – How is it done?
Q – What preparations need to be made?
Q – How often should this be done?
Q – Do we need our ducts deodorized?
Q – Do you clean the furnace?
Q – What else do you do?
Q – What is your service area?
Q – Anything else I should know?
How do I know if I need my air ducts cleaned?
Every home requires air duct cleaning at some point. We are the duct cleaner of choice to many of the major new home builders in the GTA. Over the years we’ve cleaned thousands of brand new homes, usually before the closing date. You’d be surprised at how much construction debris we pull out of brand new duct systems.
There are some things that you can check yourself to get a general idea about the state of your air duct system:
First thing, check your air filter. Whatever dirt is on it is only a small portion of the amount of dust in your return air duct. If you think it’s very dirty, then it’d be safe to say that you need your ducts cleaned. Now would also be a good time to replace or clean the filter.
Second, check your return air vents. If they are on the floor, lift one out and look inside with a flashlight. It should probably be pretty dusty in there. That’s typical. This is the part of your duct system that draws the air from the house back to the furnace before it is cleaned, re-conditioned, and circulated back into the home. If your return air vents are screwed onto the wall, then it’s easier to just look closely at the vent. If you see that it’s covered in dust, then that’s only a small portion of what’s inside the air ducts.
Check your heating vents. These are almost always on the floor, so the vents should be easy to lift out. Look inside. If you see any dirt or cobwebs in there at all, then you should get your ducts cleaned.
Also, if you notice any of the following when your furnace is on, then you should consider having your air ducts cleaned: unpleasant odours, poor airflow or cold spots.
If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, then you should have your air duct system professionally cleaned.
- Does anyone in the house have allergies, asthma, or other respiratory problems?
- Does anyone in your family suffer from headaches, nasal congestion, or other sinus problems at night or in the morning?
- Is there or was there ever a smoker in the house?
- Do you have or was there ever a dog, cats or other pets in the house?
- Do you notice “musty” or “stale” odors when the furnace or air conditioner runs?
- Do you notice dust on the furniture shortly after cleaning?
- Does it seem like there is not enough air flow coming from your vents?
- Is your furnace equipped only with a standard throw-away fiberglass filter?
How much does it cost?
We have a base price of $295 which includes up to 5 air vents. Each additional supply vent is $9.00 per vent and each cold air return vent is $12.00 each, so the final price depends on the total number of air vents in your home. There is a minimum charge of 10 vents. We clean all of the heating and cold air return air vents. The base price includes the cleaning of all of the ductwork and everything in the airstream (including the furnace fan, the air conditioning coil, the furnace plenums, air filter, etc.). This also includes all hook-ups required to do the complete job. If your home has two or more furnaces, then please note that we do charge an additional $109-$149 per furnace which depends on the location of the furnace. There is also an additional charge to clean ductwork located in attics or crawlspaces. Otherwise, there are absolutely no hidden charges. The only thing extra is H.S.T.
There is usually one vent per 100 square feet in your home. Please note that your final price will depend on the actual number of vents that our technician counts while doing your job.
Our prices are a great value. When you consider the quality of the work, you’ll agree we are the hands-down, #1 choice for air duct cleaning in the GTA.
We use truck-mounted vacuum equipment and compressed air. Our technician runs a large vacuum hose from our truck to your furnace. Once the duct system is under suction, we clean each air vent with 250 psi of compressed air, starting on the top floor and working our way back down to the basement. This blows all the dirt from the air vents into the main ductwork. From there, we use air-snakes and air-whips to clean the main ductwork. The vacuum draws all of the dirt out to our truck. The procedure is repeated to clean the return air ductwork. All air-handling components are cleaned using compressed air.
What preparations need to be made?
Make sure the service provider has clear access to all duct openings and heating and air conditioning equipment.
How often should this be done?
We recommend this be done every 2 – 4 years in most cases. We have many customers who have us back annually, and some every two years like clockwork. If any member of your home suffers from asthma or allergies to dust then we recommend that you have your ducts cleaned more frequently. If you’ve recently completed renovations or are moving into a new home, then air duct cleaning is a must.
Do we need our ducts deodorized?
In most cases, no. We normally use this in cases where the customer has a definite odour coming from the ductwork. Also in cases where the homeowner has converted their heating system from oil to gas and had soot in the ductwork. What we use is actually a deodorant / sealant which becomes the new surface inside the ductwork. If even one tiny dust particle is left in the system after we’ve cleaned it, this will seal it in permanently. We’ve been using this product since day one with excellent results. There is a small extra charge for this if you require it.
We do not service the furnace itself, however we work with reputable companies who can.
Our list of services is extensive. If it has anything to do with your heating system, we probably do it. We do furnace cleanings / inspections, service work, gas piping, venting and air balancing. We install new gas furnaces, central air conditioning, air cleaners, humidifiers, complete duct systems or new heating vents.
We also do masonry cleaning and grafitti removal, heavy vacuuming and insulation removal.
Our service area is huge. We go as far west as Niagara Falls, to eastern parts of Ontario such as Cobourg, New Castle and as far north as Huntsville if the call arises.
When choosing an air duct cleaner, avoid making your decision solely on the basis of price. The quality of the job should be your highest priority, because quality will determine your savings in energy costs, comfort, and durability. Find out exactly what’s included in the job and what is not. The first thing that many of our prospective customers ask is the price. Some of our competitors do have a much lower “base price” or “hook-up” charge. But if they apply that price 3 or 4 times or more because they had to “hook-up” to your duct system that many times, then tell you that you should have them clean the furnace fan for only $ 49.00 while they’re there, etc., etc., then that “cheaper” price ends up costing you much more. It makes little sense to clean the air duct system without cleaning the furnace fan. Why would a reputable company leave it up to the customer to decide if they want to spend the extra money for that or not?
We also do service and cleaning on gas furnaces. Over the years, we have been to several homes to clean the furnace just after a duct cleaner left. Sure they came and made some noise for twenty minutes, but they didn’t clean the furnace fan, or the fan compartment, and obviously didn’t even take the door off the furnace. If they weren’t going to clean the air filter, they could have at least told the customer to replace it. When asked why they didn’t do any of these things, their excuse is “Well, we’re duct cleaners not furnace technicians”.
At City Duct Cleaning Inc., we clean everything in the airstream, and it’s always included in the job.
Our base price applies only once.
You’ll find us to be honest and very reputable, and you will be quite satisfied with our quality workmanship.
