Duct Cleaning

What duct cleaning is, and is not

Ductwork carries every cubic metre of air the furnace and air conditioner move, so it collects dust, pet hair, drywall dust from renovations and the occasional lost toy. Duct cleaning in Hamilton is a popular search, and a popular advertisement, so it helps to know what a real job looks like and when it is worth paying for.

A proper duct cleaning uses a powerful vacuum, either truck-mounted or a large portable unit, connected to the main trunk to put the whole system under negative pressure. Technicians then work through each supply and return run with rotating brushes, air whips or compressed-air tools to loosen debris so the vacuum can pull it out. The registers and grilles are removed and cleaned, and the furnace blower compartment and blower wheel are cleaned too. A quick vacuum through each floor register is not duct cleaning.

When it is worth doing

• After a renovation: drywall sanding and construction dust get pulled into return ducts. This is the strongest reason of all.
• In a newly built home: new subdivisions in Binbrook, Waterdown, Milton and Caledonia often have construction debris left in the ducts.
• After buying a house: you do not know when it was last done, and the previous owners may have had pets or smoked.
• Visible buildup: dust clumps on the return grilles, or debris you can see when you lift a register.
• Signs of pests or mould: these need to be dealt with at the source first, then cleaned.

For a typical house without those triggers, health agencies have not found that routine duct cleaning prevents health problems on its own. Natural Resources Canada suggests cleaning when there is a specific reason rather than on a fixed schedule. A good filter, changed on time, does more for day-to-day dust than duct cleaning does.

How to avoid the duct cleaning scam

Very cheap advertised prices, "whole house for $99", are a well-known pattern. The crew arrives, does little, then finds "mould" or "contamination" that needs an expensive treatment. A full system cleaning in a typical detached house costs $350 to $700 for the work involved. Get the price in writing first, ask what equipment they use and whether the furnace blower is included, and be sceptical of fogging or sanitizer upsells unless you have seen a real problem.

What a good visit includes

1. The technician protects floors and seals registers to keep dust contained.
2. They connect the vacuum to the main trunk and put the system under negative pressure.
3. Each supply and return run is agitated with brushes or air tools from the register end.
4. Registers and grilles are cleaned; the blower compartment and blower wheel are cleaned.
5. Access holes cut in the trunks are sealed with proper metal patches.
6. They show you before-and-after photos or let you look inside.

Pair it with a furnace tune-up

Cleaning the ducts but leaving a dirty blower and filter only blows dust back through clean ducts. Booking a furnace tune-up at the same time, or confirming the duct cleaning crew cleans the blower, makes the job worthwhile. Put in a fresh filter right after, and read how often to change a furnace filter.

Keeping ducts cleaner afterwards

Most dust in ducts comes in through the return grilles, so keeping it out is mostly about the filter and the house. Use a filter that fits the slot snugly with no gaps around it, change it on schedule, and seal off returns with plastic and tape during any sanding or demolition, running the furnace fan off until the dust settles. Leaky return ducts in an unfinished basement or crawlspace also pull in dust and insulation fibres; a contractor can seal the joints with mastic or foil tape for a small cost.

Dryer vents

Many duct cleaning companies also clean dryer vents. Lint buildup in a long or crushed dryer vent is a real fire risk and makes the dryer slow. If the dryer takes more than one cycle to dry a load, it is worth adding.

How the request works

You request duct cleaning once, and we pass it to one company that does full-system cleaning in your area, whether you are in Burlington, Milton or the City of Hamilton. Say whether you have recently renovated or moved in, how many furnaces the house has, and if you want the dryer vent done.