Air Duct Cleaning Prices Explained: Basic vs Deep

When you look at our pricing, you will see two kinds of duct cleaning: basic air duct cleaning and deep duct cleaning. They are priced differently because they are meant for different situations. Picking the right one can save you money, or keep you from paying for a cleaning that does not solve your problem.

Here is how each works, what it costs and a few examples to help you decide.

The two options at a glance

Basic air duct cleaning: $199 for up to 10 vents, plus $29 per additional vent. This is a whole-system cleaning. It covers the supply and return ducts and the registers throughout the house. It is the right choice when the whole system needs attention.

Deep duct cleaning: $59.99 per vent. This is a targeted cleaning for individual ducts or vents that need extra attention. Instead of cleaning the entire system, it focuses on specific runs.

Both use the same basic idea: loosen debris inside the duct and remove it with a strong vacuum. The difference is scope.

When basic cleaning makes sense

Choose the whole-system cleaning when the dust and debris are spread throughout the house, not limited to one room. Common examples:

• You just bought the home and do not know when, or if, the ducts were ever cleaned.
• The house was remodeled and construction dust got into the system.
• Dust blows from most of the registers when the system turns on.
• The return ducts are heavily coated when you look inside with a flashlight.

The EPA suggests considering duct cleaning when ducts are clogged with excessive dust and debris or when particles are released into the home from the registers. When that is happening throughout the house, a full cleaning is the practical fix.

When deep cleaning makes sense

Choose targeted cleaning when the problem is in a few specific places:

• One bedroom vent always blows dust, while the rest of the house is fine.
• A single room was renovated and its runs collected drywall dust.
• A basement or addition has a couple of vents that look much dirtier than the rest.
• Something fell into a register, and you want that run cleaned out.

In these cases, cleaning the entire system may be more than you need.

Working out the cost

Here is how the math works for a few common situations. These are examples, not quotes. Your total depends on your actual vent count.

A smaller home with 10 vents, full cleaning: $199.

A two-story home with 14 vents, full cleaning: $199 for the first 10, plus 4 × $29 = $116, for a total of $315.

Three problem vents, targeted cleaning: 3 × $59.99 = $179.97.

Five problem vents, targeted cleaning: 5 × $59.99 = $299.95.

As you can see, a few targeted vents can cost less than a full cleaning. But once you get past three problem vents, a basic whole-system cleaning usually becomes the better value, especially since it covers up to 10 vents and the returns.

Counting your vents

Since both options are priced by the vent, it helps to know how many you have before you call:

1. Walk every room, including bathrooms, closets, the basement and bonus rooms.
2. Count every supply register, the grilles where air comes in, on floors, walls and ceilings.
3. Count every return grille, the larger openings where air is pulled back to the furnace.

Larger two-story homes often have more than 10 vents in total.

Adding a dryer vent cleaning

Many homeowners book a dryer vent cleaning at the same time. It is $99 for up to 10 feet of vent, plus $15 for each additional foot. Upstairs laundry rooms that vent through the roof often have longer runs.

What neither option includes

Duct cleaning is not HVAC repair. If a cleaning turns up a disconnected duct, a problem with the blower or furnace, or signs of moisture, an HVAC contractor is the right call. For suspected mold, contact a mold professional. American Air Duct Cleaning Brighton does not offer mold remediation, sanitizing, fogging or chemical coatings, and we will not try to sell you add-ons like those.

Neither cleaning comes with a promise of better health or lower energy bills. What both do is remove built-up dust and debris from the parts of the system they cover.

Not sure which one you need?

Look inside a few registers and the main return, count your vents and note which rooms seem dustiest. Then request an estimate for your home in Brighton, CO, or see all of our rates on the pricing page.