What to Expect During a Professional Duct Cleaning
A step-by-step walkthrough, from your first call to the finished job, plus what the EPA says a good duct cleaner should do.
During a professional duct cleaning with MedCity Duct Cleaning in Rochester, MN, our technician assesses your ducts, cleans each supply register, return duct and main trunk line with a Rotobrush and HEPA-filtered vacuum, puts every register cover back, and finishes with a walkthrough to make sure everything is buttoned up and your home is as clean as we found it.
Here's what to expect during a professional duct cleaning:
- You call or request a quote, and we ask a few questions about your home.
- A technician assesses your ducts before any cleaning starts.
- Register covers come off so each opening can be reached.
- Each register, return duct and main trunk line is cleaned with a Rotobrush and a HEPA-filtered vacuum.
- Every register cover goes back on.
- We finish with a walkthrough to make sure everything is buttoned up and your home is as clean as we found it.
Not sure what's in your ducts?
Request a free quote and we'll assess your ducts and give you an honest recommendation.
How Do I Schedule a Duct Cleaning?
Call us or send a quote request through our website. We'll ask a few questions about your home: the number of supply registers and return vents, the number of floors, the square footage and the condition of the ductwork. Every home is different, so we give custom quotes instead of a one-size-fits-all price.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests talking to at least three service providers and getting written estimates before you decide. We also offer a price match promise on residential duct cleaning: if you have a lower written quote from another local company for comparable service, we'll match it.
How Long Does a Duct Cleaning Take?
It depends on your home. NADCA, the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, says the time varies with the size of the home, the number of systems, how accessible the system is and how much contamination is present. We'll give you a time estimate when we quote your job, so you can plan your day.
Why Start With an Assessment?
So we know the condition of your ducts before anything is cleaned. Our technicians, including lead technician Brian, assess your system first. Some homes need a full cleaning. Others might not need much at all.
The EPA advises that when duct cleaners come to your home, you ask them to show you the contamination that would justify having your ducts cleaned.
How Is My Home Protected?
The EPA says a duct cleaner should protect carpet and household furnishings during cleaning. When we finish, every register cover goes back on and your home is left the way we found it.
What Happens During the Cleaning?
We clean the whole duct system, register by register. We use a professional Rotobrush system, which pairs a high-speed rotating brush with a HEPA-filtered vacuum. The brush scrubs the inside walls of the ductwork while the vacuum captures what it loosens. Each register cover comes off, gets cleaned and goes back on. After the supply registers, we clean the return ducts and main trunk lines, the larger pathways that carry air back to your furnace or air handler.
The EPA's guide lists what a duct cleaning service provider should do. Among other things, it should:
- Open access ports or doors so the entire system can be cleaned and inspected.
- Use vacuum equipment that exhausts particles outside the home, or HEPA vacuum equipment if the vacuum exhausts inside.
- Use well-controlled brushing along with contact vacuum cleaning to dislodge dust and other particles.
- Protect carpet and household furnishings.
The EPA also says to make sure the provider agrees to clean all components of the system and is qualified to do so. NADCA describes the system being placed under continuous negative pressure with a vacuum during cleaning to prevent the spread of contaminants.
What Comes Out of Your Ducts?
Usually dust, pet hair, lint, cobwebs and whatever has fallen through a register opening. After a renovation, you may also see drywall dust and construction debris.
None of this means your house is dirty. The EPA says a light amount of household dust in your air ducts is normal, and that much of the dirt in air ducts sticks to duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter the living space.
How Do I Know the Job Was Done Right?
Look for yourself. The EPA says a thorough visual inspection is the best way to verify the cleanliness of your heating and cooling system. All portions of the system should be visibly clean, with no debris you can see with the naked eye. The EPA suggests asking the provider to show you each component of your system after the job.
What Will Change After a Duct Cleaning?
Your ducts will be visibly clean. Beyond that, be careful with big promises, including ours. The EPA says duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems. It also says little evidence exists that cleaning only the ducts will improve the efficiency of the system.
According to the EPA, cleaning may be worth considering when:
- There is substantial visible mold growth inside hard-surface ducts or on other parts of the system.
- Ducts are infested with vermin, such as rodents or insects.
- Ducts are clogged with excessive dust and debris, or particles are released into the home from your supply registers.
What Can I Do Myself Between Cleanings?
Filters are the main job you can handle on your own. The EPA recommends using the highest-efficiency air filter recommended by the manufacturer of your heating and cooling system, changing filters regularly and changing them more often if they become clogged. Also make sure no filters are missing and that air can't bypass them through gaps around the filter holder.
Cleaning inside the ductwork takes professional equipment. If you see what looks like mold, the EPA notes that the conditions causing it must be corrected or the problem will likely recur, so the cause may need an HVAC technician as well as a cleaning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to leave the house during a duct cleaning?
No. You're welcome to stay home the whole time. We work room by room and register by register, so we're typically in only one area of your home at a time.
Will duct cleaning make a mess in my home?
It shouldn't. The EPA says a duct cleaner should protect carpet and household furnishings and use vacuum equipment that exhausts outside the home, or HEPA vacuum equipment if it exhausts inside. We use a HEPA-filtered vacuum and put every register cover back when we finish.
How do I know the whole system was cleaned?
Look for yourself. The EPA says a thorough visual inspection is the best way to verify the cleanliness of your heating and cooling system, and all portions of it should be visibly clean. Ask the provider to show you each component of your system after the job.
Does duct cleaning improve your health?
No one knows for sure. The EPA says duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems. It says cleaning may be worth considering when there is substantial visible mold, ducts are infested with vermin, or ducts are clogged with excessive dust and debris.
How long does a duct cleaning take?
It depends on your home. NADCA says the time varies with the size of the home, the number of systems, how accessible the system is and how much contamination is present. We'll give you a time estimate when we quote your job.
Ready to Get Your Ducts Cleaned?
We'll assess your ducts and give you an honest recommendation. Call us at (507) 289-4039 or request a quote online.
Sources
- Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned?, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Overview of the Cleaning Process, National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA)
- Cost & Time Estimates, Breathing Clean by NADCA
The MedCity Duct Cleaning Team
Locally owned and operated in Rochester, MN since 2016. We specialize in residential and commercial air duct and dryer vent cleaning using professional Rotobrush equipment.