Duct cleaning
Duct cleaning in the Tri-Cities, priced up front
A HEPA filtered vacuum at the furnace, up to 5,000 CFM of suction, and everything sealed up and hauled away. Two to four hours, at the price Chinook publishes.
Chapter 01
What collects in a Tri-Cities duct run
Air ducts get dirtier than you might think, especially if you are not the original homeowner or it has been more than 7 years. Beyond the usual piles of dust and dirt, Chinook says it is not uncommon to find scraps of food, pet hair and even rodent droppings in the ductwork.
A brand new house is not exempt. Sheetrock, insulation, carpet and tile all go in after the HVAC system has been installed, and for weeks and weeks other subcontractors keep working inside. Each one makes a mess and hopefully cleans it, yet debris in the ductwork once the house is finished is common. Cleaning new ductwork gives back the fresh-start feeling you wanted when you moved in.
For a home with a ducted system, Chinook recommends no longer than 7 years between cleanings. A clean system, they add, maximizes the lifespan of the equipment and helps the air quality in your home.
Three Chinook crew members loading a boxed unit into the Chinook box truck, its side listing duct cleaning among the services
How the cleaning runs, from the furnace to the sealed container
The crew sets a HEPA filtered vacuum near your furnace and uses up to 5,000 CFM of suction as needed. Chinook points out that 5,000 is well over the CFM needed to pull debris out, and that they rarely run it at 100% capacity. The vacuum sits at one end of the duct system, so loosened dust is drawn along the ducts and out, and the HEPA filter keeps it from being blown back into the house.
Suction alone does not free stubborn debris, so the crew uses agitators driven by a powerful air compressor to break it off and release it. Everything makes its way into a sealed container and is removed from the site.
Plan on 2 to 4 hours, depending on the size of your ductwork system. Chinook describes the techs as experienced and courteous, and says they will keep your home clean while they work.
Chapter 03
What it costs, and how to keep the ducts clean afterward
Chinook publishes the price. For $500 they clean up to 12 supply registers and 2 return registers. Each additional register is $25. A dryer vent cleaning added to your visit is $80, and a stand alone dryer vent cleaning is $200. A trip fee may apply for visits outside the Tri-Cities area.
The best way to avoid dirty air ducts is to prevent it: frequent filter changes and regular maintenance on your HVAC system. If you are sensitive to polluted air, Chinook recommends upgrading your filter box so it takes 4 inch filters instead of 1 inch filters.
Chinook Heating & Air. Washington contractor LIC# CHINOHA998MS. Call (509) 736-1121.
The published prices
What duct cleaning costs at Chinook.
- Up to 12 supply registers and 2 return registers
- $500
- Each additional register
- $25
- Dryer vent cleaning added to a duct cleaning visit
- $80
- Stand alone dryer vent cleaning
- $200
A trip fee may apply for visits outside the Tri-Cities area.
Regular maintenance on the HVAC system is Chinook’s other advice for clean ducts, and the Comfort365 tune-up is how members get it twice a year. Questions about a specific house are welcome on the contact page.
Duct cleaning questions