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Duct Cleaning and Dryer Vent Cleaning in Ottawa
Straight Answers About What Duct Cleaning Does and Does Not Do
Duct cleaning is one of the most oversold services in this trade, and we would rather tell you that than sell it to you every year. There are real reasons to have ducts cleaned, and there are homes where the money is far better spent on a filter upgrade or a furnace tune-up. Just Air handles ductwork and dryer vent work across Ottawa and the surrounding areas, and we will tell you which category your house falls into. Call (613) 266-9742.
Just Air
Ductwork and Dryer Vent Services in Ottawa
Our commitment on the contact page says we will never pressure you into products or services you do not need, and duct cleaning is where that gets tested most often. So here is our position. Duct cleaning is worth doing after renovation or drywall work, after a rodent or pest problem, in a home that has just changed hands, or when you can see debris in the supply registers. It is not an annual necessity in a clean, well-filtered home, and it will not fix an airflow problem caused by undersized ductwork or a dirty blower.
when it helps
When Duct Cleaning Is Worth Doing
Book it when one of these applies:
- After renovations. Drywall dust is fine, abrasive and it gets everywhere. Sanding a basement without sealing the returns fills the duct system.
- After pests. Mice, squirrels or insects in the ductwork leave droppings and nesting material behind.
- New to the house. You have no idea what the previous owners did, whether they had pets, or whether the system ran without a filter.
- Visible debris. Pull a floor register and look. If you can see a mat of dust and pet hair, that is a real answer.
- Water or smoke damage. After a flood or a fire, ducts hold odour and contamination.
- Persistent musty smell that starts when the system kicks on and cannot be traced to anything else.
If none of those describe your home, we will say so, and we will suggest a better filter and a furnace service instead.
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dryer vents
Dryer Vent Cleaning in Ottawa
This one is different. Dryer vent cleaning is a genuine safety and efficiency item, and it needs doing far more often than most homeowners realise.
Lint builds up in the duct between the dryer and the exterior wall. As it accumulates the dryer has to run longer to dry the same load, which costs energy and wears out the machine. Lint is also flammable, and a clogged dryer vent is a well-documented fire cause.
Signs your dryer vent needs attention:
- Clothes take two cycles to dry.
- The dryer cabinet or the laundry room gets hot while it runs.
- A burning or hot lint smell.
- The outside vent flap is not opening properly when the dryer runs.
- Lint collecting around the exterior vent hood.
Since we already install gas dryers, the venting side of that work is familiar territory. See our gas dryer installation page.
before you book
What Duct Cleaning Will Not Fix
Being clear about the limits is the point of this page.
- Weak airflow from undersized or crushed ducts. Cleaning does not add capacity. That is a ductwork design problem and it needs different work.
- Allergies. Most household allergens are generated and circulated in the living space, not stored in the ducts. Better filtration and humidity control move that needle further. See our indoor air quality page and our HEPA filter installation page.
- A dirty blower or evaporator coil. These are inside the equipment, not in the ducts, and they need a proper furnace or air conditioner service. See our heating services and cooling services.
- Uneven room temperatures. That is usually balancing, insulation, or a zoning problem. A ductless head often fixes the one stubborn room better than anything done to the ducts.
Call us and describe the symptom. We will tell you what it actually is.
for customers
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should air ducts be cleaned?
There is no fixed schedule that applies to every home. Clean them when something has changed: renovation dust, a pest problem, a new house, water or smoke damage, or visible debris at the registers. A clean, well-filtered home with no pets can go many years without needing it, and paying for it annually out of habit is money that would do more good on filtration and equipment maintenance.
How often should a dryer vent be cleaned?
This one is genuinely regular. Most households benefit from a yearly clean, and more often if you dry a lot of laundry, if the vent run is long, or if it has several elbows. Lint is flammable and a restricted vent makes the dryer work harder, so this is a safety item rather than a cosmetic one.
Will duct cleaning help my allergies?
Usually less than people hope. Most of what triggers allergies is produced and circulated in the living space rather than stored in the ductwork. A better filter, controlled humidity and proper ventilation typically do more. Have a look at our indoor air quality page before you spend on duct cleaning for this reason.
Does duct cleaning improve airflow?
Only if the ducts were genuinely obstructed. If the airflow problem comes from undersized ducts, crushed flex, closed dampers or a dirty blower wheel, cleaning will not change it. We would rather diagnose the cause first than clean the ducts and leave you with the same complaint.
Do you clean ducts in commercial buildings?
Talk to us about the space. Commercial systems vary enormously, from a rooftop unit over a small retail unit to a multi-zone system in an office. See our commercial HVAC page and call (613) 266-9742 so we can tell you whether it is a job we take on.
Should I have my ducts cleaned before or after a renovation?
After. Cleaning before the dust is made is wasted money. Seal your return registers during the work if you can, run the system as little as possible, then clean once the sanding is finished and the dust has settled.
