Whole-system duct and dryer vent check with before-and-after photos - you see exactly what came out of your vents
That "$99 whole-house special" is a bait ad - the real number appears once they are in your hallway, or the "clean" is a shop-vac at the register. We photograph the inside of your ducts before and after instead.
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AfterHow Much Does Air Duct Cleaning Cost in Columbus?
Air duct cleaning in Columbus typically costs between $350 and $700 for an average single-family home, with most two-story houses in the $500 to $650 range. Small condos and single-level homes with fewer vents can run as low as $300, while larger homes in suburbs like Dublin, Westerville, and Pickerington with two HVAC zones often land between $750 and $1,100. Every job we do comes with a written price before a single vent is opened, so the number you hear on the phone is the number you pay.
We founded Kestrel under the Kingswell Guarantee in 2004, and that same written standard applies to every visit. That means an arrival window we actually keep, a written price you hold before work begins, and a 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. No door-step revisions. No vague satisfaction language.
Key Takeaways
- Most Columbus homes fall between $350 and $700 for full-system air duct cleaning.
- Dryer vent cleaning runs $120 to $225 as a standalone service.
- Written price before work starts, always. It’s not a promo, it’s how we operate.
- Background-checked, uniformed technicians using Rotobrush, Nikro, and Abatement Technologies equipment.
- Live person answers the phone 24/7 at (469) 972-3151, not a voicemail queue.
If you’ve been burned by a contractor who quoted $199 and charged $480 at the door, you’re exactly the customer we built this company for. Give your home the standard it deserves.
Air Duct Cleaning Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s what real numbers look like for the Columbus market heading into 2026. These ranges cover materials, labor, and equipment, and they’re based on what we actually charge, not an industry average pulled from a national survey.
| Service Line Item | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Base air duct cleaning (up to 10 vents, single HVAC system) | $350 – $500 |
| Additional vents beyond 10 (per vent) | $18 – $30 |
| Second HVAC zone or system | $150 – $275 |
| Dryer vent cleaning (standalone) | $120 – $225 |
| Main trunk line cleaning (large-diameter runs) | $75 – $175 |
| Return air drop cleaning (per drop) | $25 – $50 |
| Heavy debris or post-renovation cleaning | $100 – $350 surcharge |
| Mold remediation (if visible growth is present) | $500 – $2,500+ (third-party licensed) |
What drives cost up? More vents, more systems, more square footage. A 4,000-square-foot home in New Albany with two furnaces and 24 supply vents is a fundamentally different job than a 1,100-square-foot condo in German Village with eight vents and one air handler. Accessibility matters too. Flex duct running through a finished basement ceiling takes longer than hard duct in an open crawlspace.
What drives cost down? Single-story homes with simple layouts. Straight-run ductwork. Easy attic or basement access. And no pets, no recent renovations, and no moisture issues. When we quote, we walk the system.
Our technicians use Rotobrush rotary brush systems to agitate debris off the duct walls (picture a spinning brush made specifically for duct interiors), Nikro negative-pressure units to pull loosened contaminants out of the system, and Abatement Technologies HEPA filtration to keep particles out of your living space during the air duct cleaning. Real tools, not a shop vac and a leaf blower. If a company shows up with either, send them home.
What Affects Air Duct Cleaning Pricing in Columbus
Columbus pricing isn’t random. Six factors move the number more than anything else:
- Home size and vent count. Most Columbus homes have 10 to 20 supply vents. Each additional vent adds $18 to $30 because every register is cleaned individually, not just the trunk lines. A three-bedroom ranch in Grove City with 12 vents prices differently than a five-bedroom in Powell with 22.
- Number of HVAC systems. Two furnaces or a dual-zone setup means two separate duct networks, two air handlers, and roughly double the labor. This is common in Westerville and Dublin homes built after 1995.
- Duct accessibility. Hard duct in an open basement is fast. Flex duct snaked through a finished ceiling with no access panels takes longer. Attic runs during a July heat wave in Columbus add time and cost.
- Debris level. Post-renovation dust, pet dander buildup, or a home that sat vacant for two summers will require more passes. We’ve pulled construction dust out of new-build ducts in Lewis Center that added $200 to $350 to the job.
- Moisture or microbial growth. Central Ohio humidity swings between seasons wreak havoc on poorly sealed ductwork. If we find visible mold, that’s a separate licensed remediation job and we’ll tell you so directly, not bundle it into a “cleaning.”
- Dryer vent cleaning. Often bundled with air duct cleaning, standalone dryer vent service runs $120 to $225. A clogged dryer vent is a fire risk, and lint-trap bypass (the gap where lint sneaks past the trap into the exhaust run) is the usual culprit. We clear the full run, not just the first few feet.
How to Save on Air Duct Cleaning
You don’t need a coupon to get a fair price. You need to know what’s actually going on in your ducts and what isn’t.
- Bundle air duct and dryer vent cleaning. Doing both in one visit saves the second trip charge. Most customers in Columbus pay $450 to $650 total for both when scheduled together.
- Skip the upsells you don’t need. If there’s no visible mold and no moisture reading, you don’t need antimicrobial fogging or duct sealing. A straightforward cleaning does the job.
- Get the price in writing before anyone touches a vent. This is how you avoid the “$199 special” that turns into $480 at the door. The written price is your protection, and it’s how every Kestrel job operates under the Kingswell Guarantee.
- Ask what equipment shows up. Rotobrush, Nikro, and Abatement Technologies are the standard in professional duct cleaning. If a company can’t name their equipment, they probably don’t own it.
- Time it right. Late spring and early fall are slower, and you’ll have an easier time getting your preferred arrival window.
Free estimates are exactly that: free. Call (469) 972-3151 and we’ll give you a real range over the phone and a written price before work starts. That’s the Kingswell Way, and it applies to every visit.
FAQs – Air Duct Cleaning Cost
How much does air duct cleaning cost in Columbus?
Most Columbus homes pay $350 to $700 for a full-system cleaning. Larger homes with two HVAC zones in areas like Dublin, New Albany, or Upper Arlington typically run $750 to $1,100. The price depends on vent count, number of systems, and duct accessibility.
Is $99 air duct cleaning a real price?
No. A $99 or $199 advertisement in Columbus is almost always a bait price. The technician arrives, finds “hidden problems,” and the final bill lands between $400 and $800. If a quote sounds too low for a two-story home with 15 vents, it is. Call (469) 972-3151 for a written price before work starts.
How much does dryer vent cleaning cost in Columbus?
Standalone dryer vent cleaning runs $120 to $225 depending on vent length and roof vs. wall termination. Bundled with air duct cleaning, most customers pay $450 to $650 total, slightly less than air duct cleaning costs in Fort Worth, TX. A clogged dryer vent is a fire hazard, and we recommend it be checked annually.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace air ducts?
Cleaning at $350 to $700 is almost always cheaper than replacement, which runs $2,500 to $8,000 depending on home size, and aligns with air duct cleaning costs in Fresno, CA. Replacement only makes sense if ducts are crushed, disconnected, or seriously deteriorated. If a contractor jumps to replacement on the first visit without showing you a camera inspection, get a second opinion.
Does air duct cleaning require a permit in Columbus?
Standard air duct cleaning doesn’t require a permit in Franklin County. Mold remediation does, and we don’t handle that ourselves; if we find mold, we’ll refer you to a licensed remediation contractor. You get a straight answer from us, even when it’s not the answer that earns us money.
How long does air duct cleaning take?
Most Columbus homes take two to four hours. A single-system, single-story home runs closer to two hours. Two-system homes in Hilliard or Gahanna with 20-plus vents typically take three to four. We block the time in the written estimate so you know what your day looks like.
Why Columbus Homeowners Call Kestrel
We answer the phone with a live person 24/7, whether it’s a Tuesday morning or a Saturday night. We show up in the arrival window we gave you. We put the price in writing before work begins, and every job carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if the work falls short within the guarantee period, we come back and make it right at no charge. If a repair fails, the second visit is free and it’s spelled out in writing, not offered as a favor.
Under The Kingswell Way, our uniformed, background-checked technicians follow the same code on every visit: say the price, show up in the window we gave, leave the place cleaner than we found it, put the guarantee in writing, and come back if it fails. For homeowners who want to maintain indoor air quality between service visits, we also offer Honeywell, Aprilaire, and Guardsman filtration and IAQ products.
If you’ve been let down before, we understand. A technician who never showed. A price that doubled at the door. A dryer vent that clogged six weeks after it was “cleaned.” Those aren’t rare stories in Columbus, and they’re exactly why we operate under a written guarantee instead of a verbal promise.
Call (469) 972-3151 for a free estimate. We’ll give you a real range over the phone, a written price before we start, and a 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing on the job. That’s how it should work.
Pricing reflects the Columbus market as of 2026. Kestrel Air Duct Cleaning offers free estimates – call (469) 972-3151.
Written by Dale Whitmore, Owner at Kestrel Air Duct Cleaning, serving Columbus since 2004.
What Our Customers Say
"My wife's allergies were awful every morning. Had the ducts done and it's made a real difference. Tech was on time and wore booties in the house without me asking."
- Rob Pendergast"Bought an older home and the previous owners had pets everywhere. After Kestrel did the ducts the stale smell was just gone. On time, quick, and they showed me the filter they pulled."
- Preston Ngata"Our dryer was taking two cycles to dry a load. They cleaned the vent and pulled out a frightening amount of lint. Dries in one cycle now and honestly I feel better about the fire risk."
- Marcus Lee