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 $350 to $700 for an average single-family home, with most families landing around $450 to $550. That price usually covers the main supply and return lines, floor and ceiling registers, the blower compartment, and a visible dryer vent if it’s accessible. Homes with two HVAC systems, heavy pet hair, or recent remodeling can run $800 to $1,200 or more.
We’re Morton’s Air Duct Cleaning, and we’ve been cleaning ducts since 2005. Every visit comes with a written price before any work starts, shoe covers and drop cloths from the moment we walk in, and a photo of the clean-up before we leave. If your quote in Columbus comes in well below $300, ask what’s actually being cleaned. Usually, it’s not much.
Air Duct Cleaning Cost Breakdown (2026)
Below are the ranges Columbus homeowners see in 2026, based on house size, system count, and how much buildup we find. These are line-item estimates, not a single lump sum, so you can see where the money goes.
| Service | Typical Price Range |
|---|---|
| Standard single-system home (up to 2,000 sq ft) | $350 – $500 |
| Larger home or two HVAC systems (2,000 – 3,500 sq ft) | $550 – $850 |
| Extra return line or added zone | $75 – $150 each |
| Dryer vent cleaning (when bundled with duct cleaning) | $75 – $125 |
| Dryer vent cleaning (standalone) | $125 – $200 |
| Heavy pet hair or dander surcharge | $50 – $150 |
| Post-remodel or post-construction dust | $100 – $250 |
| Register and vent covers cleaned (whole house) | $40 – $90 |
| Mild mold or microbial treatment in the system | $150 – $400 |
| Blower motor and coil compartment deep clean | $100 – $200 |
What pushes a Columbus quote toward the higher end? Mostly the number of systems, the age of the ductwork, and what’s living in it. A 1950s ranch in Clintonville with original metal ducts and one furnace costs less to clean than a 1990s two-story in Dublin running two units. Add two dogs and a cat to that Dublin house and the number climbs again, because pet hair wraps around brush heads and slows the whole job. A written price before any work starts keeps all of this clear instead of turning into a surprise on the invoice. That’s the standard we hold on every visit.
What Affects Air Duct Cleaning Pricing in Columbus
- Number of HVAC systems and zones. Most Columbus homes built before 1980 have one furnace and one air handler. Newer builds in Westerville or New Albany often run two, which roughly doubles the labor and the number of supply runs to clean.
- Square footage and duct layout. Long, sprawling ranches in areas like Upper Arlington have more linear feet of duct than a compact two-story. More duct means more time under the Rotobrush and more registers to pull and reseat.
- Pets and kids. Columbus has a large pet-owning population, and Ohio’s humid summers mean more shedding inside. We see heavy hair load in homes with dogs that spend time indoors year-round, especially in areas like German Village with older, lower-ceilinged spaces where dust settles fast.
- Duct material. Flexible foil duct is faster to clean than rigid sheet metal with tight turns. Original galvanized duct in older Columbus neighborhoods can also carry more surface rust and buildup than modern lined duct.
- Contaminant type. Drywall dust from a basement finish in Hilliard behaves differently than standard household dust. Pet dander, pollen, and moisture-related buildup each need different equipment and time.
- Access. A furnace in a finished basement, a crawlspace air handler, or a ceiling-mounted unit in a newer condo all affect setup time. Tight access adds labor.
One thing that doesn’t change the price: which equipment we bring. We use professional-grade tools from Rotobrush, Nikro, Abatement Technologies, Honeywell, Aprilaire, and Guardsman on every job. The vacuum, the agitation tool, and the air scrubber we’d bring to a 1,500-square-foot ranch are the same brands we’d bring to a 4,000-square-foot home in Bexley. What changes is how many passes we make and how long we stay.
Why Columbus Homes See Specific Duct Buildup
Columbus sits in a climate that swings hard between humid summers and dry, cold winters. That cycle pulls moisture into ductwork in July, then dries it out by January, which leaves behind a thin layer of dust that next season’s air pushes right back into the living space. Homes near the Olentangy River and the Scioto corridor tend to run a little more humid than the outer suburbs, and we notice more clumping dust in those systems when we open them up.
Pollen season here is real, too. Central Ohio’s tree pollen in April and May and ragweed in late August send a lot of fine particles through return air. A furnace filter catches some of it. The rest settles on the inside of the duct, on the blower wheel, and on the evaporator coil. When we clean, we’re pulling that material out, not just moving it around.
Older neighborhoods add another layer. In places like Franklinton, Olde Towne East, and the Near East Side, we regularly find ducts that haven’t been touched in decades. Some still have construction debris from a 1970s addition. Others have dryer vents venting into the crawl space instead of outside, which is a fire risk we flag every time we see it. If you’re not sure when your ducts were last cleaned, a quick look at the registers usually tells the story. If you can see a grey film on the inside of the grille, it’s time.
How to Save on Air Duct Cleaning in Columbus
Nobody likes paying more than they need to. Here’s what actually moves the number down without cutting corners on the clean itself.
- Bundle the dryer vent. Adding dryer vent cleaning to a duct job usually saves $50 or more compared to booking it separately. It’s also the single most common fire-risk item we find in Columbus homes.
- Do it after the remodel, not during. If you’re finishing a basement or doing a kitchen reno, wait until the dust settles. Cleaning mid-project means paying twice.
- Ask about multi-system pricing. A home with two HVAC systems shouldn’t cost double a single-system home. There’s overlap in setup and travel, and any honest Columbus company will reflect that in the quote.
- Stay on a schedule. Every three to five years is right for most families. Every two years is right for homes with pets, allergies, or a recent major renovation. More frequent cleaning is cheaper per visit than waiting until buildup is heavy.
- Get the written price first. Free estimates exist, and there’s no reason to book a job without one. If a company won’t put a number in writing before they start, that’s your answer.
Call (323) 918-4345 and we’ll give you a written estimate over the phone for most Columbus homes. If we need to see the system first, that visit is free too. No pressure, no same-day-only pricing games, no upsell script. A real person answers the phone, day or night, and you’ll know the price before anyone touches your ducts.
What’s Included in a Morton’s Air Duct Cleaning
Pricing only means something if you know what’s in it. Here’s what every job includes, whether you’re in a 900-square-foot condo downtown or a four-bedroom in Powell.
- Written price before any work starts. You see the number, you approve the number. Nothing changes mid-job without your say-so.
- Source removal, not just surface cleaning. We use the Rotobrush system with HEPA filtration and Nikro agitation tools to pull debris out of the duct and into containment, not back into your rooms.
- All supply and return lines. Every register gets pulled, the boot cleaned, and the grille wiped before it goes back on.
- Blower compartment and accessible coil. This is where a lot of the smell lives. We clean it as part of the standard job, not as an add-on.
- Shoe covers and drop cloths. Included on every visit. Floors, furniture, and pet areas are protected from the moment we walk in.
- Quiet tools and pet-safe products where available. If there’s a toddler napping down the hall, we work around it. If there’s a dog that doesn’t love strangers, we’ll go at their pace.
- Photo of the clean-up before we leave. You see exactly how we left the space, on your phone, before we pull out of the driveway.
- 365-Day Done Right Promise. If something isn’t right, we come back and make it right. It’s stamped on every job, not something you have to ask for.
We’ve been doing this since 2005, and we’re an independently owned part of the Cedarwell family of companies. Every location is locally owned, and each one works to the Cedarwell Care Promise and the C.A.R.E. values. That means background-checked, uniformed technicians, a written price before work starts, and a live person on the phone any hour of the day. If you’d rather read more about how we work before you call, start with our home page and go from there.
Repair or Replace? A Note on Older Columbus Ducts
Sometimes the honest answer isn’t “clean it,” it’s “this duct needs attention first.” If we find disconnected runs in a crawl space, crushed flex duct behind a finished wall, or asbestos-wrapped duct in a pre-1970s Columbus home, we’ll tell you. Cleaning over a broken duct just moves air into the wrong place. We don’t do duct repairs or replacements, and we’ll say so plainly. If you need that work, get it done first, then call us back and we’ll clean the system properly. A real technician tells you what the system needs, not what’s easiest to sell.
FAQs – Air Duct Cleaning Cost
How much does air duct cleaning cost in Columbus?
Most Columbus homeowners pay $350 to $700, with a typical job landing around $450 to $550 for a single-system home under 2,000 square feet. Homes with two HVAC systems, heavy pet hair, or recent remodeling usually run $800 to $1,200. Call (323) 918-4345 for an exact quote, and the estimate is free.
Is it cheaper to clean or replace ductwork?
Cleaning is almost always cheaper. Standard duct cleaning in Columbus runs $350 to $700, while replacing ductwork typically starts around $2,500 and climbs past $8,000 for a whole house. Replace only when ducts are crushed, disconnected, or damaged. Cleaning covers the rest. Call (323) 918-4345 and we’ll tell you which one your system actually needs.
Can you clean my ducts the same day?
Often, yes. For standard single-system homes in Columbus, we can frequently schedule same-day or next-day service, depending on the route and time of year. Spring and fall book fastest, so call early if you’re on a tight timeline. Call (323) 918-4345 and we’ll tell you what’s open.
How often should I have my air ducts cleaned in Columbus?
Every three to five years for most homes. Drop to every two years if you have pets indoors, a family member with allergies, or you’ve just finished a renovation. Columbus’s humid summers and heavy spring pollen load can speed up buildup compared to drier markets. Call (323) 918-4345 if you’re not sure where you fall.
Is air duct cleaning worth the cost?
Yes, in most Columbus homes, especially if it’s been more than five years, if you’ve had a remodel, or if pets live inside. The $350 to $700 range is small compared to what heavy buildup costs in air quality and HVAC strain. If your system is clean already, we’ll tell you so. Call (323) 918-4345 for a free written estimate before you decide.
Do you charge extra for dryer vent cleaning?
Bundled with a full duct cleaning, dryer vent cleaning in Columbus usually adds $75 to $125. On its own, it runs $125 to $200. We recommend bundling because the dryer vent is the most common fire-risk item we find in Ohio homes. Call (323) 918-4345 to add it to your quote.
What if I have pets or small kids at home?
Nothing changes on the price. What changes is how we work. We use quieter tools where we can, choose pet-safe products where available, and schedule around nap times if that helps. Shoe covers and drop cloths go down before anything else. Call (323) 918-4345 and tell us what your household looks like, and we’ll plan the visit around it.
Pricing reflects the Columbus market as of 2026. Morton’s Air Duct Cleaning offers free estimates – call (323) 918-4345.
Written by Paul Adeyemi, Owner at Morton’s Air Duct Cleaning, serving Columbus since 2005.
What Our Customers Say
"Ducts and dryer vent both. They put runners down the whole hall and wore booties. Spotless after, and they showed me photos of what came out. Worth every penny."
- Bonnie Vo"Spotless work. They laid drop cloths everywhere and I was honestly impressed there was zero mess at the end. Showed me the dirt they pulled out so I could see it was worth it."
- Shelby Dunham"New house, old dusty ducts. They were gentle in the house, laid down drop cloths, and double checked every register was sealed back up. Air smells fresh now."
- Scott Hemmings