Duct repair and duct cleaning in Columbia
When one bedroom stays stuffy and the rest of the house is fine, the duct feeding it is a likelier cause than the equipment. Sealing and fixing ducts usually buys more comfort than cleaning them. Fixr lists cleaning at $300 to $700, averaging $500.
Clues that point at the ducts
- The same one or two rooms always lag, often the far end of the house or the room above the garage.
- Some registers barely push air even with a new filter.
- Dust settles again within days, or the house smells musty when the blower kicks on.
- In the attic or crawlspace you can see disconnected joints or flex duct that has been stepped on.
The DOE's homeowner guide names leaky ducts in unconditioned space as a real energy loss, and lists sealing and insulating them among the more effective fixes. A Missouri crawlspace in July is damp, so a leaking return there draws wet air straight into the system.
The older-house problem
About 36% of the homes in our area ZIPs were built before 1980 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Plenty of them got central air later, bolted onto ductwork sized for a furnace. Cooling moves more air than heating does, so a duct system that heats the house fine in January can starve the coil in July. Before anyone sells you a bigger unit, ask them to measure static pressure.
When a cleaning is money well spent
After a remodel that put drywall dust through the system, when there is visible mold, or when mice or insects have moved in. A cleaning won't seal a joint or fix a bad layout, so ask what the company does about leaks it finds while it is in there.
What Boone County homeowners ask us
What does duct cleaning cost?
Fixr lists $300 to $700 for a typical house, averaging $500. Sealing and repair are separate line items.
Why is one bedroom always warmer than the rest of the house?
Often its duct is too long, leaking or undersized. Rooms over a garage or with big west windows also run warm. A technician can measure the airflow at that register.