Frequently Asked
Questions

For a standard Columbus home (2,000–3,000 sq ft), plan on 2–4 hours. Larger homes with more vents or longer duct runs take longer. We give you an honest time estimate when you book. We don't rush the job — we photograph every vent before and after, which takes the time it takes.

The NADCA recommendation is every 3–5 years for most homes. We recommend more frequently in specific situations:

• Pets: every 2–3 years — pet hair and dander load ductwork faster than almost anything else
• Allergy or asthma sufferers: every 2–3 years
• New construction homes: once after move-in regardless of age — construction dust is a real issue
• New homebuyers: immediately — you don't know what the previous owners had

Common signs your ducts need cleaning:

• Visible dust or debris blowing from vents when the system runs
• Allergy or asthma symptoms noticeably worse indoors than outside
• Musty or stale odors when the HVAC first kicks on
• Visible pet hair or debris around vent covers
• You've lived in the home 3–5+ years and never had it done
• You just moved into a previously owned home and don't know its maintenance history

We use high-powered HEPA-filtered vacuum systems combined with rotary brush agitation tools that loosen packed debris before extraction. This is the equipment standard required by NADCA. If a company shows up with a shop vac and a brush kit, that is not a professional cleaning — that is a red flag. Ask any company you're considering what equipment they use before you book.

Yes — every vent, every job, every time. This isn't an upsell or a premium add-on — it's how we work. You see exactly what we removed from your specific home. Our reviews mention the photos constantly because homeowners are usually surprised by what comes out.

Someone needs to let us in, but you don't have to stay for the full appointment. Most homeowners let us in, get a quick walkthrough, then go about their day. We check in when we're done and walk you through the before/after photos. If you need to leave before we finish, we can communicate by phone and lock up on the way out — just let us know when you book.

No — the whole point of the negative pressure system is that debris goes into the vacuum, not into your home. We lay down drop cloths near work areas and clean up before we leave. The most common thing homeowners notice afterward is that their home smells better and there's less dust settling on surfaces in the days following the cleaning.

For many Columbus homeowners, yes — noticeably. We've had customers call the day after their cleaning to say they slept better than they had in months. Columbus is a high-pollen city with a long allergy season, and your ductwork recirculates whatever it collects. That said, duct cleaning is one piece of the puzzle — a quality air filter (MERV 8 or higher) and regular filter changes also matter. We'll give you honest advice during your appointment about what's actually in your system and what will realistically help.

At minimum, once per year. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that 15,000+ home fires per year are caused by clogged dryer vents. If you do multiple loads per week, have pets, or have a long vent run — especially a roof-vented system — every 6–12 months is safer. This is not a maintenance item to defer.

Any of these should prompt an immediate service call:

• Clothes take more than one cycle to fully dry — the most common and most ignored sign
• The dryer or laundry room feels unusually hot during operation
• A burning smell during the dryer cycle
• The exterior vent flap doesn't open fully when the dryer is running
• It's been more than a year since the last cleaning
• You hear unusual sounds from the laundry room — possible bird nest
• Your dryer shuts off mid-cycle (thermal overload protection triggering)

Yes. Roof dryer vents are very common in newer Columbus communities — Lewis Center, Hilliard, Pickerington, and many townhome and condo developments throughout Central Ohio. We bring ladders and the right tools for roof access. Just mention your vent is roof-mounted when you book. Roof vent cleaning is included in our standard dryer vent service price.

A homeowner can clean the first few feet with a $25 brush kit — that handles maybe 20% of the lint in a typical system. The rest, especially compacted debris near the middle or exterior end, bird nests, or anything in a roof vent, requires professional extraction equipment. A brush kit pushed through a clogged vent can also compact the blockage further. See our dryer vent page for a full DIY vs. pro breakdown.

Bird nests are more common than most Columbus homeowners realize — especially in spring. We remove them as part of a standard dryer vent cleaning and inspect the exterior cap, since a damaged or open cap is what allowed the nest in the first place. Nesting material is highly flammable when dried — this is an urgent situation, not a schedule-it-next-month situation.

Typically 45–90 minutes for a standard dryer vent run. Longer runs, roof vents, or vents with significant blockages or bird nests take longer. When booked as part of our bundle, both services are scheduled in the same appointment window with plenty of time for each.

Yes. A new dryer connected to an old, clogged vent is still a fire risk — and will underperform significantly. The appliance and the vent are separate systems. If you replaced your dryer because of slow drying times and the problem persists with the new machine, the vent is almost certainly the issue.

Yes. Clean Air Pros serves offices, apartment complexes, medical facilities, restaurants, pharmacies, nursing homes, retail locations, laundromats, and bakeries across Greater Columbus. We can mobilize a two-crew team for larger properties and provide full before-and-after photo documentation for compliance and maintenance records. See our commercial services page.

Commercial pricing is custom-quoted based on system size, number of units or zones, duct configuration, and access requirements. There's no flat-rate formula for commercial work. We do a thorough assessment before quoting — and the quote we give is what you pay. Call (614) 924-0003 or use our commercial quote form to get started.

Yes — this is a significant part of our commercial work. We service individual units between tenant turnovers, full buildings on annual maintenance schedules, and common area HVAC systems. We provide documentation suitable for maintenance records and coordinate around tenant schedules. Several Columbus-area property management companies work with us on an ongoing basis.

Yes. We have experience with medical offices, dental practices, and pharmacy environments — including facilities with TDDD (Terminal Distributor of Dangerous Drugs) compliance requirements. Our team is professional, discreet, and experienced in sensitive commercial settings that require stricter scheduling and documentation.

Clean Air Pros charges $299 for a standard whole-home residential duct cleaning. This covers every supply vent, every return vent, the main trunk lines, and plenums. No hidden fees — the price we quote is the price you pay. A legitimate cleaning from any reputable Columbus company should fall between $299–$499. If you're seeing prices below $150, read our answer on scams below.

Dryer vent cleaning is $150 as a standalone service, or $75 when bundled with duct cleaning on the same visit. The bundle total is $374 — you save $75 by booking both together.

Book duct cleaning and dryer vent cleaning together on the same visit and pay $374 total — saving $75 versus booking separately. One appointment, one technician, both systems cleaned in a single afternoon. Full bundle details here.

The price we quote is the price you pay. We base quotes on your home's square footage and vent count. The only time a price changes is if we find something genuinely unexpected, and we always discuss it with you before doing any additional work. We will never pressure you into add-ons — that bait-and-switch experience is literally why we started this company.

Yes! The Spring Special — free whole-home sanitizing with any duct cleaning booked in April or May — applies to bundle appointments too. Book the bundle in April or May and you get the $75 bundle discount AND free sanitizing. Just mention it when you book.

Yes. Clean Air Pros LLC is NADCA certified — the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, which sets the professional standard for the duct cleaning industry. You can verify our certification directly at nadca.com. We display our certification prominently because it's one of the clearest ways to distinguish a legitimate company from a scam operation.

We serve all of Greater Columbus and Central Ohio, including: Dublin, Powell, Westerville, Gahanna, Upper Arlington, Hilliard, Worthington, New Albany, Lewis Center, Pickerington, Bexley, Clintonville, Grove City, Delaware, Sunbury, Marysville, Johnstown, and all surrounding communities. If you're in Central Ohio and unsure whether we cover your area, just call — the answer is almost certainly yes.

Yes — George ("Pops") and Monica Stelea are the real owners, genuinely involved in the business every day. George came to the United States from Romania and built this company from scratch after his family experienced a bait-and-switch duct cleaning job firsthand. That experience is why upfront pricing and photo proof aren't marketing language here — they're the actual policy. Read the full story on our About page.

Yes. Clean Air Pros has been featured on ONA (Ohio News Association) and ABC6 Columbus. We also maintain an active YouTube channel with real job footage. If you want to see what a real duct cleaning looks like before you book, our YouTube channel is a good place to start.

Yes. We stand behind our work with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not satisfied, call us — we will make it right. In five-plus years and over 6,000 Columbus cleanings, we've maintained a 5-star average on Google not because nothing ever goes wrong, but because we take it seriously when something does.

The $49 (or $79, or $99) whole-house cleaning ad is a documented bait-and-switch tactic. Here's exactly how it works:

Step 1: A company advertises an unrealistically low price on Facebook, mailers, or door hangers.
Step 2: A technician arrives and "discovers" problems — mold, severe blockages, contamination. These are often fabricated or exaggerated.
Step 3: The price escalates to $600, $800, $1,500. You're in a difficult position with the tech already in your home.
Step 4: Many people pay.

A legitimate cleaning for a standard Columbus home costs $299–$499. At $49, a company isn't covering their gas and insurance. The low price is designed to get them through your door.

Five things to verify before booking any duct cleaning company in Columbus:

1. NADCA certification — verify at nadca.com, not just their website
2. A real local address — Google it; out-of-state numbers and generic websites are red flags
3. Ask what equipment they use — the answer should include HEPA vacuum and agitation tools
4. Written quote before work begins — any on-site pressure to authorize additional work is a sign to stop
5. Before and after photos — ask if this is standard; if it's not, walk away

You have the right to decline any additional work and ask them to leave. You are not obligated to pay for work you didn't authorize. If a technician is using high-pressure tactics, stay calm, decline clearly, and end the appointment. You can file a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General's office if you've experienced deceptive pricing practices. Then call us — we'll give you a straight quote and show you what an honest cleaning looks like.

Because it happened to us. Before we started this company, George and Monica Stelea hired a duct cleaning company. The ad price was reasonable. When the technician arrived, the price tripled. The explanation was vague. The pressure was real. That experience is why Clean Air Pros exists — and why upfront pricing, photo proof, and no surprises aren't a marketing pitch here. They're the policy. The full story is on our About page.