What’s Involved in Ducted Air Conditioning Cleaning?

Written by Ofek Shamir, owner of The Guys Group

What’s involved in cleaning ducted air conditioning?

Our ducted air conditioning clean is $349 + GST for the return air package. If you prefer to keep your current filter, our Deep Scrub & Sanitise option is $229 + GST: the duct foils deep-scrubbed through to the return duct, a professional sanitise, and an airflow check and test run. It covers a new filter, the aluminium duct foils cleaned from the filter through to the return duct, a professional sanitise, and an airflow check and test run, with zero mess left behind. Most Sydney homes pay just that. Every visit includes a free full home inspection, and if your room ducts also need cleaning, your technician quotes on the spot and you approve before any work starts. A ducted system shares one airstream with the whole home, and the return air side, where the filter sits, is where most of the debris is caught.

If your ducted controller is showing an error code, see what your ducted air conditioner error code means.

Key Takeaways

• Our ducted clean covers a new filter, the aluminium duct foils from the filter through to the return duct, a professional sanitise, and an airflow check and test run.
• The return air filter is the part you can and should clean yourself between professional cleans.
• Musty smells, weak airflow in end rooms and dust settling quickly after cleaning are the common signs a ducted system is due.
• Most homes need a professional ducted clean about once a year. Allow for more often with pets, allergies or dusty roof spaces.

What’s included in a ducted clean?

1. A new filter. The return air filter is where most debris is caught. A new filter is supplied and fitted as part of the job.

2. The aluminium duct foils, cleaned from the filter through to the return duct. This is the return air side of the system, where dust builds up behind the filter.

3. A professional sanitise. The sanitise treats the build-up that causes stale and musty smells.

4. An airflow check and test run. Once everything is back in place, the system is run and the airflow is checked before we sign off.

5. Zero mess. Nothing is left behind in the house when we finish.

For more detail, see our ducted aircon cleaning service in Sydney.

How do you clean a ducted air conditioning filter yourself?

The return air filter is the one part of a ducted system most owners can look after between professional cleans.

1. Turn the system off at the controller and at the isolator switch.
2. Find the return air grille. It is usually the largest grille, in a hallway or central ceiling. Open or unclip it carefully, as it can be heavy and dusty.
3. Remove the filter and vacuum off loose dust, then rinse it with warm water and a little mild detergent if the manufacturer allows it.
4. Let it dry completely in the shade before refitting. A damp filter can encourage mould.
5. Refit the filter the right way round and close the grille.

Check your manufacturer’s manual first. Some filters are designed to be replaced rather than washed. Cleaning the filter keeps air moving between professional cleans, but it doesn’t reach the duct foils behind it.

What are the signs a ducted system needs cleaning?

• A musty smell when it starts. In a ducted system, the smell reaches every room it serves. See why an air conditioner smells musty.
• Weak airflow in the rooms at the end of a duct run. A clogged filter is the most common cause.
• Dust settling back on surfaces within days of cleaning.
• Longer run times or rising power bills without a change in how you use it.

How often should ducted air conditioning be cleaned?

For most Sydney homes, a professional ducted clean about once a year is a sensible baseline. Book one more often if you have pets, anyone with allergies or asthma, a particularly dusty roof space, or heavy use through summer and winter. Clean the return air filter every few months in between. For how ducted and split systems compare, see split system vs ducted: which needs more cleaning?

How is a ducted clean different from a split system clean?

A split system deep clean is priced per indoor unit, from $249 + GST for the first, and covers the evaporator coil with a full coil flush, the fan barrel, the drain pan and drain line, the filters and a sanitise of the internal components. A ducted clean is a $349 + GST return air package: a new filter, the aluminium duct foils cleaned from the filter through to the return duct, a professional sanitise, and an airflow check and test run.