SolvedDuct Cleaning
Repair or replace a 10-year-old duct system in Melbourne?
Asked by Michelle Patelin Melbourne, Victoria· 3/14/2026· 677 views
I'm in Melbourne, Victoria and dealing with a 10-year-old duct system in our single-family home. Over the past week, it has been pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms and we're now noticing our energy use jumped before the comfort issue became obvious.
One contractor quoted A$1,067 for repair, while another jumped straight to a A$9,756 replacement because of the age. The weather here has been dealing us hot afternoon cooling demand, so I do not want to wait too long, but I also do not want to approve the wrong scope.
If you were comparing bids on this, what would you want checked first? I especially want to know how much weight you would give to duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop.
ductsairflowcomfort
11 Answers
31
✓ Accepted Answer
If you can, ask whether they checked airflow before recommending equipment. We nearly replaced a system when the bigger issue was elsewhere. We had a related issue with our duct system in Melbourne. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Logan Miller·3/14/2026
32
0
From a contractor side, I would not approve a major repair or replacement without test results that line up with the symptoms. For a duct system that is pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms, the first things I would ask for are duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Melbourne, Victoria, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
23
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Before signing anything, I would ask the technician to show the readings and explain which number actually supports the recommendation. For a duct system that is pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms, the first things I would ask for are duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Melbourne, Victoria, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
11
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What helped us most was breaking the quote into labour, parts, warranty, and optional upgrades. The expensive bid looked very different once it was itemized. We had a related issue with our duct system in Melbourne. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Leo Brooks·3/14/2026
11
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If this landed on my schedule, I would want to document the core readings first and then explain exactly why the repair does or does not make economic sense. For a duct system that is pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms, the first things I would ask for are duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Melbourne, Victoria, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
10
0
What helped us most was breaking the quote into labour, parts, warranty, and optional upgrades. The expensive bid looked very different once it was itemized. We had a related issue with our duct system in Melbourne. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Benjamin Mitchell·3/14/2026
8
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I would compare how clearly each contractor explains the diagnosis, not just the price. The clearer company ended up being the better hire for us. We had a related issue with our duct system in Melbourne. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Owen Walker·3/15/2026
8
0
The recommendation should be tied to measurements, not just the age of the equipment. Age matters, but it is not a diagnosis on its own. For a duct system that is pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms, the first things I would ask for are duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Melbourne, Victoria, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
5
0
If this landed on my schedule, I would want to document the core readings first and then explain exactly why the repair does or does not make economic sense. For a duct system that is pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms, the first things I would ask for are duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Melbourne, Victoria, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
5
0
I would compare how clearly each contractor explains the diagnosis, not just the price. The clearer company ended up being the better hire for us. We had a related issue with our duct system in Melbourne. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Sofia Nguyen·3/15/2026
3
0
We had something similar and the turning point was asking each company for the actual readings in writing instead of a verbal explanation. We had a related issue with our duct system in Melbourne. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Amelia Carter·3/15/2026