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What would you ask before approving duct cleaning work in Kelowna?

Asked by Ruben Brooksin Kelowna, British Columbia· 4/7/2026· 821 views
I'm in Kelowna, British Columbia and dealing with a 12-year-old duct system in our townhouse. 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 C$1,421 for repair, while another jumped straight to a C$15,227 replacement because of the age. The weather here has been dealing us cold snaps followed by mild afternoons, 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

27
✓ Accepted Answer
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 Kelowna. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Liam Russell·4/7/2026
25
0
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 Kelowna, British Columbia, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
🔧 Trusted TempMasters TechVerified HVAC Pro·4/8/2026
24
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 Kelowna, British Columbia, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
🔧 Chris's Air ConditioningVerified HVAC Pro·4/7/2026
21
0
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 Kelowna, British Columbia, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
🔧 Mitchell Family Air ConditioningVerified HVAC Pro·4/8/2026
20
0
The price range alone does not tell you enough. Ask what was tested, what failed, and which assumptions are built into the quote. 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 Kelowna, British Columbia, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
🔧 Nelson Air Comfort Inc.Verified HVAC Pro·4/7/2026
10
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 Kelowna. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Grace Foster·4/7/2026
10
0
The price range alone does not tell you enough. Ask what was tested, what failed, and which assumptions are built into the quote. 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 Kelowna, British Columbia, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
🔧 Campbell Heating & Air Inc.Verified HVAC Pro·4/9/2026
9
0
The price range alone does not tell you enough. Ask what was tested, what failed, and which assumptions are built into the quote. 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 Kelowna, British Columbia, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
🔧 Calgary Green MastersVerified HVAC Pro·4/8/2026
7
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 Kelowna. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Samantha Bennett·4/7/2026
6
0
The price range alone does not tell you enough. Ask what was tested, what failed, and which assumptions are built into the quote. 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 Kelowna, British Columbia, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
🔧 Clark Heating & Air Inc.Verified HVAC Pro·4/8/2026
2
0
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 Kelowna. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Ethan Reid·4/7/2026

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