HRV Cleaning in Toronto & the GTA
The core, filters, fans, drain and grilles of your heat recovery ventilator, cleaned on the same visit as your ducts. A $90 add-on for houses and condos.
HRV cleaning restores the fresh-air supply in a newer home. We open the unit, wash the core and filters, clear the fans, drain and grilles, and put it back running. It’s $90 added to a house or condo duct cleaning.
Most houses built in the GTA since the 1990s are sealed tightly enough that they need mechanical ventilation, and the HRV is it. It runs year-round, pulling air through filters and a core that nobody sees. When those clog, the house gets stuffy, windows fog in winter, and the fans work harder for less air. Cleaning is straightforward and quick, but it means taking the unit apart, which is why it rarely gets done.
Add it from the add-ons step of the quote form, with the dryer vent and bathroom exhausts if you want the whole ventilation side of the house done at once.
Signs your HRV needs cleaning
The house feels stuffy with the windows shut
An HRV is the only fresh-air supply in a tightly built home. When its core and filters clog, less outside air gets in and the air gets stale, especially in winter.
Condensation on the windows
Moisture from showers, cooking and breathing is supposed to leave through the HRV. If it's not moving air, that moisture ends up on the glass.
The filters have never been changed
Most HRVs have two washable filters behind the front cover. If you've never opened it, they're overdue, and the core behind them is too.
Dust at the exhaust grilles
The bathroom and kitchen grilles that feed the HRV collect dust and lint. Grey fuzz around them is a sign the system is pulling through a dirty path.
A whine or rattle from the unit
A fan working against clogged filters and a dirty core runs harder and louder.
You've just moved in
A new build or a house that's been renovated has construction dust in the HRV ducts, and the previous owner may never have serviced the unit.
What an HRV cleaning includes
Open and inspect
We remove the front cover, note the condition of the core, filters, fans and drain, and photograph it before we start.
Core out and cleaned
The heat-exchange core slides out. It's vacuumed and washed according to the manufacturer's instructions for its type, then left to dry before it goes back.
Filters washed or replaced
The intake and exhaust filters are washed and dried, or replaced if they've gone brittle. Bring us the replacement filters if you have them.
Fans and cabinet
The two fan wheels and the inside of the cabinet are vacuumed and wiped down.
Drain and condensate line
The drain pan and line are cleared so winter condensation leaves the unit instead of pooling in it.
Grilles and hoods
The exhaust grilles inside the house and the intake and exhaust hoods on the outside wall are cleared of dust, lint and debris.
Run and check
The unit goes back together, runs, and we confirm airflow at the grilles before we leave.
Book hrv cleaning with your duct cleaning
Get your duct cleaning price, then choose Heat Recovery Ventilator on the add-ons step. The $90 is added to your total before you book.
Prefer to talk? (416) 548-7833What Our Clients Say…
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Nobleza Del Campo
October 2026
★★★★★
Air Force Shield provided an excellent service that deserves 5 stars! From booking to the service appointment, the guys are professionals! They also showed up 15 minutes early and they did an amazing job! I paid what was… Read more
Air Force Shield provided an excellent service that deserves 5 stars! From booking to the service appointment, the guys are professionals! They also showed up 15 minutes early and they did an amazing job! I paid what was exactly in the work order! No hidden fees! They didn’t attempt to add other services for extra charges at the last minute (unlike other companies). Air Force Shield is highly recommended and we will call them again after 2 years! Thank you so much Adel and Air Force Shield!
Siddharth Singh
October 2026
★★★★★
Tayeb and Florian were timely, professional, explained the before and after patiently. Highly recommend, quality comes at a cost and they are worth it
Wei Xiang
October 2026
★★★★★
Thanks, Adel and the Air Force Shield team did a great job on my duct; always great service and professional work. Strongly recommended.
Timothy Kallem
October 2026
★★★★★
I booked Air Force on Thursday and they were there on Friday at 8AM. Professionally cleaned our ducts and were very neat. I would highly recommend Thanks Air Force
Sophia Adil
October 2026
★★★★★
I had full service done that included duct cleaning+dryer lint clean up+humidifier service. Tayeb and Michael were on time, explain the process and did a great job. I’m very happy with their work and Air Force was recomm… Read more
I had full service done that included duct cleaning+dryer lint clean up+humidifier service. Tayeb and Michael were on time, explain the process and did a great job. I’m very happy with their work and Air Force was recommended to me by my son. Highly recommend. Thanks
Paulo Sousa
October 2026
★★★★★
Great service by two good workers. Tayeb and Michael were very professional at what they do. Show pictures before and after work. Take very good care and respect for your property and items around the house. Very honest about work that needs services done.
Julie Mary
October 2026
★★★★★
We had a great experience with Yaroslav and Otis! They arrived on time, were polite and professional, and did a thorough job cleaning the air ducts. They were respectful of my home and left everything clean and tidy. Ver… Read more
We had a great experience with Yaroslav and Otis! They arrived on time, were polite and professional, and did a thorough job cleaning the air ducts. They were respectful of my home and left everything clean and tidy. Very happy with the service and would definitely recommend them!
Elvie Arce
October 2026
★★★★★
Great service, very professional and friendly, highly recommended 👋
HRV Cleaning questions
How much does HRV cleaning cost in Toronto?
$90 when added to a duct cleaning, house or condo. Book two add-ons and the third is free. On its own, call us for a price.
What is an HRV?
A heat recovery ventilator. It brings fresh outside air in and sends stale inside air out through two separate fans, passing both streams through a core that transfers heat from one to the other so you don't lose the warmth you've paid for. An ERV does the same and also transfers moisture.
How often should an HRV be cleaned?
Filters every two to three months, the core and the unit once or twice a year, following the manufacturer's manual. A full cleaning with the ducts every few years catches the parts homeowners don't reach.
Do you clean the HRV ducts too?
Yes. When the HRV is booked with a duct cleaning, the dedicated exhaust lines from the bathrooms and kitchen to the unit are cleaned along with the rest of the system.
Does my condo have an HRV?
Newer suites often have an ERV behind a small grille, usually in a closet or above the laundry. If you see one, add it to a condo cleaning the same way.
Is HRV cleaning the same as balancing?
No. Balancing sets the intake and exhaust airflows to match and is done with a gauge; it's HVAC work. Cleaning restores airflow so a previously balanced unit works as it was set up to.