Air Exchanger Cleaning in Montreal
Professional air exchanger and HRV cleaning across Greater Montreal. Send the unit details or photos to receive a personalized quote and appointment options.
Climeo reviews the unit type, filters, core, and access details so the visit is prepared for your equipment.
5.0 on Google 9 reviewsHVAC, ventilation and refrigeration cleaning specialists
Climeo cleans HVAC, ventilation and refrigeration equipment across Greater Montreal — wall units and heat pumps, ducts and air exchangers, dryer vents, humidifiers and commercial refrigeration. Cleaning and maintenance is the specialty, with online booking for homes and quote-based service for buildings.
What this service covers
Climeo cleans dedicated air exchangers and ventilation units, often labelled HRV, ERV, or VRC, at their accessible service points. Share the unit type, access details, and photos when available so the team can confirm the visit and provide the right quote.
- Review of the dedicated air exchanger or ventilation unit and accessible service points
- Cleaning of reachable filters, cores, or panels within confirmed scope
- Quote-first path with Montreal-time confirmation before the visit
- Clear separation from wall-mounted AC, mini-split, heat pump, and whole-duct claims
Best fit
- Condos and homes with a dedicated air exchanger / HRV-style ventilation unit
- Small commercial spaces needing a scoped ventilation-unit cleaning request
- Customers who need to distinguish air exchanger cleaning from full duct cleaning
Condo and home air exchanger scope
Many Montreal condos and homes use a dedicated air exchanger for ventilation. Climeo reviews the unit location (closet, mechanical room, ceiling access), filter access, and whether cores or panels are reachable without unsupported duct work. Condo and multi-unit requests stay quote-first so access windows and unit count can be confirmed. If your need is wall-mounted AC, mini-split, or heat pump cleaning instead, use those service pages — this page stays on the ventilation unit.
What we clean (quote-first)
- Dedicated air exchanger or ventilation unit — accessible service points only
- Filters, cores, or panels reachable without unsupported duct claims
- Scope confirmed after unit type and access review in Montreal time
Cleaning scope
- Full whole-house duct cleaning unless separately confirmed
- Mold remediation, disinfection-as-a-service-line, or health outcome claims
- Emergency repair, refrigerant work, or electrical diagnosis
- Scheduling before quote review is complete
HRV or ERV: which you have, and why it changes the maintenance
Both units pull stale indoor air out while drawing fresh outdoor air in, passing the two streams close together so the outgoing air gives up its heat to the incoming air. The difference is what crosses between them. A heat recovery ventilator transfers heat only. An energy recovery ventilator transfers heat and a portion of the moisture, which is why it is more common in homes fighting summer humidity than in older Montreal houses fighting winter dryness.
The practical consequence is at the core. An HRV core is usually aluminium or rigid polymer and tolerates a straightforward wash. Many ERV cores contain a paper-based or coated membrane that carries the moisture transfer, and soaking or scrubbing that membrane destroys the property you paid for. Before washing any core, find the model label on the cabinet door and confirm which type you have. If the label is missing or unreadable, that is a good reason to leave the core alone and ask.
What owners can do between services
The filters are designed to be owner-serviced and are the single highest-value thing to keep up with. Most units hold two, one on each air stream, sitting just inside the door. Vacuum them, and if they are the washable type, rinse with lukewarm water and let them dry fully before refitting. Doing this every three months in a normally occupied home does more for airflow than anything else on this list.
Outside, find the two exterior hoods — one draws air in, the other pushes it out, usually on the same wall a short distance apart. Keep them clear. In winter the intake hood is the one that matters: snow drifting against it, or a rim of ice built up from the exhaust hood nearby, chokes the fresh-air side while the unit keeps running and reports nothing wrong. Checking these after heavy snow takes a minute and prevents a season of underventilation.
On a core you have confirmed is washable, lukewarm water and a little mild dish soap is the correct approach. What does not belong near a core is any solvent, degreaser, bleach or strong alkaline cleaner, and it should never go through a dishwasher: heat can warp the plates and the detergents are far too aggressive for the seals. Let it drain and dry completely, and note which way round it came out, because most cores only seal properly in one orientation.
What genuinely needs equipment
Three things sit outside owner maintenance. The blower wheels accumulate a hard grey film that changes the balance of the fan and cannot be wiped off in place. The branches feeding the unit collect debris that has to be brushed and extracted rather than vacuumed at the grille. And the airflow balance between supply and exhaust drifts over time; a unit pushing out more than it draws in puts the house under negative pressure, which in a Montreal winter pulls cold air through every gap in the envelope and can affect combustion appliances.
If the unit runs constantly but windows still fog, or one room is noticeably colder whenever ventilation runs, the problem is usually restriction or imbalance rather than a fault in the machine. Both are measurable, and neither is diagnosed by looking at the unit.
Related service
An air exchanger moves air through the duct network it is connected to. Where both are due, the ducts + exchanger package covers them together.
Real service photos
Equipment-focused examples from Greater Montreal visits (no customer-identifying details).
Air exchanger unit and accessible internal components.
Questions about this service
How much does air exchanger cleaning cost?
CA$249 with 6 vents included, then $15 per additional vent. That covers the core, blower and accessible internal surfaces. Units with a larger duct network are quoted on vent count.
Do you clean air exchangers / HRV units?
Yes. Climeo can review and clean dedicated air exchanger or ventilation units when access allows. Final scope is confirmed after reviewing the unit type and access — this is cleaning of the dedicated unit, not a promise to clean every duct in the building.
Is air exchanger cleaning the same as duct cleaning?
No. This page covers the dedicated ventilation unit and reachable service points. Whole-house duct cleaning is not claimed unless that scope is confirmed separately.
What should I include in a condo or multi-unit quote request?
Unit location and access notes, approximate unit count if more than one, preferred time windows, and whether the equipment is labeled air exchanger, HRV, ERV, or VRC. Climeo confirms scope before the visit in Montreal time.
Can small commercial spaces request this service?
Yes, when the request is for a dedicated ventilation unit with accessible service points. Commercial and multi-unit requests remain quote-first.
How is this different from AC or heat pump cleaning?
AC and heat pump pages cover wall-mounted cooling/heating indoor heads. This page is for the separate air exchanger / ventilation unit. Use the page that matches your equipment label.
Why does air exchanger cleaning matter most in winter?
In winter the house is sealed, so the air exchanger becomes the main source of fresh air. If it is clogged, airflow drops and indoor air quality suffers. It is the season the unit works hardest, and the season its maintenance matters most.
How often should an air exchanger be cleaned?
Most manufacturers recommend cleaning the filters every 1–3 months and a full service every 6–12 months. Dusty homes, renovations or pets can shorten that interval.
What is the difference between an HRV and an ERV?
Both are air exchangers. An HRV (heat recovery ventilator) transfers heat between the incoming and outgoing air streams. An ERV (energy recovery ventilator) also transfers moisture. Both accumulate dust and both need regular cleaning.