Mini-split cleaning that gets the head clean inside
A full deep clean of each indoor head, in one visit. $179 for the first head and $149 for every additional head.
- Price: $179 first head, $149 each additional head
How it works
- 1
Tell us how many heads
Your town and the number of indoor heads. A photo of the head helps.
- 2
We confirm the price and a time
$179 for the first head and $149 for each additional head, confirmed before the visit.
- 3
Each head gets a full wash
Bag kit over the head, coil and blower wheel washed, filters cleaned, condensate line checked.
- 4
You get clean air back
A clean head moves air the way it was built to, with less strain on the heat pump.
What a deep clean covers
- Coil and blower-wheel wash. A bag kit wraps the head and drains the rinse water into a bucket, so the coil and the blower wheel get washed properly while the wall and floor stay dry.
- Filter cleaning. The filters come out, get cleaned and go back in.
- Condensate line check. The drain that carries water away from the head is checked so it is not backing up.
- All in one visit. Book every head in the house and they are done on the same visit.
Price by number of heads
| Indoor heads | Price |
|---|---|
| 1 head | $179 |
| 2 heads | $328 |
| 3 heads | $477 |
| 4 heads | $626 |
| 5 heads | $775 |
| 6 heads | $924 |
More than six heads: $179 for the first and $149 for each one after.
Why a dirty head costs you
A mini-split head pulls room air through a filter, over a coil and through a blower wheel. Dust, pet hair and cooking residue collect on all three. Filters are an owner job. The coil and the blower wheel behind them are not.
A coated coil and a clogged blower wheel restrict airflow, so the head can heat and cool less well and has to work harder. A coil and drain that stay damp with a layer of dirt on them are where mold and a musty smell can start. If your heat pump smells when it starts up, or the room never quite gets warm, a dirty head is the first thing to rule out.
What the price covers
The price is per indoor head. The outdoor unit is not part of this service. If you want the whole system looked over before winter, ask about a heating tune-up.
What is inside the head, and what a deep clean reaches
A wall mini-split pulls room air in at the top, through a filter and across a cold or hot coil, then pushes it back into the room with a long cylindrical fan called a blower wheel. Water that forms on the coil in cooling mode drips into a pan and leaves through the drain hose. Four parts matter for a clean: the filter, the coil, the blower wheel and the drain.
- Filter. Catches the big stuff. An owner job, see how to clean mini-split filters.
- Coil. The fins behind the filter. Dust that gets past the filter and a film of cooking residue or pet dander cling here, and the coil is wet whenever the unit cools.
- Blower wheel. Sits deeper than the coil and is the part you cannot reach without taking the front apart. Dust packs the blades, which cuts airflow and adds noise.
- Drain. The pan and hose carry condensate away. A dirty drain is how a head ends up leaking water.
Signs your mini-split needs a deep clean
A starting guide, not a diagnosis. Anything that smells like burning or looks like a hot or sparking part is a stop-and-call-a-technician case, not a cleaning case.
How often should a Massachusetts mini-split be cleaned?
Most Massachusetts mini-splits do two jobs: heat from about October into April, and cooling from June through September. That puts the head to work most of the year, so dust keeps arriving. One published routine is to wash the filters every 2 to 4 weeks in season Filterbuy and book a professional teardown every one to two years Filterbuy.
Our read on that for a Massachusetts home: every year if you have pets, someone smokes, you cook near the head, or the head is in a bedroom you use all night. Every second year for a lightly used head in a clean room. Sooner, any time you see the signs above.
DIY filter care or a professional clean?
| You can do it | A professional does it | |
|---|---|---|
| Filters | Yes, every few weeks in heavy-use months | Included in the visit |
| Front panel and louvers | Yes, damp cloth | Included |
| Coil | Possible with care, but a spray can push dust deeper or drip into the electronics | Washed with a bag kit that catches the rinse water |
| Blower wheel | No. Needs the front taken apart | Washed in place |
| Drain line and pan | A small clear-out at the outlet end only | Checked and cleared |
| Refrigerant, electrical, outdoor unit | No | Not part of a cleaning. That is a service call. |
Aurion's cleaning covers the indoor head only.
What it costs in Massachusetts
Aurion charges $179 for the first head and $149 for each additional head, one visit, confirmed before we come. Three heads is $477. The table above shows the rest.
For context, a published guide puts professional mini-split cleaning at $150 to $450 per indoor head, with the price tied to how much of the unit comes apart Filterbuy. That range comes from a filter retailer, not a Massachusetts price survey, and the spread is why it pays to ask what is included. We wash the coil and the blower wheel with a bag kit, clean the filters and check the condensate line.
A note on mold and your health
Mold needs moisture. The EPA puts it simply: the key to mold control is moisture control EPA. A mini-split coil is wet while it cools, and the EPA advises keeping air conditioning drip pans clean and the drain lines unobstructed and flowing EPA. A head that stays damp with dirt on it is the setup for odor and growth.
We do not diagnose mold from a photo or test for it, and a cleaning is not mold remediation. The EPA says to call a professional if there has been a lot of water damage or mold covers more than 10 square feet EPA. If anyone in the home has asthma, allergies or a weakened immune system and you see growth inside a head, talk to your doctor and a mold professional before running it.
What to expect before and after
- Before the visit. Tell us how many heads and your town. A photo of the head helps. Clear a little floor space under each one.
- During. The technician hangs a bag under the head, washes the coil and blower wheel so the rinse water runs into a bucket, cleans the filters and checks the drain.
- After. You should see the blower wheel clean, the coil clear, the filters back in, and air that comes out of the louver with a stronger push. A smell that came from dirt on the coil or wheel should be gone.
- What it will not do. It will not fix low refrigerant, a failed fan motor, a bad outdoor unit or a head that was hung out of level. If we see one of those, we say so.
Mini-split and heat pump guides
- How to clean mini-split filters, step by step.
- Mini-split smells musty or sour: causes and fixes.
- Mini-split dripping water: what to check first.
- Heat pump maintenance checklist for Massachusetts winters.
- Heat pump not heating well in cold weather.
- Mini-split cleaning for landlords and condo associations.
Where
We clean homes across Massachusetts, including Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, Malden, Melrose, Everett and Arlington. See the towns we cover, or put your ZIP code on the request.
Also: dryer vent cleaning ($149), air duct cleaning (from $499). All cleaning.
Common questions
How do I count my heads?
Count the indoor wall (or ceiling) units. Each one is a head, even when several run from one outdoor unit.
Will it make a mess in the room?
The bag kit is built for this. It covers the head and channels the rinse water into a bucket, so the wall, the floor and the furniture stay dry.
What causes the smell when my mini-split starts?
Often it is dirt on a damp coil, blower wheel or drain pan. A deep clean of the coil and blower wheel removes what the smell comes from.
Is the outdoor unit included?
No. This is a deep clean of the indoor heads: coil, blower wheel, filters and condensate line.
Will it fix a head that is not heating?
A clean head moves air the way it was designed to, which is the most common first fix. Weak heat can also come from the outdoor unit, refrigerant or controls, and a cleaning does not repair those.
How do I know if my mini-split needs cleaning?
Common signs are a musty smell when it starts, dark specks on the louver or blower wheel, weak airflow with a clean filter, water dripping from the head, and a head that has gotten louder. A clean filter that does not fix the smell or airflow points to the coil or blower wheel.
How often should I clean my mini-split in Massachusetts?
Wash the filters every 2 to 4 weeks in heavy-use months, and plan a professional deep clean every one to two years, yearly if you have pets, smoke, cook near the head or sleep with it running. Massachusetts heads work for heating and cooling, so they run most of the year.
Can I clean the blower wheel myself?
Not safely. The blower wheel sits behind the coil and the front has to come apart to reach it. Spraying cleaner into the head can push dust deeper or get water into the electronics. Filters and the front panel are the owner jobs.
How much does mini-split cleaning cost?
Aurion charges $179 for the first head and $149 for each additional head, one visit. A published guide puts professional cleaning at $150 to $450 per indoor head, tied to how much of the unit comes apart. Ask what each quote includes.
Is the black stuff on my blower wheel mold?
It can be dust, residue or mold, and you cannot tell by looking. Mold needs moisture, so dark growth on a damp coil, wheel or drain pan is a reason to get the head cleaned, not just wiped. If mold covers more than about 10 square feet or there has been major water damage, the EPA says to call a professional.
Not sure it needs cleaning?
Shine a flashlight into the vent and send us a photo. A technician looks at it and tells you if it needs cleaning.
Book a mini-split cleaning.
$179 first head, $149 each additional head. Your town and a phone number is enough to start.
Book a mini-split cleaning