Seasonal tune-up and full diagnostic on your Carrier, Trane, or Goodman system - readings shown to you before any repair is proposed
Diagnosis first, numbers second - you approve the repair price before a single part goes in.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterHow Much Does Duct Cleaning Cost in Los Angeles?
Duct cleaning in Los Angeles typically runs $350 to $900 for a standard single-family home, with most jobs landing around $500. That covers a full system of supply and return runs, register and vent cleaning, and the air handler cabinet. Homes over 2,500 square feet, or those with multiple HVAC zones, usually fall in the $900 to $1,800 range because there’s simply more ductwork to reach.
We’re Dalton Heating & Air, a Garrison Partners company that’s been servicing HVAC systems since 2003. Every duct cleaning job we quote comes with the price in writing before any work starts, a background-checked uniformed technician, and our 365-Day Done Right Promise. If you want an exact number for your house, call (361) 306-9515 and we’ll give you a free estimate.
Duct Cleaning Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s what the line items look like for Los Angeles homes in 2026. These are real ranges, not teaser pricing.
| Service | Typical Price Range | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Standard whole-home duct cleaning | $350 – $900 | Supply and return ducts, all registers, air handler cabinet |
| Large home (2,500+ sq ft) or multi-zone | $900 – $1,800 | Extended runs, multiple air handlers, additional returns |
| Single-duct or partial cleaning | $150 – $400 | One zone, one problem run, or post-renovation cleanup |
| Register and vent cleaning (add-on) | $10 – $25 per vent | Individual grille and register face cleaning |
| Mold or microbial treatment (add-on) | $200 – $650 | EPA-registered sanitizer applied to affected runs |
| Dryer vent cleaning | $125 – $250 | Separate from HVAC ducts; lint and blockages cleared |
| Duct repair or resealing (if needed) | $350 – $1,200 | Sealing gaps, reconnecting dislodged runs, patching flex |
What pushes a job toward the top of the range: a bigger house, flex duct that’s collapsed or sagging in an attic, visible mold growth, or a system that’s never been cleaned in 15+ years. What keeps it lower: a straightforward single-system ranch home with accessible ductwork and no contamination issues. We don’t add on fees after we arrive. The number we write down is the number you pay.
If you’re also due for a system tune-up while we’re there, our Duct Cleaning in Los Angeles page covers how we bundle that visit, and tune-ups run $95 to $235 on their own.
What Affects Duct Cleaning Pricing in Los Angeles
- Square footage and number of systems. A 1,200 sq ft bungalow in Highland Park has one furnace and maybe 8 registers. A 3,000 sq ft house in Sherman Oaks with separate upstairs and downstairs units has two air handlers and twice the ductwork. That’s the single biggest price driver.
- Duct accessibility. In older LA homes – especially the post-war builds common in the San Fernando Valley – ductwork often runs through tight attic spaces or under raised foundations. If a technician has to crawl through a 24-inch crawlspace to reach a run, that adds labor time. Attic temps in August here regularly hit 130°F, which slows the work and requires more crew rotations.
- Level of contamination. A light dust buildup is a quick job. Rodent droppings, mold growth from a condensate leak, or construction debris from a recent remodel means more time, more containment, and possibly a sanitizing treatment. We see mold more often in coastal neighborhoods like Santa Monica and Venice where humidity stays higher.
- Duct material and condition. Rigid metal ductwork cleans faster and holds up better. Flex duct – the foil-covered plastic tube that’s in most homes built after 1990 – can tear if it’s brittle, and collapsed sections sometimes need replacement rather than cleaning.
- Whether you need repairs. Cleaning finds problems. Disconnected runs, gaps at joints, crushed sections behind drywall. We’ll show you photos and quote the repair separately, in writing, before doing anything. Duct resealing typically runs $350 to $1,200.
- Time since last cleaning. A home that’s never had ducts cleaned in 20 years takes longer than one serviced five years ago. There’s no shortcut around that – we don’t rush a dirty system.
How to Save on Duct Cleaning
Duct cleaning isn’t something you need every year. For most Los Angeles homes, every three to five years is right – sooner if you’ve had a remodel, a rodent problem, or noticed dust blowing from registers right after the system kicks on.
A few practical ways to keep the cost down:
- Bundle it with a tune-up or repair. If your system’s already getting serviced, adding duct cleaning to that visit saves a trip charge and usually some labor. Tune-ups run $95 to $235; AC repair runs $175 to $765. Ask for both on one call.
- Get the price in writing before work starts. Every Dalton job includes this – no exceptions. It’s the simplest way to avoid the “quote was $400, bill was $700” routine that gives this trade a bad name.
- Handle the easy add-ons yourself. Pulling and washing your own register covers takes 20 minutes and saves the per-vent charge. Just don’t stick anything into the duct opening.
- Fix the source, not just the symptom. If your ducts are dirty because a filter’s been neglected, cleaning without changing the filter schedule means you’ll be paying again in two years. We’ll tell you the right filter for your system.
- Get a free estimate before you commit. Call (361) 306-9515 and we’ll quote your home specifically. A live person answers, 24/7 – no voicemail queue.
One caution worth stating plainly: duct cleaning is not a job to attempt yourself. Ducts contain sharp metal edges, and in older homes they can hide rodent waste, fiberglass fibers, and mold. A shop vac and a flashlight won’t get it done safely. This is work for a trained technician with proper containment equipment and PPE.
FAQs – Duct Cleaning Cost
How much does duct cleaning cost in Los Angeles?
Most Los Angeles homes pay $350 to $900 for whole-home duct cleaning. Homes over 2,500 square feet or with multiple HVAC zones typically run $900 to $1,800. Call (361) 306-9515 for an exact quote – estimates are free and the price is always in writing.
Is duct cleaning worth the money?
It’s worth it if you have a specific reason: recent remodeling, visible dust blowing from vents, musty odors, rodent activity, or it’s been 5+ years and you have allergy sufferers in the house. If none of those apply, you can usually wait. A $350 to $900 cleaning makes sense when there’s a real problem; it’s not something to do on a calendar.
How long does duct cleaning take?
A standard single-system home takes 2 to 4 hours. Larger homes with two systems or heavy contamination run 4 to 6 hours. We don’t leave until it’s done, and we clean up the site before we go.
Do you charge extra for mold treatment?
Yes – mold or microbial treatment is a separate add-on running $200 to $650 depending on how many runs are affected and how far the growth has spread. If we find mold, we’ll show you photos and quote it in writing before treating anything.
Can you come today?
We’ll tell you honestly on the call. Duct cleaning usually schedules within a few days, and we answer live 24/7 at (361) 306-9515. If your ducts need cleaning alongside an AC repair – $175 to $765 – we can often handle both in one visit.
What Sets Our Duct Cleaning Apart in Los Angeles
Any company can quote a number. What matters is whether that number holds and whether the crew shows up when they said they would. Dalton Heating & Air operates under The Garrison Standard, which means:
- Written price before any work starts. Every job. Not an estimate range – a number in writing.
- 365-Day Done Right Promise. If the work isn’t right, we make it right. Full year of coverage, not a 30-day window.
- Free second visit if a repair fails. If something we fixed doesn’t hold, we come back at no charge.
- Background-checked, uniformed technicians. You know who’s coming before they arrive.
- Live phone support 24/7. A person answers. No voicemail queue.
We’re also factory-trained to service nine major HVAC brands: Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem, York, Daikin, Bryant, and American Standard. If your system has a duct or airflow issue tied to a specific brand, we’ve worked on it.
Marco Benitez leads our team, and he’ll tell you the same thing we tell every customer: if duct cleaning isn’t the right call for your home yet, we’ll say so. We’d rather earn the next job than oversell this one.
Ready for a straight answer on what your ducts need? Call Dalton Heating & Air at (361) 306-9515 for a free estimate. We’ll give you a written price, tell you when we’ll arrive, and show up inside that window. That’s the standard, and it applies to every job we take.
Pricing reflects the Los Angeles market as of 2026. Dalton Heating & Air offers free estimates – call (361) 306-9515.
Written by Marco Benitez, Owner at Dalton Heating & Air, serving Los Angeles since 2003.
What Our Customers Say
"Tech arrived in uniform right on time. AC wasn't cooling, found a failed capacitor, and replaced it in twenty minutes. The owner is a veteran and the company runs like it."
- Frank O."Blower motor died on the coldest night. They had the part on the truck and had us warm again the same day."
- Sandy G."Changed the filter size and added a better filter rack. Simple and useful advice."
- Rhonda C.