Whole-system duct and dryer vent check with before-and-after photos - you see exactly what came out of your vents
That "$99 whole-house special" is a bait ad - the real number appears once they are in your hallway, or the "clean" is a shop-vac at the register. We photograph the inside of your ducts before and after instead.
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Before
AfterAir Duct Cleaning Company in Los Altos, CA
Air duct cleaning in Los Altos runs between $390 and $685 for a typical single-family home, depending on system size and accessibility. We’re Cardinal Air Duct Cleaning, part of the Relay Home Co. family founded in 2005. Los Altos homes present a specific set of conditions: mature landscaping, older construction in the flatlands, custom builds in the hills, and coastal-influenced air that moves dust and pollen through HVAC systems year-round. Omar Haddad leads our Los Altos team, and every job starts with a written price before any work begins. Call (737) 727-2314 for a free estimate.
Why Los Altos Homes Are Different
Los Altos housing stock spans several eras, and each one affects ductwork differently. Homes built in the 1950s and 60s, common in neighborhoods like North Los Altos and Country Club, often have original galvanized duct runs that have never been replaced. We regularly find decades of fine particulate packed into return boots in these systems, plus disconnected joints where conditioned air escapes into wall cavities. Newer construction in the hills west of Foothill Expressway tends to have more complex HVAC layouts with longer runs and multiple zones, which means longer cleaning times and more access points to seal properly.
The local climate matters too. Los Altos sits in a transition zone between Bay fog influence and inland heat, so systems cycle frequently in summer. That consistent cycling pulls in fine dust from the Santa Cruz Mountain foothills, along with pollen from mature oaks and redwoods that are everywhere in this town. Homeowners in Los Altos Hills adjacent to open space often see filters loading up twice as fast as the Bay Area average. For our cleaning work, that means we pay extra attention to return-side ducting and coil surfaces, because those are where the fine stuff accumulates first.
Our Main Los Altos Services
The two services Los Altos homeowners call about most are full air duct cleaning and dryer vent cleaning, plus HVAC component cleaning for systems that haven’t been touched in years. Each service below has its own Los Altos page with specifics on pricing, process, and what to expect.
Dryer Vent Cleaning in Los Altos
Los Altos laundry rooms are often interior spaces, which means longer dryer vent runs to reach an exterior wall. Runs of 15 to 25 feet are common, especially in two-story homes where the laundry sits near the main hallway. Every extra foot adds resistance, and every bend collects lint. We run a Rotobrush system through the full length of the vent, then verify proper airflow with a manometer reading at the termination point. If your dryer has been taking longer than 45 minutes to finish a load, the vent is the likely culprit. See Dryer Vent Cleaning in Los Altos for full details on our process and flat pricing.
Air Duct Cleaning in Los Altos
Full system cleaning in Los Altos means accessing every supply and return register, the trunk lines, and the plenum. We use negative-pressure extraction, meaning the loosened debris goes straight into a HEPA-filtered vacuum rather than back into your living room. Homes with pets, recent remodels, or occupants with allergies tend to need this service most. We also inspect for failed duct connections and filter bypass, which are more common in older Los Altos homes than most owners realize. Our Air Duct Cleaning in Los Altos page breaks down pricing by home size and system complexity.
HVAC Cleaning in Los Altos
HVAC cleaning goes beyond the ducts to the equipment itself: evaporator coils, blower wheels, and condensate pans. In Los Altos, the combination of pollen-dense air and frequent summer cycling means evaporator coils get coated with biological film faster than in drier parts of the Bay Area. That film reduces heat transfer and drives up cooling costs. We clean coils with a two-stage process that removes both surface debris and embedded matter, then sanitize the pan and drain line. For more on what’s included and when this makes sense for your system, visit HVAC Cleaning in Los Altos.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service in Los Altos
Our techs work on all major HVAC brands and duct configurations installed in Los Altos homes. We stock common filter sizes and replacement parts locally, and we carry Guardsman and Aprilaire filtration products for customers who want upgraded air quality after cleaning. For details on specific equipment we service, see our brands.
Pricing for Air Duct Cleaning Company in Los Altos, CA
| Service | Typical range in Los Altos |
|---|---|
| Air Duct Cleaning – standard single system (up to 10 vents) | $390 – $525 |
| Air Duct Cleaning – large home (11-18 vents) | $500 – $685 |
| Air Duct Cleaning – estate or multi-zone system (19+ vents) | $640 – $890 |
| HVAC Cleaning – evaporator coil and blower wheel | $275 – $450 |
| HVAC Cleaning – full system incl. coil, blower, drain line, sanitizing | $425 – $680 |
| Dryer Vent Cleaning – standard single vent run | $130 – $210 |
| Dryer Vent Cleaning – long or multi-story run (20+ ft) | $190 – $310 |
| Dryer Vent Cleaning – cap and termination point replacement | $80 – $160 |
| Air Duct Cleaning – additional vent over 18 | $25 – $35 per vent |
| Air Duct Cleaning – furnace system only (no ducting) | $160 – $280 |
What pushes pricing higher in Los Altos is access: crawlspace or attic ductwork in older ranches, long dryer vent runs from interior laundry rooms, and multi-zone systems in two-story and hillside homes. Whatever the specifics, the price you’re quoted before we start is the price you pay. No per-vent surprises, no add-ons at the door.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Los Altos
We work throughout Los Altos including the flatlands, the hills, and the unincorporated edges that share the Los Altos zip codes but fall under different county jurisdiction. Response time across the area is typically same-week for standard bookings.
- North Los Altos
- Country Club
- Woodland Acres
- South Los Altos
- Loyola Corners
Service Area – Cities Near Los Altos
Our Los Altos team also covers neighboring communities across the South Peninsula and mid-Peninsula. We schedule from our San Francisco Bay Area office, and the crews working in your neighborhood are local to Santa Clara County. That includes Mountain View, CA, Stanford, CA, Palo Alto, CA, and Portola Valley, CA.
Serving Los Altos, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Los Altos area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Air Duct Cleaning Company in Los Altos
Most Los Altos bookings are scheduled within the same week, with a live arrival window you can track from your phone. We don’t promise same-day service because air duct cleaning is a scheduled job, not an emergency call. The arrival window you’re given at booking is the one we keep.
No. Air duct cleaning is interior maintenance that doesn’t require HOA review or city permits in Los Altos. HOA rules generally apply to exterior modifications and shared common areas. Your home’s ductwork is yours to maintain as you see fit.
We cover all of Los Altos and the immediately surrounding area, including the hills and unincorporated pockets that share Los Altos postal codes. If you’re just outside city limits toward Los Altos Hills or along the Cupertino border, call (737) 727-2314 and we’ll confirm coverage.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees - talk to a local air duct cleaning pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you - the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Los Altos Customers Say
"Booked a slot in the app, got a reminder text, and watched the crew's van on the map as it came. Cleaned all the vents and the main trunk. Easy from start to finish."
- Rob J."Cleaning plus HVAC coil clean. Tech texted when he was ten minutes away. No surprises on the price."
- Evan S."Dryer vent fix fixed the burning smell. The clog was behind the elbow and the whole laundry room smells normal now."
- Dennis K.