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
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Before
AfterAir Duct Cleaning Company in San Rafael, CA
Air duct cleaning in San Rafael, CA typically runs $400-$850 for a full-system clean of a 2,000-2,500 sq ft home, with most jobs completed in 3-5 hours. What makes San Rafael different is the housing stock: mid-century tract homes with original ductwork now 60-plus years old, plus recurring North Bay wildfire smoke that leaves a distinct ash residue inside duct systems. If you’re calling about dust, allergy symptoms, or that smoke smell that never quite went away after the 2020 fire season, call us at (323) 918-4345. We’ll give you a written price before any work starts.
Why San Rafael Homes Are Different
San Rafael sits at the heart of Marin County’s North Bay, and that geography shapes the work we do. The valley pulls moist bay air inland while sitting just east of the coastal fog belt, which means homes near the San Rafael Canal carry enough ambient humidity to encourage mold and mildew growth inside ductwork. We see it most in lower-elevation homes with crawl-space ducting that never fully dries out. At the same time, summer temperatures spike well above the coast, so many homeowners have added central air conditioning to older heating-only ducts. Those systems were never designed for cooling loads, and the added condensation stress shows up as rust, loosened joints, and damp duct liner.
Then there’s the wildfire smoke. The 2017, 2019, and 2020 fire seasons blanketed San Rafael with smoke from Sonoma, Napa, and the surrounding wildland-urban interface. Homes that ran their HVAC systems during those air-quality emergencies pulled fine particulate and ash deep into the ductwork. Our technicians working Terra Linda and the surrounding hillside neighborhoods regularly find a distinct layer of fine gray-black ash inside ducts that post-dates any prior cleaning. That ash signature is far less common in San Jose or Oakland, and it’s become a red flag for compromised indoor air quality in this area specifically. Standard filter replacements don’t clear it. A thorough duct cleaning does.
The housing stock adds another layer. Terra Linda’s mid-century tract homes, built largely in the late 1950s and 1960s, often have original forced-air systems routed through unconditioned attic spaces or crawl spaces that are awkward to access and prone to debris, rodent activity, and fiberglass duct-liner breakdown. The older Canal district near the bay adds denser multi-family buildings where duct maintenance has often been deferred for years. None of this is a reason to worry. It’s just the reality of San Rafael, and it’s why we plan each job around the actual house rather than a generic checklist.
Our Main San Rafael Services
Most San Rafael homeowners call us for one of two jobs: a full air duct cleaning, or a dryer vent cleaning. Each has its own page with pricing, process details, and what to expect in San Rafael specifically.
Air Duct Cleaning in San Rafael
Air duct cleaning in San Rafael means more than running a vacuum through the vents. We’re typically clearing years of accumulated dust, pet dander, and wildfire ash from systems that run through hot attics and damp crawl spaces. The job starts with a camera inspection so we can document what’s actually in your ducts, then moves to mechanical agitation and HEPA-filtered negative air collection using Rotobrush and Nikro equipment. We protect floors with shoe covers and drop cloths before we bring anything inside, and we’re careful around nap schedules and pets. See the full breakdown on our Air Duct Cleaning in San Rafael page.
Dryer Vent Cleaning in San Rafael
Dryer vent cleaning is the quieter urgency in San Rafael homes. Lint builds up inside the vent line over months and years, and a restricted vent forces your dryer to work harder, run hotter, and dry slower. In older homes with long vent runs through walls or up through the roof, the restriction is worse. We clear the full line from the dryer to the exterior termination point, then show you before-and-after photos of the vent interior. If you can’t remember the last time it was done, that’s the sign. See the full breakdown on our Dryer Vent Cleaning in San Rafael page.
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 San Rafael
We work on duct systems and components from the brands San Rafael homes actually have: Aprilaire media cabinets, Honeywell zoning panels, Guardsman inline products, and Abatement Technologies filtration. We stock common replacement filters and grilles on the truck. See our brands for the full list.
Pricing for Air Duct Cleaning Company in San Rafael, CA
| Service | Typical range in San Rafael |
|---|---|
| Full air duct cleaning (up to 10 vents) | $400 - $550 |
| Full air duct cleaning (11-20 vents) | $550 - $750 |
| Full air duct cleaning (21+ vents) | $750 - $1,000+ |
| Dryer vent cleaning (standard single-story run) | $130 - $185 |
| Dryer vent cleaning (long, multi-story, or roof run) | $185 - $275 |
| Furnace/air handler interior cleaning (as part of duct job) | Included in job price |
| Return plenum and trunk line cleaning | Included in job price |
| Duct sanitizing / deodorizing (post-clean) | $150 - $250 |
| HVAC filter replacement (media cabinet) | $40 - $90 |
What pushes a San Rafael job toward the higher end is usually access: attic systems in Terra Linda with blown-in insulation that has to be carefully worked around, crawl-space ducting near the Canal that’s tight and damp, and older homes with no filter cabinet at all. The 365-Day Done Right Promise gives you a full year to call us back if the job wasn’t right. You’ll get a written price before anything starts, every time. No per-vent pricing games. No surprise line items.
Neighborhoods We Serve in San Rafael
We cover the full city, from the canal-side flats to the hillside streets. Most San Rafael jobs are scheduled within 3-5 business days, and we coordinate with your schedule, including mornings when the kids are in school or afternoons when the house is quiet.
- Terra Linda
- The Canal district
- San Rafael Park
- Peacock Gap
- Gerstle Park
Service Area – Cities Near San Rafael
In addition to San Rafael itself, our crews serve the surrounding Marin communities: Larkspur, CA, Kentfield, CA, Corte Madera, CA, and San Anselmo, CA. If you’re just outside San Rafael, call us at (323) 918-4345 and we’ll confirm coverage for your street.
Serving San Rafael, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the San Rafael 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 San Rafael
Most San Rafael jobs are scheduled within 3-5 business days. We confirm the date and time before we arrive, and our techs are on time. If you need a specific window, call (323) 918-4345 and we’ll work around your schedule.
No. Air duct cleaning and dryer vent cleaning are interior maintenance services and don’t require permits or HOA approval in San Rafael. We’re in and out in a single visit, and we’ll leave the house as we found it, with shoe covers and drop cloths protecting floors from start to finish.
We cover the entire city, from Terra Linda and the hillside neighborhoods to the Canal district and the streets around downtown. We also serve Larkspur, Kentfield, Corte Madera, San Anselmo, and the rest of central Marin. Call (323) 918-4345 for a free estimate anywhere in San Rafael.
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 San Rafael Customers Say
"Ducts and dryer vent both. They put runners down the whole hall and wore booties. Spotless after, and they showed me photos of what came out. Worth every penny."
- Bonnie Vo"Spotless work. They laid drop cloths everywhere and I was honestly impressed there was zero mess at the end. Showed me the dirt they pulled out so I could see it was worth it."
- Shelby Dunham"New house, old dusty ducts. They were gentle in the house, laid down drop cloths, and double checked every register was sealed back up. Air smells fresh now."
- Scott Hemmings