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.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterAir Duct Cleaning in Palo Alto, CA
Dryer vent cleaning in Palo Alto is a different job than it is two valleys over. The ranch homes of Midtown, Barron Park, and South Palo Alto were built in the 1950s and 60s with laundry rooms on interior walls, which means dryer vents run 15 to 30 feet through vented crawl spaces with multiple elbows before they reach outside air. Long runs like that collect lint faster, trap moisture from winter rains, and give rodents a warm tunnel into the subfloor. At CleanRun, every dryer vent job in Palo Alto starts with a written price and ends with a photo record of the inside of the run before and after. Call (806) 606-6902 when you’re ready to schedule.
Why Palo Alto Homes Are Different
Palo Alto sits directly downwind of the Santa Cruz Mountains. When fires ignite in that range, as the CZU Lightning Complex did in August 2020 just above the Peninsula, fine particulate smoke funnels straight into residential HVAC systems across the city. Homeowners here track AQI numbers the way other regions track rainfall, and post-smoke-event duct inspections have become a recurring demand cycle in this airshed. The housing stock compounds the problem: Midtown and Barron Park are dense with 1950s-70s ranch homes still running their original sheet-metal or early flex-duct systems, now 50 to 70 years old. Old Palo Alto and Professorville contain pre-WWII craftsman homes where ductwork was retrofitted into structures never designed for it, creating convoluted runs that are rarely serviced. The Mediterranean climate adds one more layer: June through October is dry, concentrating dust, oak pollen, and wildfire ash inside duct systems with no rain to settle outdoor particulate. Winter rains then raise crawl-space humidity under slab-on-grade ranchers, and condensation forms inside low-clearance duct runs. A duct system in Palo Alto works against the local environment year-round.
Our Main Palo Alto Services
These are the two services Palo Alto homeowners schedule most often, each with its own dedicated Palo Alto page.
Air Duct Cleaning in Palo Alto
Full-system air duct cleaning addresses the dust, pollen, ash, and construction debris that accumulate inside the supply and return runs of a Palo Alto home. On 1950s ranch homes in Midtown and Barron Park, the camera often shows disconnected flex-duct joints that have been blowing conditioned air into the crawl space for years. The job includes negative-pressure extraction on every accessible run, documented before and after. See the full breakdown on our Air Duct Cleaning in Palo Alto page.
HVAC Cleaning in Palo Alto
HVAC cleaning covers the blower assembly, evaporator coil, plenum, and drain pan, not just the ducts. In Palo Alto’s long dry season, the coil on a system without a properly sealed filter rack can cake with dust and pollen within a single year. When the coil is dirty, airflow drops and the system runs longer to hold temperature. Full scope and pricing are on the HVAC Cleaning in Palo Alto 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.
BeforeAfterDryer Vent Cleaning in Palo Alto
Dryer vent cleaning in Palo Alto is the service we recommend most urgently for homes in Midtown and Barron Park. Those 1950s-60s ranches were built with laundry rooms on interior walls, and the dryer exhaust runs through vented crawl spaces with multiple elbows, often 15 to 30 feet long. Every foot and every bend is another place lint packs down, moisture condenses during winter rains, and rodents find entry. A single Palo Alto winter can turn a partially blocked vent into a fully obstructed one. We follow the same protocol on every job: written price first, photo record after. Our Dryer Vent Cleaning process applies to all vent types and home eras.
Dryer Vent Inspection
Signs you need it
Clothes take more than one full cycle to dry, the laundry room feels humid while the dryer runs, or you smell a musty lint odor near the vent exit.
What it costs in Palo Alto
A stand-alone dryer vent inspection with camera documentation is $95-$160 in Palo Alto, credited toward the cleaning if we do the work same-day.
How we do it
We disconnect the dryer, run a camera through the full run from appliance to exterior cap, and photograph every clog, gap, or disconnection before quoting a written price.
Lint Removal
Signs you need it
The exterior vent flap doesn’t open fully during the dry cycle, or visible lint is packed around the exterior cap.
What it costs in Palo Alto
Full lint removal on a typical Palo Alto crawl-space run is $180-$340, depending on run length, number of elbows, and accessibility at the exterior cap.
How we do it
We use a HEPA-filtered negative-pressure machine paired with rotary brushes to dislodge and extract lint through the entire run, then photograph the interior.
Vent Rerouting
Signs you need it
The existing run exceeds 25 feet, has more than two elbows, or passes through an area that makes cleaning impossible without cutting drywall.
What it costs in Palo Alto
Vent rerouting in Palo Alto runs $450-$1,200 depending on the new route, wall or crawl-space access, and the exterior termination point.
How we do it
We map the shortest legal route to an exterior wall, replace rigid metal duct, seal every joint with aluminum tape, and document the finished run with photos.
Bird Guard Installation
Signs you need it
You can hear birds or scratching at the exterior cap, or the previous cap has no louver and lint is escaping freely.
What it costs in Palo Alto
A stainless steel bird guard with louvered cap installs for $120-$250 in Palo Alto, including removal of any nesting material found at the cap.
How we do it
We remove the old cap, clear debris from the final two feet of the run, mount the guard with exterior-rated fasteners, and take a before-and-after photo of the cap.
What Dryer Vent Cleaning Costs in Palo Alto
| Item | Typical range in Palo Alto |
|---|---|
| Dryer vent inspection (with camera) | $95-$160 |
| Full lint removal | $180-$340 |
| Vent rerouting | $450-$1,200 |
| Bird guard installation | $120-$250 |
Why does dryer vent cleaning cost more in Palo Alto?
Long crawl-space runs with multiple elbows are the norm in Midtown and Barron Park, not the exception. More linear feet and more bends mean more labor and more time. A 30-foot run with three elbows costs more than a 12-foot straight shot because the work is genuinely different. Call (806) 606-6902 and we’ll price your specific run in writing before any work starts.
How often do Palo Alto homes need dryer vent cleaning?
Every 12 to 18 months for most ranch homes here. If your run is longer than 20 feet or you dry multiple loads daily, expect to clean it annually. A camera inspection is the only way to know for certain. We photograph the inside of the run on every visit so you can see exactly what accumulated and decide when to schedule the next one.
Duct Repair & Sealing in Palo Alto
Duct repair and sealing in Palo Alto is often the difference between a system that heats or cools the house and one that heats or cools the crawl space. On Midtown and Barron Park ranchers, the main trunk lines run through vented crawl spaces, and we routinely find disconnected flex-duct joints that have been blowing conditioned air into the subfloor for years. That’s not a small leak; it’s a hole in the system, and it raises your bill while pulling dust and allergens back into the house. Under Haven Standard Clause 1, we deliver a written price before opening the first panel. See Duct Repair & Sealing for the full scope.
Duct Sealing
Signs you need it
Rooms at the end of a run are noticeably warmer or cooler than the rest of the house, or your utility bill runs high while the system struggles to hold setpoint.
What it costs in Palo Alto
Sealing accessible duct joints in a Palo Alto crawl space runs $450-$950, depending on how many joints need work and how difficult the access is.
How we do it
We locate every accessible joint, clean the surfaces, apply mastic sealant per manufacturer spec, and photograph each sealed joint before moving to the next.
Flex Duct Repair
Signs you need it
A run has collapsed, disconnected at the collar, or torn from rodent activity in the crawl space.
What it costs in Palo Alto
Repairing or replacing a damaged flex-duct section in Palo Alto is $300-$650 per run, including materials, mastic, and reconnection.
How we do it
We source the correct diameter flex duct, cut out the damaged section, reattach with proper collars and aluminum tape, then seal with mastic.
Duct Insulation
Signs you need it
Condensation forms on duct surfaces during winter, or supply air arrives noticeably warmer in summer after passing through an unconditioned crawl space.
What it costs in Palo Alto
Insulating exposed crawl-space duct runs in Palo Alto ranges from $550-$1,100, sized by total linear footage and insulation R-value.
How we do it
We wrap each accessible run with rated duct insulation, seal all seams, and document coverage before and after with photos.
What Duct Repair & Sealing Costs in Palo Alto
| Item | Typical range in Palo Alto |
|---|---|
| Duct sealing (accessible joints) | $450-$950 |
| Flex duct repair per run | $300-$650 |
| Duct insulation | $550-$1,100 |
Why are some Palo Alto duct quotes so much lower?
They’re usually quoting labor only, not the sealing material, or they’ll seal one visible joint and call it done. Ask what exactly gets sealed and photographed. We’ll put our number next to any competitor’s written quote and show you the difference line by line. Call (806) 606-6902 for a free second opinion on any written estimate.
Will sealing my ducts actually lower my energy bill?
If your ducts are leaking conditioned air into a vented crawl space, yes. The savings depend on how much air was escaping and how long the system runs. In a Palo Alto summer, a system with multiple disconnected joints can waste 20 to 30 percent of its output. We photograph the sealed joints so you can verify the work, not just take our word for it.
Air Quality & Sanitizing in Palo Alto
Air quality and sanitizing in Palo Alto starts with what’s already in the system. The city’s long dry season concentrates dust, pollen from protected oak and eucalyptus trees, and wildfire ash inside duct runs from June through October, and then winter rains come and raise crawl-space humidity. The result in many ranch homes is a system that recirculates whatever has been accumulating for years. Sanitizing without first removing that particulate is a waste; we do both, and we photograph the inside of every run so you can see the condition before any antimicrobial is applied. Our Air Quality & Sanitizing protocols follow manufacturer specifications exactly.
Mold Treatment
Signs you need it
Visible microbial growth appears on register covers or you can smell a persistent musty odor that intensifies when the system runs.
What it costs in Palo Alto
Mold treatment for a typical Palo Alto duct system runs $500-$1,200, covering affected runs and the plenum with EPA-registered antimicrobial.
How we do it
We photograph the affected areas, apply the antimicrobial per manufacturer dwell-time requirements, and document results with before-and-after images.
Odor Removal
Signs you need it
Smoke, pet, or rodent odors persist even after the source is removed, and the smell returns every time the blower cycles.
What it costs in Palo Alto
Whole-system odor removal in Palo Alto is $400-$800, including source inspection and treatment of the duct interior.
How we do it
We locate the odor source, remove any physical debris, then apply a duct-safe deodorizer through the accessible runs and photograph the result.
UV Light Installation
Signs you need it
Recurring microbial growth on the evaporator coil, or a household member has respiratory conditions compounded by poor indoor air quality.
What it costs in Palo Alto
UV light installation on the coil or in the supply plenum runs $650-$1,500 in Palo Alto, including the fixture, lamp, and wiring.
How we do it
We mount the UV fixture at the manufacturer-specified distance from the coil, wire it to the blower circuit, and verify operation with a photo record.
What Air Quality & Sanitizing Costs in Palo Alto
| Item | Typical range in Palo Alto |
|---|---|
| Mold treatment | $500-$1,200 |
| Odor removal | $400-$800 |
| UV light installation | $650-$1,500 |
How do I know mold treatment actually worked?
You’ll have a photo record: before images showing the growth, treatment applications in progress, and after images of the same areas. If anything returns within 365 days, we make it right under the Done Right Promise. Call (806) 606-6902 and we’ll walk you through what the photo record looks like on a real Palo Alto job.
Do I need sanitizing if I’m getting ducts cleaned anyway?
Only if there’s something to treat: visible mold, persistent odor, or a medical need for reduced microbial load. We don’t sell sanitizing as an add-on to a clean system. The camera shows us what’s there and we recommend based on what we document, not on a script.
Brands We Service in Palo Alto
Our teams work on all major HVAC and duct brands found in Palo Alto homes, with parts for Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Rheem, and Goodman stocked in the San Francisco Bay Area. We use professional-grade equipment from Rotobrush, Nikro, and Guardsman on our own jobs. See our brands for the full list.
Pricing for Air Duct Cleaning in Palo Alto, CA
| Service | Typical range in Palo Alto |
|---|---|
| Dryer vent inspection | $95-$160 |
| Dryer lint removal | $180-$340 |
| Vent rerouting | $450-$1,200 |
| Bird guard installation | $120-$250 |
| Duct sealing | $450-$950 |
| Flex duct repair | $300-$650 |
| Duct insulation | $550-$1,100 |
| Mold treatment | $500-$1,200 |
| Odor removal | $400-$800 |
| UV light installation | $650-$1,500 |
In Palo Alto, the two factors that push a job to the upper end of these ranges are crawl-space accessibility and run length. Long vented crawl-space runs in Midtown and Barron Park require more labor and more material than short attic runs. Every quote at CleanRun is a written price delivered before work starts, no exceptions and no “call for a quote” fine print, per Haven Standard Clause 1.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Palo Alto
Our crews work regularly across Palo Alto, from the 1950s ranches of Midtown to the pre-WWII homes of Old Palo Alto and Professorville. We schedule by neighborhood so travel time stays minimal and arrival windows stay accurate.
- Midtown
- Barron Park
- South Palo Alto
- Old Palo Alto
- Professorville
Most Palo Alto appointments can be scheduled within 3 to 5 business days, with morning slots available throughout the week.
Service Area - Cities Near Palo Alto
CleanRun also serves the surrounding Peninsula communities. We work regularly in Menlo Park, CA to the north, Los Altos, CA to the west, Redwood City, CA to the northwest, and Mountain View, CA to the south. Dispatch and scheduling are coordinated from the brand’s San Francisco Bay Area office, with crews serving Palo Alto locally.
Serving Palo Alto, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Palo Alto 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 in Palo Alto
No permit is required for standard duct cleaning, dryer vent cleaning, or sealing in Palo Alto. Duct replacement or major rerouting within existing walls and crawl spaces also does not require a city permit, but if work extends to adding new exterior vents, the contractor should verify code requirements with the city’s building department. We’ll confirm any permit questions in writing before work starts.
Some Palo Alto HOAs, particularly in older multi-unit or planned communities, restrict changes to exterior vent caps or terminations. We’ll check against HOA guidance if you provide it, and we won’t proceed with exterior work that could violate your association’s rules. A written scope document from us is usually sufficient to satisfy an HOA board.
Most appointments in Palo Alto are scheduled within 3 to 5 business days. We won’t promise an emergency dispatch time that isn’t real. What we do promise is a written price before any work begins and a photo record after the work is done. Call (806) 606-6902 to check available slots and get a free estimate over the phone.
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 Palo Alto Customers Say
"The dryer vent was almost completely blocked with lint. They showed me the photograph and I understood immediately why the dryer had been running twice."
- Lucia M."They found a disconnected duct in the crawl space that had been dumping conditioned air under the house for years. Photographed it, quoted the repair, fixed it."
- Devon A."On time, professional, and explained what the readings meant without talking down to me."
- Warren E.