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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After
Before
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Before
AfterAir Duct Cleaning in Los Gatos, CA
Dryer vent cleaning in Los Gatos runs $145-$245 for a standard single-family home, and most jobs take under two hours. The real difference here is terrain and housing age: hillside homes in the Santa Cruz Mountain foothills have longer, steeper vent runs that trap more lint than flat-lot houses in Campbell or Cupertino. Call (806) 606-6902 for a written price before any work starts.
Why Los Gatos Homes Are Different
Los Gatos sits directly at the wildland-urban interface, and the Highway 17 corridor funnels wildfire smoke from the Santa Cruz Mountains straight into town. After the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex, we pulled apart duct systems here and found a charcoal-gray film coating return-air filters and duct interiors, residue that simply doesn’t show up in the same week’s jobs in Saratoga or Los Altos, which sit farther from the smoke funnel. That means post-fire-season cleaning is a recurring necessity in Los Gatos, not an upsell.
The housing stock compounds it. Near downtown, Craftsman and Victorian homes from the early 1900s have aged sheet metal ducts with gaps at every seam. On the flats, mid-century ranch homes from the 1950s and 60s have asbestos-wrapped duct runs that predate modern sealing standards. And in the hillside foothills, custom multi-level homes from the 1970s through 90s run ducts through sharply sloped crawlspaces and multi-story chases that are genuinely difficult to access. The marine layer from Monterey Bay pushes moisture up through those canyons, and we regularly see elevated humidity inside hillside crawlspaces that accelerates mold growth and dust mite colonization inside flex ductwork, especially in homes with poor vapor barriers.
Our Main Los Gatos Services
Two services generate most of the calls we field from Los Gatos homeowners: full air duct cleaning and whole-system HVAC cleaning. Both jobs are quoted in writing before work begins, and both conclude with a documented photo record of every duct run.
Air Duct Cleaning in Los Gatos
Air duct cleaning in Los Gatos means pulling the register covers and extracting what’s actually accumulated inside the system. In hillside homes we frequently find construction dust from original builds, pet dander, and a fine gray wildfire-ash residue that coats the duct walls. The job includes negative-pressure extraction, agitation of all supply and return runs, and a camera record of the interior before and after. For the full Los Gatos breakdown, see Air Duct Cleaning in Los Gatos.
HVAC Cleaning in Los Gatos
HVAC cleaning extends the scope to the evaporator coil, blower motor, drain pan, and plenum. In Los Gatos, the elevated crawlspace humidity means coil faces here load up faster with microbial film than in drier flatland cities. A full HVAC cleaning restores airflow and static-pressure readings, and the camera documentation shows exactly what was removed. Details on the HVAC Cleaning in Los Gatos 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 Los Gatos
Dryer vent cleaning in Los Gatos starts at $145 and ranges to $245 for a standard single-family home, depending on vent length, roof access, and how long it’s been since the last cleaning. Homes in the hillside foothills often have dryer vents running 20 to 35 feet with multiple elbows to reach an exterior wall or roof cap, and every bend is a lint collection point. The marine layer humidity makes that lint clump and harden, which is why Los Gatos vents clog faster than identical systems in Santa Clara. See our full Dryer Vent Cleaning service details.
Dryer Vent Inspection
Signs you need it
Clothes take two cycles to dry, the dryer runs unusually hot, or you can’t remember the last time anyone looked inside the vent run.
What it costs in Los Gatos
A standalone dryer vent inspection runs $95-$145, and the price is credited toward cleaning if work follows.
How we do it
We access the vent run from both ends, feed a camera through every section, and document obstructions, gaps, or damage with timestamped photos before quoting any work.
Bird Guard Installation
Signs you need it
You hear birds or rodents inside the vent, or you’ve found nesting material at the exterior vent cap.
What it costs in Los Gatos
Bird guard installation adds $85-$140 per vent cap depending on accessibility and cap type.
How we do it
We remove existing debris, secure a galvanized or stainless guard over the exterior termination, and confirm airflow with a draft test.
What Dryer Vent Cleaning Costs in Los Gatos
| Item | Typical range in Los Gatos |
|---|---|
| Dryer vent cleaning (single-story) | $145-$185 |
| Dryer vent cleaning (multi-story or roof access) | $185-$245 |
| Bird guard installation | $85-$140 per vent |
How often should I clean my dryer vent in Los Gatos?
Every 12 months for most Los Gatos homes, and every 6 months if your dryer vent runs 20 feet or more, or if you live in a hillside home with multiple elbows. The marine layer humidity makes lint clump faster here.
Can a clogged dryer vent be cleaned the same day?
Most Los Gatos dryer vent cleanings are completed the same day we arrive, since the work is scheduled by appointment. Call (806) 606-6902 for a written price.
Duct Repair & Sealing in Los Gatos
Duct repair and sealing in Los Gatos addresses the leaks, separations, and crushed runs that quietly push 20 to 30 percent of conditioned air into crawlspaces and attics. Older Craftsman homes near downtown have sheet metal ducts that have sagged and separated at the seams over 80 to 100 years, while hillside homes often have flex duct runs pinched in sloped chases. The result is the same: rooms that never reach the thermostat setpoint and higher PG&E bills. Our Duct Repair & Sealing work is quoted in writing before anything comes apart.
Duct Sealing
Signs you need it
Dust on registers, rooms that stay hot or cold no matter the setting, and a crawlspace that smells like the rest of the house.
What it costs in Los Gatos
Whole-system duct sealing in an average Los Gatos home runs $600-$1,200 depending on accessible duct length and the number of runs.
How we do it
We locate leaks with a duct blaster test or visual inspection, then seal every seam and connection with mastic sealant or Aeroseal-type material, not tape.
Duct Insulation
Signs you need it
Rooms in the far ends of the house lose heat in winter, or condensation forms on duct surfaces in the crawlspace.
What it costs in Los Gatos
Duct insulation replacement in Los Gatos typically costs $400-$900 depending on run length and crawlspace access.
How we do it
We remove degraded insulation, inspect the duct surface for damage, and wrap with new R-6 or R-8 rated material to stop thermal loss and condensation.
What Duct Repair & Sealing Costs in Los Gatos
| Item | Typical range in Los Gatos |
|---|---|
| Duct sealing (whole system) | $600-$1,200 |
| Flex duct replacement (per run) | $250-$450 |
| Duct insulation | $400-$900 |
How do I know if my Los Gatos ducts are actually leaking?
Put your hand near a supply register when the system runs. Uneven airflow between rooms, whistling sounds, or a dusty smell from the vents are reliable indicators. We confirm with a blower-door test and camera before sealing anything.
Why is my hillside Los Gatos home so much harder to keep comfortable?
The duct runs are longer, routed through sloped chases and crawlspaces where connections pull apart under the home’s weight. Sealing those runs restores the pressure the system was designed to deliver. Call (806) 606-6902 for a written quote.
Air Quality & Sanitizing in Los Gatos
Air quality and sanitizing in Los Gatos targets what lives inside the duct system after years of marine-layer moisture and wildfire smoke infiltrating through the Highway 17 corridor. Mold, bacteria, and fine ash particulates collect in the plenum and flex-duct interiors, and once they’re there, the blower distributes them through every register in the home. Our Air Quality & Sanitizing work starts with a camera inspection so you see exactly what we’re treating before any product goes in.
Mold Treatment
Signs you need it
A persistent musty smell from the vents, visible dark spots on register covers, or allergy symptoms that spike when the system runs.
What it costs in Los Gatos
Mold treatment in Los Gatos ducts typically runs $450-$700 for the full system, depending on duct length and severity.
How we do it
We apply an EPA-registered antimicrobial to all accessible interior surfaces after mechanical cleaning, then fog the plenum and runs according to manufacturer specifications.
Odor Removal
Signs you need it
Cooking, pet, or wildfire-smoke odors linger long after the source is gone, or the system blows a stale smell when it cycles on.
What it costs in Los Gatos
Whole-system odor removal in Los Gatos runs $350-$550, with recurring wildfire-ash odor often needing a repeat treatment after the next fire season.
How we do it
We identify the odor source with a camera inspection, clean the contaminated surfaces, and apply an odor-neutralizing agent or thermal fogging to reach what mechanical cleaning cannot.
What Air Quality & Sanitizing Costs in Los Gatos
| Item | Typical range in Los Gatos |
|---|---|
| Mold treatment (whole system) | $450-$700 |
| Odor removal | $350-$550 |
| UV light installation | $800-$1,500 |
Does air duct sanitizing really address wildfire smoke in Los Gatos?
It addresses what the smoke left behind. The CZU Lightning Complex left a fine charcoal film inside Los Gatos duct systems that standard cleaning removes but sanitizing neutralizes at the microbial level. Both are documented photographically.
How do I know the sanitizing was actually done?
The camera record shows the interior before and after treatment, and we deliver that photo file to you as part of the job record. If you want to check a specific run, we walk you through the footage. Call (806) 606-6902 for a written quote.
Brands We Service in Los Gatos
We service and install equipment from Rotobrush, Nikro, Abatement Technologies, Honeywell, Aprilaire, and Guardsman. Common replacement parts for these brands are stocked in our Bay Area warehouse, so most Los Gatos jobs are completed without waiting on shipping. See our brands for the full equipment roster.
Pricing for Air Duct Cleaning in Los Gatos, CA
| Service | Typical range in Los Gatos |
|---|---|
| Dryer vent cleaning (standard) | $145-$185 |
| Dryer vent cleaning (multi-story/roof access) | $185-$245 |
| Duct sealing (whole system) | $600-$1,200 |
| Flex duct replacement (per run) | $250-$450 |
| Duct insulation | $400-$900 |
| Mold treatment (whole system) | $450-$700 |
| Odor removal | $350-$550 |
| UV light installation | $800-$1,500 |
What pushes a Los Gatos job toward the top of the range is access: hillside crawlspaces with sharp slopes, roof-mounted dryer vents, and multi-story chases all add labor time. The written price you receive before work starts is the price you pay, with no per-vent add-ons or surprise material charges introduced after the fact.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Los Gatos
We work across Los Gatos, from the flat mid-century ranch neighborhoods to the hillside custom homes above the fog line. Each area has its own duct challenges, and we schedule jobs so hillside access work happens in daylight hours with proper equipment.
- Downtown Los Gatos (Craftsman and Victorian-era homes)
- Blossom Hill area (mid-century ranch homes)
- Belwood and Belgatos (larger flat-lot homes)
- Los Gatos foothills (custom multi-level hillside homes)
- East Los Gatos (newer post-2000 construction)
Service Area - Cities Near Los Gatos
CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning also serves homeowners in Saratoga, CA, Campbell, CA, Cupertino, CA, and Santa Clara, CA. Dispatch and scheduling are coordinated from our San Francisco Bay Area office, and crews serve Los Gatos locally throughout the week.
Serving Los Gatos, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Los Gatos 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 Los Gatos
No. Air duct cleaning, dryer vent cleaning, and duct sealing are considered maintenance work and do not require a building permit in Los Gatos. If duct replacement involves structural modifications, the contractor handles that paperwork, but standard cleaning and sealing do not trigger permit requirements.
We typically schedule Los Gatos jobs within 3 to 10 days, depending on the season and whether the work is on a flat lot or a hillside home. Hillside work is scheduled for daylight hours, and post-fire-season slots fill faster. Call (806) 606-6902 to get on the calendar.
Yes. We work in every neighborhood in Los Gatos, from downtown to the steepest hillside lots above the fog line. Our crews carry the equipment needed for sloped crawlspace access, and the written price accounts for terrain before we arrive, not after.
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 Gatos 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.