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 Altadena, CA
Dryer vent cleaning in Altadena is the service we get called for most, and the reason has changed since January 2025. The Eaton Fire pushed ash, soot, and fine combustion particulate into thousands of vents and duct runs across the community, including homes that looked untouched from the street. That means a standard vent cleaning here is not always standard: we’re often removing fire residue, not just years of lint. Call (806) 606-6902 for a written price before any work starts.
Why Altadena Homes Are Different
Altadena’s housing stock runs heavily to Craftsman bungalows from the 1920s through 1940s and ranch-style tract homes from the 1950s through 1970s. Many of those houses still have original or once-retrofitted duct systems built with older fiberglass duct board or flex duct. That material traps and holds ash and soot in ways smooth metal ductwork does not. When we open a return-air grille in a 1960s ranch north of Altadena Drive after a Santa Ana event, the camera often shows a layer of fine gray dust that a flatland home in Pasadena would not collect at the same rate. The community sits at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, which channels downslope winds through the canyons and across the neighborhoods. Those winds carry chaparral dust, mountain particulate, and during fire season, smoke. Low humidity during wind events means particulates stay airborne and get pulled into HVAC intakes. Post-Eaton Fire, the job changed again: technicians working in Altadena now routinely find ductwork with visible ash and char debris even in homes that appear cosmetically intact. The fire’s ember storm allowed fine particles to enter return-air grilles while systems were running during the evacuation window. The blower then distributed that ash through the entire duct network before power was cut. That scenario is specific to Altadena and does not apply to Pasadena or La Cañada Flintridge in the same way.
Our Main Altadena Services
Two services get most of the calls from Altadena homeowners, especially in homes near the burn zone and in older mid-century tracts where duct systems have never been fully rehabilitated.
Air Duct Cleaning in Altadena
Altadena duct systems collect what the wind brings: chaparral dust, Santa Ana particulate, and since Eaton, wildfire ash that works its way into return-air runs. Our full-service Air Duct Cleaning in Altadena covers the plenum, every accessible duct run, and the registers, with a documented photo record of the inside of each run before and after. For older homes with fiberglass duct board, we adjust the extraction method so the board is not damaged while the ash is pulled out.
HVAC Cleaning in Altadena
HVAC cleaning here means more than wiping down the furnace cabinet. The blower, evaporator coil, and return plenum in Altadena systems are the first surfaces to show Eaton Fire contamination, especially if the unit ran during the evacuation. Our HVAC Cleaning in Altadena service addresses the full air handler so the system does not re-contaminate freshly cleaned ducts the first time the fan kicks on.
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 Altadena
Dryer vent cleaning in Altadena is the service we recommend first after the Eaton Fire, because lint and ash load the same exhaust run. A vent packed with lint was already a fire hazard before 2025; that same vent now holds a mix of dryer lint and wildfire particulate that restricts airflow faster and holds moisture longer. In Altadena’s older homes, the dryer vent is often a long flex run through a crawlspace or out a roof jack, which makes full-length cleaning the only way to actually remove the buildup. We clean the full run from dryer to termination point, photograph the inside before and after, and include the photo record with every job. See our Dryer Vent Cleaning service hub for the full scope.
Vent Cleaning
Signs you need it
Clothes take two or more cycles to dry, the dryer feels hot to the touch during a cycle, or you can smell a musty or burning odor when the dryer runs.
What it costs in Altadena
Dryer vent cleaning in Altadena typically runs $120 to $250 for a standard single-story run.
How we do it
We run a rotary brush through the full vent run with negative-pressure extraction, then photograph the termination point to confirm the opening is clear.
Lint Removal
Signs you need it
Visible lint around the dryer’s exterior vent hood, or a vent flap that does not fully open during operation indicates a blockage worth addressing before it becomes a fire hazard.
What it costs in Altadena
Lint removal as a standalone job runs $120 to $220 in Altadena.
How we do it
We remove the accumulated lint from the vent interior, the transition hose, and the termination hood with tools sized for the run length.
What Dryer Vent Cleaning Costs in Altadena
| Item | Typical range in Altadena |
|---|---|
| Standard vent cleaning (single story) | $120 - $250 |
| Long or roof-terminated run | $200 - $350 |
| Lint removal only | $120 - $220 |
How often should a dryer vent be cleaned in Altadena?
Every year for a household that runs three or more loads weekly. Homes near the Eaton Fire zone or with long flex runs should inspect sooner because ash mixed with lint packs tighter than lint alone.
Does an Altadena dryer vent cleaning include the roof or wall cap?
Yes. We clean the full run from the dryer connection to the termination point, including the vent cap or roof jack, and we photograph the opening before and after to show it is clear.
Duct Repair & Sealing in Altadena
Duct repair and sealing in Altadena often means fixing what the fire did not destroy but exposed: joints that leak, flex runs that sag, and returns that pull ash from crawlspaces and attics. Older duct systems in Altadena’s 1940s bungalows and 1960s ranches were rarely sealed well even when new. Our approach is to find the leaks with a pressure test, then seal or replace the failing sections so the air you paid to condition actually reaches the rooms. See our Duct Repair & Sealing hub for the full list of repair standards.
Duct Sealing
Signs you need it
Rooms that never reach the thermostat set point, a spike in the electric bill during wind events, or visible dust accumulation around supply registers are signs of duct leakage.
What it costs in Altadena
Sealing accessible ductwork typically runs $350 to $900 in Altadena depending on the number of runs.
How we do it
We locate leaks with a pressure test, then seal seams and connections with mastic and foil tape, not duct tape.
Flex Duct Repair
Signs you need it
A flex run that has collapsed, torn, or disconnected, often visible as a room that never heats or cools while others do.
What it costs in Altadena
Repairing or replacing a damaged flex run in Altadena runs $150 to $400 per run.
How we do it
We replace the damaged flex section with properly supported, stretched, and sealed flex duct, then photograph the completed run.
What Duct Repair & Sealing Costs in Altadena
| Item | Typical range in Altadena |
|---|---|
| Accessible duct sealing | $350 - $900 |
| Flex duct repair/replacement (per run) | $150 - $400 |
| Return plenum sealing | $200 - $500 |
Do I need duct sealing if my house is from the 1950s?
Most 1950s Altadena homes have never had their ducts sealed since original installation. A pressure test costs nothing to interpret and most homes show 20 to 30 percent leakage at the connections.
Can ash damage ductwork permanently?
Ash itself does not corrode metal ductwork, but it can saturate fiberglass duct board, which we generally recommend replacing rather than attempting to clean. We will show you the camera footage before recommending replacement.
Air Quality & Sanitizing in Altadena
Air quality and sanitizing in Altadena post-Eaton Fire means addressing what standard cleaning cannot reach: the combustion residue, mold spores, and bacteria that settle onto duct surfaces after the particulate has been removed. Homes near the burn zone frequently show elevated microbial growth in the months after a fire because the ash layer held moisture and provided an organic substrate. We treat the duct interior and the air handler with registered antimicrobial products, then verify the result with a photo record. See our Air Quality & Sanitizing hub for product data sheets and treatment standards.
Odor Removal
Signs you need it
An acrid, campfire-like smell that returns whenever the HVAC fan runs, even weeks after the fire, indicates odor-causing compounds are still in the ductwork.
What it costs in Altadena
Whole-system odor removal in Altadena runs $250 to $500.
How we do it
We fog the duct interior with a deodorizing treatment after cleaning, then seal the system for the dwell period and ventilate before the fan is turned back on.
UV Light Installation
Signs you need it
Recurring mold spots around supply registers or a musty smell that returns shortly after cleaning indicate active microbial growth on the coil.
What it costs in Altadena
A UV light installation for the supply plenum runs $400 to $800 in Altadena.
How we do it
We install the UV lamp in the supply plenum facing the coil, wire it to run with the blower, and photograph the completed placement.
What Air Quality & Sanitizing Costs in Altadena
| Item | Typical range in Altadena |
|---|---|
| Odor removal (whole system) | $250 - $500 |
| UV light installation | $400 - $800 |
| Antimicrobial treatment | $300 - $650 |
Will sanitizing remove fire smoke odor permanently?
For most homes, yes. The key is cleaning first, because sanitizing over ash simply seals the odor in. We photograph the cleaned duct before any treatment so you know what was actually removed.
Is UV light worth it in Altadena homes without a fire issue?
For homes near the foothills, yes. The San Gabriel canyon winds push biological particulate through intake grilles seasonally, and a UV lamp on the coil reduces what reproduces there.
Brands We Service in Altadena
Our crews in Altadena work on furnaces and air handlers paired with Honeywell and Aprilaire filtration systems, and we use Abatement Technologies equipment for negative-pressure extraction during cleaning. Most common replacement parts are stocked in our service vans. See our brands for the full equipment roster.
Pricing for Air Duct Cleaning in Altadena, CA
| Service | Typical range in Altadena |
|---|---|
| Dryer vent cleaning (standard) | $120 - $250 |
| Dryer vent cleaning (long/roof run) | $200 - $350 |
| Duct sealing (accessible) | $350 - $900 |
| Flex duct repair (per run) | $150 - $400 |
| Return plenum sealing | $200 - $500 |
| Odor removal | $250 - $500 |
| UV light installation | $400 - $800 |
| Antimicrobial treatment | $300 - $650 |
What pushes an Altadena quote toward the higher end is access: crawlspaces, roof-terminated vents, and duct runs squeezed into 1920s bungalow attics take longer to work through. Under Haven Standard Clause 1, you receive a written price before any work starts, and that price does not change unless the scope changes and you approve the change in writing.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Altadena
We work across Altadena, from the burn-affected streets north of Altadena Drive down to the neighborhoods along Lake Avenue and Fair Oaks Avenue. Our crews navigate the hillside roads and canyon-fed streets without trouble, and we coordinate scheduling around the area’s typical daytime traffic patterns.
- The Meadows
- Altadena Country Club area
- President Streets
- North Lake Avenue corridor
- Altadena Crest
Service Area - Cities Near Altadena
We regularly serve Altadena homeowners, and we also take jobs in Pasadena, MD, South Pasadena, CA, San Gabriel, CA, and Alhambra, CA. If you live in one of those communities, the same written-price standard and documented photo record apply.
Serving Altadena, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Altadena 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 Altadena
Scheduling is coordinated from our Los Angeles office, and Altadena is a regularly served area for our crews. Most appointments are set within a few business days, and we confirm the technician’s name before arrival.
Most cleaning and sealing work does not require a permit. If a repair job expands into replacing a section of ductwork, we will tell you during the written estimate whether permitting applies and handle that before work begins.
Yes. Bring us the written quote and we will put our own number next to it in writing, at no cost. That is a standing offer, not a seasonal promotion.
If your Altadena home has not had its ducts inspected since the Eaton Fire, call (806) 606-6902 for a written price and a documented photo record of exactly what we find.
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 Altadena 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.