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 Cicero, IL
Dryer vent cleaning in Cicero is a different job than it is in most suburban Chicago towns. The village’s 1920s-1940s brick bungalows and two-flats were built when laundry lived in the basement and dryers ran to windows, not through walls. Today’s retrofitted vent runs snake through old masonry and finished ceilings, accumulating lint faster because of the tight turns and long horizontal runs. That’s a fire risk, an efficiency cost, and the first thing we document when we arrive. Call (806) 606-6902 and we’ll put a written price in front of you before any work begins.
Why Cicero Homes Are Different
Cicero’s housing stock sits at the intersection of age and density. Most homes went up between 1910 and 1950, built around gravity/octopus furnaces that moved heat by convection. Forced-air retrofits came later, often as an afterthought, which means ductwork in Cicero is frequently oversized sheet metal, never sealed at the joints, and buried in basement ceilings where the cold-air return pulls from the same space that has hosted a washer, dryer, furnace, and storage for seven or eight decades. The town’s position downwind of the I-290 Eisenhower corridor means road soot and diesel particulate ride the wind off Cermak Road straight into low-mounted return intakes. In the two-flat stock especially, one basement furnace often serves both units through a shared return plenum. If the first-floor tenant has pets, the second-floor registers are pulling that same air. Whole-system cleaning isn’t an upsell in Cicero. It’s what the building actually requires.
Our Main Cicero Services
Two services dominate the calls we get from Cicero homeowners. Both trace back to the same core problem: ductwork that predates pressurized airflow and has never been photographed, let alone cleaned or sealed. Here’s what each job looks like here.
Air Duct Cleaning in Cicero
This is the full-system service most Cicero homeowners schedule first, especially after buying a bungalow or converting a two-flat. We run a negative-pressure extraction system through every trunk line and branch, from the return plenum to each floor register. In Cicero, that often means moving through three finished floors of a two-flat and coordinating access with both units. Every duct run is photographed before and after. The price is written before the first panel comes off. Full details on Air Duct Cleaning in Cicero.
HVAC Cleaning in Cicero
HVAC cleaning in Cicero means going beyond the ductwork to the components that move air: blower assembly, evaporator coil, heat exchanger, and drain pan. In older homes with retrofitted systems, these components sit in the same dusty basement environment everything else does. A coil caked with eight decades of layered grime doesn’t transfer heat efficiently, and a clogged drain pan breeds microbial growth that circulates back into the house. We approach it as a mechanical cleaning job, not a cosmetic one. Read more on our HVAC Cleaning in Cicero 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 Cicero
Dryer vent cleaning in Cicero deals with long, twisting vent runs that were never part of the original house. When a bungalow was built in 1928, laundry meant a wringer washer and a clothesline. The dryer arrived decades later, and its vent had to find a path through old foundation walls, finished ceilings, or narrow joist bays. The result is a run that’s longer than modern code would allow, with more bends than the dryer’s blower can handle well. Lint builds at every elbow, and in a town where the dryer runs hard all winter, that buildup is compressed, heated, and dried into a fire load. Every Dryer Vent Cleaning job starts with a camera inspection so we can show you exactly what’s in the line.
Dryer Vent Inspection
Signs you need it
The dryer takes two cycles to get a load fully dry, or the laundry room feels hot and smells faintly of exhaust even when the dryer is off.
What it costs in Cicero
A full vent inspection in Cicero runs $89-$149 as a standalone service, and the price is written before we arrive.
How we do it
We run a camera from the dryer connection to the exterior termination point, measuring the run length, counting the bends, and documenting blockages or separation at every point.
Lint Removal
Signs you need it
The exterior vent flap barely opens when the dryer runs, or you can see lint hanging from the flap and accumulating around the termination point outside.
What it costs in Cicero
Lint removal as part of a vent cleaning job typically falls between $129 and $199, depending on run length and access.
How we do it
We use rotary brushes and a HEPA-equipped negative-air extractor to pull built-up lint from the full run without blowing it back into the laundry room.
Vent Rerouting
Signs you need it
The current vent run exceeds 25 feet or has more than three 90-degree elbows, which pushes your dryer beyond manufacturer limits and accelerates buildup.
What it costs in Cicero
Rerouting a dryer vent in Cicero runs $400-$800, with the written price controlled by the path available and the materials required.
How we do it
We map a shorter route that meets current code, cut new exterior termination where needed, and replace the old run with rigid or semi-rigid metal duct rather than foil or flex.
Bird Guard Installation
Signs you need it
You hear scratching or chirping near the exterior vent hood, or there’s nesting material visible at the termination point.
What it costs in Cicero
A bird guard installed on an existing vent termination in Cicero is $75-$150, including the guard and the service call to fit it.
How we do it
We mount a screened guard over the exterior vent hood to keep birds, squirrels, and insects out while allowing the dryer to exhaust freely.
What Dryer Vent Cleaning Costs in Cicero
| Item | Typical range in Cicero |
|---|---|
| Dryer vent inspection | $89 - $149 |
| Lint removal / vent cleaning | $129 - $199 |
| Bird guard installation | $75 - $150 |
How often should a dryer vent be cleaned in Cicero?
Every 12-18 months for a typical four-person household, and every 6-12 months if the vent run is long, has multiple bends, or the dryer sees daily use. We’ll tell you what your run actually needs after the camera inspection.
Why does my dryer vent clog so fast in Cicero?
Most Cicero homes weren’t built for modern dryers. Long runs, twists through old framing, and oily dust from a town kitchen of heavily used laundry machines all compound. Call (806) 606-6902 for an exact quote.
Duct Repair & Sealing in Cicero
Duct repair and sealing in Cicero deals with what happens when 80-year-old sheet metal carries conditioned air it was never designed to carry. The joints in those retrofitted trunk lines were rarely sealed, the returns are uninsulated, and in two-flat buildings the same ducts often serve two households off a single furnace. Air leaks into walls, dust gets pulled in from joist bays, and rooms at the end of the run never quite get warm. This service is about closing the system so the air you pay to heat or cool actually reaches the register. We handle every Duct Repair & Sealing job with a written price before work and a documented photo record when we’re done.
Duct Sealing
Signs you need it
Some rooms never reach the thermostat setpoint regardless of season, or your heating bill climbs while the furnace runs normally.
What it costs in Cicero
Whole-system duct sealing in Cicero typically lands between $850 and $1,600, depending on how much of the system is accessible.
How we do it
We apply mastic sealant across every accessible joint, seam, and connection point, then use a pressure test to confirm the leakage we started with is actually gone.
Flex Duct Repair
Signs you need it
The flex runs in your basement or attic are crushed, kinked, or separated at connections, usually from years of being pushed around during storage or other work.
What it costs in Cicero
Replacing or repairing individual flex runs in Cicero runs $150-$350 per run, with written pricing before we start.
How we do it
We measure the existing run, remove the damaged flex, and replace it with the proper diameter and R-value for the application, sealing both ends with mastic and mechanical fasteners.
Mastic Sealant
Signs you need it
You see old duct tape peeling off the joints, or you can feel air moving around seams when the blower runs.
What it costs in Cicero
Targeted mastic sealing on problem joints in Cicero is priced by accessibility and access in most cases runs a comparable range to whole-system sealing when multiple joints are involved.
How we do it
We remove the failed tape, clean the joint surface, and apply fiber-reinforced mastic that bonds to metal and stays flexible through seasonal expansion and contraction.
What Duct Repair & Sealing Costs in Cicero
| Item | Typical range in Cicero |
|---|---|
| Whole-system duct sealing | $850 - $1,600 |
| Flex duct replacement (per run) | $150 - $350 |
| Targeted mastic sealing | Priced by accessibility and joint count |
Do I need both duct cleaning and sealing in Cicero?
Often, yes. Cleaning removes the debris first, then sealing keeps the conditioned air in and the basement air out. On older retrofitted Cicero systems, doing one without the other leaves half the problem unsolved.
Why is my second-floor unit always too cold or too hot?
Shared returns and undersized supply runs mean the system can’t balance across floors. The fix is usually a combination of sealing, airflow adjustment, and sometimes duct modification. Call (806) 606-6902 and we’ll put the scope in writing.
Air Quality & Sanitizing in Cicero
Air quality and sanitizing in Cicero deals with what lives in ductwork after decades of Chicago-area humidity and particulate load. Summer air conditioning cycles pull moisture into uninsulated sheet-metal runs, and when that moisture meets eight decades of accumulated dust, the result is microbial growth, musty air, and a system that recirculates rather than dilutes the contaminants. In two-flats, this is compounded by shared returns carrying air from one unit into another. This service addresses the biological and chemical layer that regular cleaning leaves behind. We offer a full Air Quality & Sanitizing scope, always with a written price before work starts.
Mold Treatment
Signs you need it
The system has a persistent musty odor, or you can see visible mold growth on register faces, inside the return plenum, or on the evaporator coil.
What it costs in Cicero
Mold treatment for a duct system in Cicero runs $400-$1,200, depending on the extent of what we find during the inspection.
How we do it
We document the affected area with the camera, remove the biological growth mechanically, then apply an EPA-registered antimicrobial at the labeled rate to the affected surfaces.
Odor Removal
Signs you need it
The smell of cooking, pet dander, or the previous tenant’s habits comes back every time the blower kicks on, even after you’ve cleaned the house itself.
What it costs in Cicero
Odor removal applied to the whole system in Cicero typically runs $250-$450, depending on system size and the source.
How we do it
We clean the surfaces that carry the odor, then apply a vapor-phase deodorizer rated for HVAC use, which neutralizes the compounds rather than masking them.
UV Light Installation
Signs you need it
You have a documented mold problem in the coil area that keeps returning, or a household member has a respiratory condition that demands cleaner air than the base system provides.
What it costs in Cicero
UV light installation in Cicero runs $700-$1,500, including the unit, mounting, and a wired connection to the existing electrical.
How we do it
We mount a UV-C lamp aimed at the evaporator coil and drain pan, where moisture supports microbial growth, and wire it into the blower control so it runs with the system.
What Air Quality & Sanitizing Costs in Cicero
| Item | Typical range in Cicero |
|---|---|
| Mold treatment (system-wide) | $400 - $1,200 |
| Odor removal (system-wide) | $250 - $450 |
| UV light installation | $700 - $1,500 |
Will sanitizing actually remove the smell in my two-flat?
If the odor is in the ductwork, yes. We treat the return plenum, supply runs, and register boots. If it’s in the carpet or walls, that’s a different job. Our camera shows where the contamination actually sits before we quote a dollar.
Is mold in ducts dangerous in a Cicero bungalow?
Any mold in the air stream is a health concern and should be remediated. In older uninsulated systems the moisture problem that feeds it also needs addressing. Call (806) 606-6902 to schedule an inspection with a written price.
Brands We Service in Cicero
We install and service air quality equipment from Honeywell, Aprilaire, and Abatement Technologies in Cicero homes. Common replacement parts like Aprilaire filter media are stocked locally. Most installations are completed in one visit. See our brands for the full equipment list.
Pricing for Air Duct Cleaning in Cicero, IL
| Service | Typical range in Cicero |
|---|---|
| Dryer vent inspection | $89 - $149 |
| Lint removal / vent cleaning | $129 - $199 |
| Bird guard installation | $75 - $150 |
| Whole-system duct sealing | $850 - $1,600 |
| Flex duct replacement (per run) | $150 - $350 |
| Mold treatment (system-wide) | $400 - $1,200 |
| Odor removal (system-wide) | $250 - $450 |
| UV light installation | $700 - $1,500 |
What pushes pricing up in Cicero is access: finished basement ceilings, buried trunk lines, and runs that disappear behind plaster walls. The written price you get before we start is the price you pay, regardless of what we find after the panels come off. Haven Standard Clause 1: a written price before any work starts, on every job, no exceptions.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Cicero
We work across the full grid of Cicero, from the bungalow-lined streets north of Cermak Road to the two-flat corridors south of the Eisenhower. Scheduling is typically available within a few business days, and access for two-flat jobs is coordinated with both units on the same visit.
- Boulevard Manor
- Grant Works
- Warren Park
- Drexel
- Morton Park
Service Area - Cities Near Cicero
Cicero sits at the center of our metro coverage. We also serve homeowners in Chicago, IL, just to the north and east, Evanston, IL up the lakefront, and Naperville, IL to the west. Work in Schaumburg, IL covers the northwest corridor.
Serving Cicero, IL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Cicero 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 Cicero
Most appointments in Cicero are scheduled within two to five business days. Two-flat jobs take longer to schedule because both units need to coordinate access for the full system to be cleaned. You’ll get a firm date and a written price before work starts.
Duct cleaning itself doesn’t require a permit. Duct modification or rerouting work may, depending on scope and the building’s classification. We check the current code requirements for your specific job before we write the proposal.
Yes, but the full system needs access to both units if the furnace serves both. We coordinate with the owner-occupant or property manager to make one visit cover the entire system. The written price reflects the whole system, not one floor.
Call (806) 606-6902 for a free estimate on any of these services. A live person answers, and your written price is in your hands before any work begins.
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 Cicero Customers Say
"Flat price agreed up front, no per-vent add-ons at the end. That was the whole reason I did not call the coupon company."
- Suzanne B."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.