Frequently Asked Questions

We connect a high-powered negative-air vacuum to the main trunk line, then agitate each branch duct with rotating brushes and air whips to break debris loose so the vacuum pulls it out. The process covers supplies, returns, the plenum, and the air handler cabinet when it's accessible. Most homes take two to four hours. We protect floors and furniture, and we leave the system cleaner than it was when we arrived. You'll see before-and-after photos of your own ducts, taken during the job, not stock images.

Most single-family homes in Mountain View take between two and four hours, start to finish. A smaller condo near Castro Street might run closer to two. A larger two-story home in the hills with two furnaces and a crawlspace access can stretch to a full morning or afternoon. We'll give you a realistic time window when we quote the job, and we don't rush the work to get to the next appointment.

An adult needs to be present when we arrive to give us access and to walk through the scope of the work. After that, you're free to stay or step out to run errands. Our techs will let you know when we're wrapping up so you can do a walkthrough with them. We never ask a homeowner to leave so we can work unsupervised. Being present means you can see the before-and-after photos taken on site with your own eyes.

It's cleaner than most people expect. The vacuum creates negative pressure in the system, so the debris goes into the collection unit, not into your living room. We lay down floor protection around the register openings and in the traffic path to the furnace. We also seal off the registers we're not actively working on, which keeps dust from escaping. When we're done, we sweep up and do a final walkthrough with you.

It often does, especially if your ducts haven't been cleaned in years. Ducts collect pollen, pet dander, dust mite debris, and the fine silt that blows in from the Santa Cruz Mountains during dry spells. Every time your system runs, it re-circulates a portion of that load through the air you breathe. Cleaning removes the reservoir, so the air leaving your registers carries less of it. Pair the cleaning with a fresh media filter in the air handler and you'll notice the difference within a week.

Every three to five years is a good rhythm for most Mountain View homes. Homes with pets, smokers, recent remodeling, or allergy-sensitive occupants should lean toward every three years. If you just finished a kitchen or bathroom renovation and your contractor didn't seal off the returns, get the ducts cleaned once the dust settles and the job is complete. Homes with clean filters, no pets, and minimal dust accumulation can stretch closer to five or six years. We'll tell you honestly what we see during the estimate.

You can vacuum the inside of the register openings and change your filters, and you should do both regularly. But those steps don't reach the 20 or 30 feet of trunk line inside your walls, and a household vacuum doesn't generate enough negative pressure to pull caked-on debris out of the system. Professional equipment moves enough air to actually carry the debris out, and it does it without pushing contaminants into the living space. For the main lines, hire a pro. For the visible grilles, a damp cloth once a month is smart maintenance.

They're separate services on separate systems. Air duct cleaning addresses the HVAC supply and return lines that carry conditioned air through your home. Dryer vent cleaning addresses the exhaust line behind your dryer, which carries lint and hot, moist air outside. That line is a fire hazard when clogged, and it deserves its own cleaning. Many Mountain View homeowners schedule both at once because it saves a trip charge. We can quote either or both on the same call.

Duct cleaning is brand-independent, so we service every system, from basic builder-grade furnaces in the older ranch homes along El Camino Real to higher-end systems in the Sharon Heights area. What matters more is the condition of the ductwork and the access to the air handler. We're also familiar with filtration brands like Honeywell and Aprilaire, so if your system uses a media cabinet or a UV air purifier, we'll work around it without damaging the housing or the seals.

It shouldn't, and with proper technique it won't. The risk comes from technicians who use the wrong pressure, punch holes in flex duct, or force brushes through older sheet metal that's already brittle. We inspect the accessible sections of the system before we start, and we treat older homes in Mountain View, where ductwork might date back to the 1970s, with extra care. If we see a pre-existing issue, we'll point it out before we touch it, not after. You deserve to know what's in your walls.

Yes. Cleaning dislodges a lot of fine particulates, and the filter is your last line of defense before that air reaches your living space. Install a fresh filter immediately after we finish, then check it again after about a month and replace it if it's visibly loaded. If your system uses an Aprilaire media cabinet, the MERV 11 or MERV 13 replacement filters that fit it usually last longer than a standard one-inch filter, but the post-cleaning swap still applies. It's a cheap step that protects the work we just did.

We don't push them, and we don't pitch them as a standard upsell. Sanitizers have a place in specific situations, like when a system has visible microbial growth or when a home has had a persistent odor problem that cleaning alone didn't resolve. In those cases, we'll discuss options and let you decide. But a clean, dry system with good airflow and a fresh filter often doesn't need anything else. If an odor persists after cleaning, that's a conversation, not an automatic add-on.

Every pro working under our name is required to hold the license and insurance their state requires. We carry liability coverage, and our techs are trained on the equipment we use. We're happy to provide proof of insurance when you book the job, and we've done work in Mountain View since 2015. Ask any company you're considering for the same documentation. The legitimate ones won't hesitate, and the ones that do are telling you something.

We work with a team of experienced technicians who represent our company and our standards on every job. Every pro working under our name is required to hold the license and insurance their state requires, and we stand behind the quality of work they do. What matters to you is that the person in your home knows the equipment, treats your property with respect, and does the job the way we promised. That's the standard on every job we book in Mountain View.

No. Duct cleaning is a maintenance service, not a structural or mechanical alteration, so the City of Mountain View doesn't require a permit for it. The only time permits enter the conversation is if ductwork is being replaced or significantly modified, which is a different scope of work and typically a different contractor. Cleaning, vacuuming, and sanitizing the existing system is straightforward maintenance. You can confirm this with the city's building department if you want independent verification.

Duct cleaning is a scheduled appointment, not an emergency dispatch. Unlike a burst pipe or a furnace that won't light on a cold night, dirty ducts don't require immediate response. Our normal hours are Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and Sundays from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. If you need the work done before a move-in date or a family event, let us know when you call and we'll do everything we can to find a slot that works.

We clean on Sundays from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Saturdays are closed. For many Mountain View homeowners who work in tech during the week, a Sunday appointment is the most convenient option, and we book those slots regularly. Call (866) 528-3938 during the week and we'll get you on the calendar for the Sunday that works best for your schedule.

We guarantee the cleaning was done as described, and we back that with before-and-after photos of your own ducts, taken on site during the job. If you have a concern after we leave, call us and we'll make it right. We've been serving Mountain View since 2015, and our reputation in this community is built on doing the job properly the first time. That's the standard we hold ourselves to, not a line in a brochure.

Call us. We'll listen to what you're experiencing, ask the right questions, and figure out what's going on. In most cases, the solution is straightforward, and we'll handle it. If the issue is something we can address at no charge, we'll tell you that on the phone. We'd rather have an honest conversation than leave a Mountain View homeowner unhappy, because this community is too small to hide from a bad job.

You'll see it. Before we start, we'll show you the current condition of your ducts, and when we finish, we'll show you the same locations after cleaning. These are photos of your system, taken on your phone's screen or ours, not stock images from a flyer. You'll also find less dust settling in the house in the weeks after the job, and the airflow from your registers should feel more consistent. That's the proof that matters.

Written by the team at Duct Cleaning Mountain View, serving Mountain View, CA since 2015.