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.
Fast, Reliable Air Duct Cleaning Across Hillsborough
Air duct cleaning in Hillsborough, CA typically runs $450 – $1,200 for a full residential system, with larger multi-zone estates falling toward the higher end. Most jobs are scheduled within a few days and completed in a single visit. Call (361) 326-5060 for a written estimate before any work starts.
We’ve been sending crews to Hillsborough since we opened our Bay Area dispatch office, and we know the town’s rhythm: quiet streets off El Camino Real, wooded lots with mature oaks and redwoods, homes that range from 1920s estates to mid-century builds with later additions. Hillsborough’s low-density, heavily treed character means your ductwork faces different challenges than homes in denser Peninsula cities. Leaf litter, pollen, and wildfire ash find their way into return intakes. Multiple HVAC zones, common in larger Hillsborough homes, mean partial cleaning leaves real problems untouched. Our Air Duct Cleaning team prices by the system, not by the vent, so you know exactly what you’re paying for before we start.
Why Hollis Air Duct Cleaning Is Hillsborough’s Preferred Air Duct Cleaning Company
Hillsborough homeowners don’t call us for the lowest coupon price. They call because they’ve had crews show up late, price the job at the door, or clean only the easy-to-reach main trunk while leaving attic and crawlspace runs untouched. We run on The Garrison Standard: arrive inside the quoted window, price in writing before any work begins, complete the job by the book, and leave the site clean.
Our technicians are background-checked and uniformed. You know who’s walking into your home before they arrive. Phones are answered by a live person 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No voicemail loops, no callback queues.
The 365-Day Done Right Promise backs every job in writing. If the work fails within a year, we return and make it right at no charge, including a free second visit. That promise applies to Hillsborough the same as everywhere we serve. We’re not the cheapest outfit in the Bay Area. We’re the one that puts the price and the guarantee in writing before touching your system.
Ductwork Cleaning in Hillsborough
Ductwork Cleaning in Hillsborough means source removal from supply and return ducts, plenums, and outdoor intakes, using negative-air machines or rotary brush systems depending on the duct material and contamination type. A typical residential job in Hillsborough runs $450 – $850 for a single-zone system, $900 – $1,200 for a two- or three-zone estate. Most Hillsborough homeowners schedule this service after noticing musty odors, reduced airflow, or visible debris at registers.
Multi-Zone Estate Cleaning
Many Hillsborough homes have three or more HVAC zones, often with air handlers split between attics and crawlspaces. We price each system separately so you don’t pay for zones that don’t need work, and you don’t get a single-zone clean that misses half your ductwork. Every zone gets inspected, photographed, and cleaned to the same standard.
Post-Storm Source Removal
After fall storms, damp leaf litter and roof debris accumulate at outdoor intakes. We don’t just clean the ducts; we clear the intake, clean the return plenum, and verify the system is pulling clean air before we leave. Recontamination within weeks is common if this step gets skipped.
Air Duct Inspection in Hillsborough
Air Duct Inspection in Hillsborough starts with a video camera run through accessible ductwork to identify disconnected runs, crushed flex connections, mold, or debris accumulation. A standalone inspection runs $150 – $250; it’s included free when bundled with cleaning. Hillsborough’s mix of original galvanized ducts and modern rigid additions makes inspection critical, because what worked for one zone may not apply to another.
Camera Documentation
We record video of the duct interior before and after cleaning. You see what we see. No guesswork, no trusting a verbal report. This matters especially in Hillsborough, where long attic runs and crawlspace ducts are out of sight and out of mind until there’s a problem.
System Mapping for Older Homes
Many Hillsborough estates have been expanded multiple times, with ductwork retrofitted by different contractors over decades. We map which zones feed which air handlers, identify material transitions, and flag any code or safety issues we encounter. You’ll know what you have, not just what we cleaned.
Trusted Brands We Service in Hillsborough
Our equipment roster includes Nikro negative-air machines for source removal, Rotobrush rotary brush systems for mechanical agitation in stubborn buildup, and filtration products from Honeywell, Aprilaire, and Guardsman. We stock common parts and filters locally through our Bay Area supply chain, so replacement components don’t add days to a Hillsborough job. When we recommend a filtration upgrade, we specify the exact model, explain what it does for your home’s particle load, and install it only if you approve the written price.
Common Air Duct Cleaning Problems We See in Hillsborough Homes
- Disconnected or crushed duct runs in retrofit additions. Hillsborough’s architecturally varied estates often combine original galvanized ducts with flex runs added during 1980s or 1990s expansions. These connections fail where they meet, leaking conditioned air into attics and pulling in unfiltered air from crawlspaces.
- Outdoor intake contamination after fall storms. The town’s wooded lots and mature tree canopy mean heavy leaf and debris loads at return intakes. Damp material sits against the intake, breeds mold, and distributes musty air through the whole system.
- Multi-zone estates treated as single-zone jobs. A crew cleans the main trunk and visible registers, but leaves attic air handlers and crawlspace supply lines untouched. Two zones run clean; the third still circulates pollen, ash, and dust.
- Wildfire ash infiltration during summer and fall seasons. Hillsborough’s proximity to fire-prone coastal hills means fine ash particles enter return ducts even when windows stay closed. Standard filters don’t catch the smallest particles; without proper cleaning, ash accumulates in duct corners and recirculates for months.
Pricing for Air Duct Cleaning in Hillsborough, CA
Single-zone residential duct cleaning in Hillsborough: $450 – $650. Two-zone systems: $700 – $950. Three-zone or larger estates: $900 – $1,200. Commercial duct cleaning starts at $800 and scales with system size and access difficulty. Dryer vent cleaning, often bundled with ductwork service, runs $120 – $180.
What moves the price: number of HVAC zones, duct material (galvanized takes longer than rigid), accessibility (crawlspace versus attic), and whether we find disconnected runs that need repair before cleaning. We inspect first, write the price down, and get your approval before starting work. The price does not move at the door. No per-vent pricing, no upsell once we’re inside. Call (361) 326-5060 for a free, written estimate.
We Also Serve Cities Near Hillsborough
Hollis crews work across the Bay Area and beyond. We regularly dispatch to Air Duct Cleaning in Hillsborough from our San Francisco Bay Area office, and we also serve Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco. Each location operates independently under The Garrison Standard.
Serving Hillsborough, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough
Damp leaf litter and roof debris get pulled into your outdoor intake and settle against the return plenum. In Hillsborough’s wooded lots, this happens within days of the first major October storm. We clear the intake, clean the plenum, and remove the source so the odor doesn’t return at the next cycle. Call (361) 326-5060 if you’re smelling it now.
Each air handler and its connected ductwork counts as one system. We inspect all three, quote each separately, and you choose which to clean. You don’t pay a flat rate that averages cheap and expensive zones together, and you don’t get a crew that cleans the easy main trunk while skipping the attic unit. Written price per system, agreed before we start.
Before-and-after video from the camera inspection, a written invoice listing each zone cleaned, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If we find disconnected ducts or code issues, we note those separately with photos. You should never pay for duct cleaning and receive only a verbal “all done.”
Every three to five years for most Hillsborough estates, but annually if you run HVAC year-round, have multiple pets, or notice post-storm odors. The pollen load from mature trees and the ash from wildfire season push toward more frequent service than in less wooded Bay Area towns. Call (361) 326-5060 and we’ll assess your specific system load.
We clean the outdoor intake, return plenum, air handler cabinet, evaporator coil (if accessible), and both supply and return duct runs. Cleaning only the ducts while leaving a contaminated intake is half a job. The Garrison Code requires we address the source, not just the symptom.
Written by Roy Castellanos, Owner at Hollis Air Duct Cleaning, serving Hillsborough since 2004.




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