Whole-home duct cleaning
Dryer vent cleaning
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Sanitizing & deodorizingWhole-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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AfterHow Much Does HVAC Cleaning Cost in Fort Worth?
HVAC cleaning in Fort Worth typically runs between $285 and $690 for a full system cleaning in 2026, with most homes landing in the $350 to $500 range. That price covers the air handler, supply and return plenums, and all accessible ductwork. Homes with multiple systems, heavy construction debris, or years of deferred maintenance will push toward the upper end.
You’ll notice the range is wide. That’s because “HVAC cleaning” means different things to different companies. Some outfits quote a low teaser price for blowing out a few vents and call it done. A real cleaning, done with a negative-air machine and rotary brush, takes a full crew most of a day and costs accordingly. At Hollis Air Duct Fort Worth, the price is written down before any work starts, and it doesn’t move once our technicians are inside your home.
Key Takeaways:
- Full HVAC cleaning in Fort Worth: $285 to $690 for most homes in 2026
- Duct-only cleaning (no air handler): $180 to $360
- Air handler and coil cleaning add-on: $120 to $280
- Dryer vent cleaning as a bundled service: $80 to $150
- Written pricing before work starts is the single biggest trust signal in this trade
Before you call around, you should know exactly what you’re paying for. Our HVAC Cleaning in Fort Worth page walks through the full process, start to finish, with the same level of detail we give every homeowner before a job.
HVAC Cleaning Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s what Fort Worth homeowners can expect to pay, line by line. These numbers reflect the local market as of early 2026, not national averages that don’t account for North Texas dust, humidity, and the way homes are built here.
| Service | Typical Fort Worth Price Range | What It Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic duct cleaning (supply and return runs) | $180 to $360 | Negative-air extraction and brush agitation of all accessible duct runs, vent covers removed and cleaned |
| Full HVAC system cleaning | $285 to $690 | Ductwork, air handler cabinet, blower housing, evaporator coil (if accessible), plenums, vent covers |
| Air handler and blower cleaning (add-on or standalone) | $120 to $280 | Removal of blower assembly where feasible, cabinet interior cleaning, coil cleaning without chemical wash |
| Evaporator coil chemical cleaning | $140 to $320 | Coil combing, chemical application, rinse, and coil inspection – done when airflow is restricted |
| Dryer vent cleaning (bundled) | $80 to $150 | Full run from dryer to exterior termination, lint trap housing, termination cap |
| Duct sealing (individual leaks or full system) | $350 to $1,200+ | Manual sealing of accessible joints and seams with mastic; full-system sealing priced per job after inspection |
These are real working numbers for the Fort Worth market, not a national bell curve. Our technicians at Hollis Air Duct Fort Worth write the final price on paper before anything gets touched, so the number you approve is the number on the invoice.
What Drives the Price Up or Down
A 1,400 square foot single-story home in Wedgwood with a standard single system and accessible attic ducts will usually land between $300 and $420. The same square footage in a 1970s split-level in Ridglea with a crawlspace, a second system, and 40 years of accumulated dust will run higher. Every job is different, and anyone who quotes you a flat “whole house” price without asking about your ductwork layout is guessing.
What Affects HVAC Cleaning Pricing in Fort Worth
- Number of systems and zones. A house with two air handlers costs more to clean than one with a single system. In Fort Worth’s larger homes – think Mira Vista, Monticello, or the ranch-style builds near Benbrook – two-system setups are common, and both need attention.
- Age of the ductwork and construction style. Older Fort Worth homes in neighborhoods like Ryan Place or the historic Fairmount district often have sheet-metal ducts from the 1950s and 60s. These are generally straightforward to clean, but if insulation is degrading inside the runs, that adds time and complexity.
- Access difficulty. Ducts in a low-clearance attic with blown-in insulation take longer to work around than a roomy basement or a drop ceiling. Fort Worth doesn’t have many basements, so most ductwork runs through attics, and summer attic temperatures in July and August mean crews have to manage their time carefully.
- Dust load and prior maintenance history. If the system hasn’t been touched in 15 years, there’s more to extract. If the previous owner renovated and didn’t seal off the returns, you’ll find drywall dust and construction debris packed into the plenum.
- Presence of mold or microbial growth. If a technician finds visible mold in the ducts or on the coil during inspection, cleaning alone won’t fix the underlying moisture problem. That conversation changes scope and cost, and any honest company will tell you before proceeding.
- Accessory equipment. UV lamps, electronic air cleaners, and media filter cabinets each need their own attention during a cleaning. A standard filter grille takes two minutes. A Honeywell electronic air cleaner takes twenty.
Fort Worth sits in a climate where the AC runs hard from May through September. That means the evaporator coil sees continuous moisture, which collects dust and, in some cases, promotes biological growth. Homes near the Trinity River or areas with dense tree cover – Arlington Heights, parts of the cultural district – tend to see more biological activity in their systems than homes on the open plains toward Saginaw or Crowley.
How to Save on HVAC Cleaning
You don’t have to accept the first number you hear, and you shouldn’t chase the lowest one either. Here’s how to get real value without getting burned.
- Bundle services. If your dryer vent hasn’t been cleaned in years, adding it to an HVAC cleaning job usually costs less than booking it separately. The equipment is already on site, and the marginal labor is low. Most Fort Worth companies, including Hollis Air Duct Fort Worth, discount bundled work without being asked.
- Change your filters on a strict schedule before and after the cleaning. A clean filter prevents the system from re-loading with dust in the first 90 days. We recommend checking filters monthly during peak cooling season in Fort Worth, not every three months like the national guidance suggests, because North Texas dust loads are heavier than most of the country.
- Ask for a written inspection before agreeing to add-on work. The biggest price jumps come from add-ons discovered mid-job: antimicrobial fogging, coil replacement recommendations, or “urgent” duct sealing. A company that shows you the problem and quotes it in writing before proceeding gives you the option to say no. A company that discovers a “problem” after the work starts and tells you it’s mandatory is one to avoid.
- Get the free estimate. Hollis Air Duct Fort Worth gives free estimates with no obligation. Call (682) 255-2572, and we’ll give you a written number for your specific home. No door-to-door surprise, no phone estimate that doubles when the technician walks inside.
- Don’t pay for duct cleaning you don’t need. If your home is less than five years old, you’ve changed filters regularly, and you haven’t done major renovations, a full cleaning might be premature. A visual inspection with a camera scope can tell you whether there’s real accumulation before you spend anything.
Why Fort Worth Pricing Looks Different From National Averages
If you’ve compared quotes online, you may have seen national figures ranging from $99 to over $1,000. Here’s why the Fort Worth market lands where it does.
Labor rates in the DFW metro have risen steadily since 2021, and they’re not coming down. A background-checked, uniformed technician who shows up on time and does the job by the book costs more per hour than a day laborer with a shop vac from a pawn shop. That’s the difference between a $99 “whole house special” and a $400 cleaning that’s actually done correctly.
Fort Worth’s housing stock also skews older than the northern suburbs. Homes built between 1945 and 1980 make up a significant share of the city’s single-family inventory, and those homes often have duct runs that were undersized by modern standards, retrofitted multiple times, or left unsealed at the boots. Cleaning an old duct system properly takes more time than cleaning a new one.
The climate matters more than most companies admit. Fort Worth gets roughly 36 inches of rain a year, but it falls in bursts. Spring storms saturate the ground, summer heat bakes it dry, and the dust that gets pulled into return ducts during both seasons is finer and more persistent than what you’d see in a more stable climate. That dust settles on evaporator coils, clings to blower wheels, and embeds itself in flex duct interior linings.
What Happens During a Professional HVAC Cleaning
Knowing what a real cleaning involves helps you evaluate whether a quote is reasonable. Here’s the process our crews follow at Hollis Air Duct Fort Worth.
Step 1: System Inspection
Before any cleaning starts, a technician inspects the air handler, coil, plenums, and a representative sample of duct runs. We use a camera scope to look inside the ductwork and show you what’s actually there. If there’s no significant accumulation, we’ll tell you that and recommend you save your money.
Step 2: Negative-Air Setup
The negative-air method means connecting a high-powered vacuum unit to the duct system to create suction that pulls loosened debris out of the ducts and into a sealed containment system. We run Nikro negative-air machines, which are the same units commercial remediation crews use, not an adapted shop vacuum. The point of negative air is that dust doesn’t blow back into your living room. It’s pulled out of the system and captured.
Step 3: Brush Agitation
A rotary brush system, fed through each duct run, agitates debris stuck to the duct walls. We use Rotobrush equipment for this step. The brush dislodges what’s adhered, and the negative-air stream carries it out. Run by run, supply and return, until the full system has been mechanically cleaned, not just “blown out” with compressed air.
Step 4: Component Cleaning
The blower assembly, evaporator coil, and air handler cabinet get cleaned separately. In many Fort Worth homes, the blower wheel is caked with a fine layer of clay-colored dust that reduces airflow. Cleaning it restores static pressure and can make a noticeable difference in how well the system cools.
Step 5: Reassembly and Verification
Everything gets reassembled, vent covers go back on, and the system is cycled to verify airflow and operation. The work area is swept and cleaned. You get a walkthrough of what was done, and the price you were quoted before we started is the price on the invoice.
This is the standard. It’s not the cheapest way to clean ducts, and we don’t pretend otherwise. But it’s the only way we know to do the job that actually holds up over time, and it’s the reason every job carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing.
What the 365-Day Done Right Promise Covers
We put this on every invoice, in writing, for a full year. If the work doesn’t hold up – if a duct run we cleaned re-contaminates, if a vent cover pops loose, if anything we touched fails – we come back and make it right at no charge. That includes a free second visit. No arguments, no negotiating, no fine print about “reasonable wear.”
This is the Garrison Standard that every Hollis location operates under. It’s not a slogan. It’s a set of operational requirements: arrive inside the quoted window, put the price in writing before work starts, do the job by the book, and leave the site clean. The technicians who work under The Garrison Code are background-checked and uniformed, and you know their name before they walk through your door.
Red Flags to Watch For When Getting Quotes in Fort Worth
HVAC cleaning attracts more than its share of operators who aren’t interested in doing the work properly. Here’s what should make you hang up or show them the door.
- The $99 whole-house special. It’s not a real cleaning. It’s a loss leader designed to get a body in your home who will then “discover” $900 worth of urgent problems. If the price sounds too good, it isn’t a deal – it’s a fishing expedition.
- Quotes over the phone without any questions. A legitimate price requires knowing how many systems you have, what kind of ductwork, how old the home is, and what the access looks like. Anyone who quotes a firm number without asking questions is either guessing low to win the job or planning to adjust the number at the door.
- Mold scare tactics. “You have toxic black mold in your ducts and your family is in danger” is a script. If a technician finds microbial growth, they should show you with a camera, explain the moisture source, and discuss remediation options calmly. Panic is a selling technique, not a professional assessment.
- No written guarantee. If the company won’t put their promise in writing, there is no promise. Verbal assurances don’t survive contact with a problem six months later.
- Unmarked vehicles and no uniform. Every Hollis technician arrives in a marked vehicle, in uniform, with a name badge. You should know who is in your home and who sent them.
Should You Clean or Replace Your Ductwork?
This question comes up often in Fort Worth, especially in older homes where the ducts are original to the house. The honest answer: most ductwork doesn’t need to be replaced. It needs to be cleaned, and in many cases, sealed.
Duct sealing with mastic – a thick, brushable sealant that hardens over the joints and seams – can recover 15 to 30 percent of the conditioned air that older duct systems lose into the attic. In a Fort Worth summer, that’s money leaking out of your system every time the AC cycles. A proper duct sealing job costs more than a cleaning alone, but it can pay for itself in reduced energy costs over two or three seasons, and it’s eligible for evaluation under some utility rebate programs available through Oncor and other regional providers.
Replacement only makes sense when the ducts are physically damaged, saturated with mold with no viable remediation path, or so undersized that sealing and cleaning won’t fix the real problem. A reputable company will tell you when replacement is unnecessary. We have. On more than one occasion, we’ve told a Fort Worth homeowner that their ducts were fine and recommended a cleaning only, or in some cases recommended they save their money entirely and monitor the system.
FAQs – HVAC Cleaning Cost
How much does HVAC cleaning cost for a 2,000 square foot home in Fort Worth?
A 2,000 square foot home in Fort Worth with a single HVAC system typically runs between $350 and $550 for a full cleaning in 2026. Homes with two systems, difficult attic access, or heavy dust loads can reach $650 to $800. Call (682) 255-2572 for a written estimate for your specific home.
Is HVAC cleaning worth the money?
For most Fort Worth homes that haven’t been cleaned in five or more years, HVAC cleaning costs $285 to $690 and removes dust, pet dander, and construction debris that reduces airflow and contributes to allergies. The return is better airflow, a cleaner home between dustings, and a system that doesn’t work as hard to push air through dirty coils and blower wheels. If your system has been recently inspected and is clean, you can skip it.
How often should HVAC ducts be cleaned in Fort Worth?
Every 4 to 7 years for most Fort Worth homes, and more frequently – every 2 to 3 years – if you have pets, a household member with allergies or asthma, or you’ve completed a major renovation. Homes near active construction, common in Fort Worth’s growing corridors like Alliance and Chisholm Trail Parkway, pick up dust faster than established neighborhoods.
Can you clean HVAC ducts yourself?
The ducts in most Fort Worth homes extend 20 to 60 feet through attics and walls, and cleaning them properly requires negative-air equipment that costs $5,000 to $15,000. A household vacuum and a brush attachment won’t reach past the first few feet of a supply run. The equipment is expensive, the work is physically demanding, and the results without proper containment blow dust back into the living space. This is a job for trained professionals with the right gear.
How long does HVAC cleaning take?
A full HVAC cleaning for a typical Fort Worth home takes 3 to 6 hours, depending on the number of systems and the amount of accumulation. Homes with heavily soiled systems or multiple air handlers can take a full day. We’ll tell you the expected time window before we start, and we arrive inside it.
Does HVAC cleaning reduce energy bills?
When a dirty evaporator coil or blower wheel is restricting airflow, cleaning can improve system efficiency enough to measure on your electric bill during Fort Worth’s peak cooling months. Cleaning alone won’t fix major duct leakage – that’s what duct sealing addresses – but restoring clean airflow is a meaningful first step. A clean blower wheel moves more air per watt than a dust-caked one.
Get a Free Estimate for HVAC Cleaning in Fort Worth
If your system hasn’t been cleaned in years, you’re seeing dust accumulate on surfaces shortly after cleaning, or you’ve just finished a renovation, the easiest thing to do is get a real number from a company that puts it in writing. Hollis Air Duct Fort Worth has served the Fort Worth area since 2004 as part of the Garrison Partners family. Every job gets a written price before work begins, and every job carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise.
Call (682) 255-2572 for a free estimate. A live person answers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No voicemail loops, no waiting for a callback. You’ll speak to someone who can answer your questions and schedule a visit on the spot.
Written by Roy Castellanos, Owner at Hollis Air Duct Fort Worth, serving Fort Worth homeowners since 2004.
Pricing reflects the Fort Worth market as of 2026. Hollis Air Duct Fort Worth offers free estimates – call (682) 255-2572.
What Our Customers Say
"Careful with the carpet and furniture. Even wiped down the vent covers before putting them back."
- Leo B."Pet hair all through the returns. The crew pulled out a whole bag of it. Smell is gone."
- Ana G."Sealed some leaking duct joints in the crawl space with mastic. Rooms that were always cold now get air."
- Ronald W.