Duct cleaning and repair: stop paying to cool the attic
Leaky ductwork quietly wastes a large share of the air you are paying to heat or cool, and it is one of the reasons a room at the back of the house never gets comfortable. We clean, repair and seal it properly.
HVAC duct cleaning removes the dust, debris and biological growth that restrict airflow inside your ductwork, and HVAC duct repair fixes the leaks, disconnections and damage that let conditioned air escape into an attic or crawlspace. RB HVAC Inc. provides both across Stockton, Sacramento and Modesto, using commercial-grade cleaning equipment, and we photograph the runs so you can see the fault before deciding what to do about it.
Everything this service includes
Duct cleaning
Commercial-grade tools to clean the ductwork, remove dust, and improve airflow and indoor air quality.
Leak repair and sealing
Duct mastic and foil tape applied properly, not a strip of standard tape that fails in attic heat.
Disconnected and crushed runs
Where ductwork has been crushed by a crawlspace joist or pulled apart, we reconnect and re-support it.
Insulation and attic access
Insulating and sealing the run where it passes through unconditioned space, where the biggest losses are.
Airflow diagnostics
We check static pressure and balance so the system moves the air it is designed to move.
New ductwork for additions
Running new supply and return to an addition, a converted garage or a new room.
How the job runs
The same four steps whether it is a repair, a replacement or a seasonal tune-up.
We inspect the accessible runs, find the leaks and the restrictions, and photograph them so you can see exactly what we found.
You get a written scope of what needs cleaning, repairing or replacing, with transparent upfront pricing.
We clean the ducts, repair the damaged sections, seal the leaks properly and restore the insulation.
We re-test the system afterwards and confirm the airflow has improved, not just that the work is done.
What a duct inspection looks for, and why it matters
Figures are our own and are current as of this year. Final pricing depends on your system, your home and the work involved.
| What we look for | What it does to your system |
|---|---|
| Leaks and loose connections | Conditioned air escapes into the attic or crawlspace, so you pay to heat or cool the outside |
| Dirt, dust and buildup | Restricts airflow, so the system runs longer and harder for the same comfort |
| Mould and biological growth | Circulates into the living space and is a common trigger for allergy and asthma symptoms |
| Rodent or pest damage | Creates a direct path from the crawlspace into the home |
| Missing or failed insulation | The run behaves as if it is outside, in a 105 degree attic, all summer |
Last reviewed October 2026 by RB HVAC Inc., California HVAC license #1094161.
Common questions
You need repair when the leaks are localised and the duct is otherwise sound. You need replacement when the duct is crushed, disconnected, chewed by rodents, or original to a renovation. We inspect and photograph the runs before we quote, and we tell you which one you actually have before you commit to anything.
Standard duct tape will not hold. Proper foil HVAC tape and mastic can seal a small joint leak, and the difference matters in an attic that reaches 105 degrees. What tape will not fix is a crushed or disconnected run. We will show you the difference on camera if you want a second opinion before calling us.
Your own resources put it at up to 30% of the heated or cooled air being shed through duct leaks, and our maintenance guidance notes 20 to 30% of cooled air lost the same way. With a Central Valley utility bill, that is money leaving the house through the attic.
Most homes benefit from professional maintenance at least once or twice a year, and duct cleaning is part of that. Homes with pets, recent renovations or a lot of dust benefit more often.
Yes. We clean, repair, seal and replace ductwork, and we run new supply and return when you are adding conditioned space. Where the existing ductwork is what is limiting your system, we size the ductwork to match the equipment.
It depends on the size of the system and how much access we have. We will tell you the expected time and price in the written scope before we start.
Services we also handle
Installation & replacement
A new system only performs as well as the ductwork feeding it.
Installation & replacement
HVAC repair
If the real problem is the air moving through the system, that is a duct fault, not a compressor fault.
HVAC repair
Heat pump services
Heat pumps need good airflow to move the heat, and duct faults show up as poor performance.
Heat pump servicesHVAC duct cleaning and repair across the Central Valley
Same-day service and 24/7 emergency cover across Stockton, Sacramento, Modesto and the Central Valley.
Get upfront written pricing
We diagnose, quote in writing, and you approve the price before we start. 4.9 on Google across 215+ reviews.