Whole-home duct cleaning
Dryer vent cleaning
Camera inspection
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.
Fast, Reliable Air Duct Repair Across Novato
Air duct repair in Novato typically runs $180 – $340 for a straightforward section replacement or seam reseal, and $2,400 – $6,800 for a full duct replacement in a 1970s single-story home. Our crews know the difference between ducts that can be saved and ducts that have to go, and we document every repair with camera photos so you’re never guessing. If your vents are blowing weak air, hissing at the seams, or coating your furniture with reddish dust, ask about our Dryer Vent Cleaning - Novato service or call us at (951) 527-6259. We’ll put a written price in your hand before any work begins.
Why Linden Air Duct San Francisco Is Novato’s Preferred Air Duct Repair Company
Marcus Veale leads our repair team, and he’s spent years working inside Novato’s specific housing stock: the split-levels off San Marin Drive, the original 1960s tracts near Lynwood Elementary, and the newer flexible-duct homes in Hamilton. That matters because a repair in a Hamilton home with modern insulated flex duct is a different job than a corroded galvanized return in a San Marin hillside house. We don’t send a generic technician who figures it out at the door. We send someone who already knows what Novato ductwork looks like inside.
Every technician carries a photo ID and arrives in a marked uniform. You get the tech’s name and photo before the visit. We’re part of the Threshold Group family, operating to the Threshold Verified standard since 2004: background-checked, identity-verified, and accountable in writing. That’s the standard we bring to every Novato job, and it’s why local homeowners keep our number when they need Air Duct Repair done right.
Styles & brands we work with
HVAC Duct Installation in Novato
HVAC Duct Installation in Novato means running new supply and return lines when the existing system is beyond repair, usually in homes where the original 1970s galvanized steel has corroded through at the seams or collapsed entirely. It’s not a patch job. It’s measuring room-by-room airflow, sizing the new runs to the blower’s capacity, and sealing every joint with mastic so conditioned air actually reaches the rooms you paid to heat and cool. In Novato’s older single-story homes, installation typically runs $3,200 – $7,500 depending on the number of runs and access through crawl spaces.
When a Novato Home Needs New Ducts Instead of Repairs
Camera inspection tells us the truth. If rust has eaten through more than 20 percent of a duct’s interior surface, or if seams have separated in a way that leaks air into wall cavities, new installation is the honest answer. Patching corroded galvanized is throwing money at a problem that returns in two winters.
What Installation Includes
Every installation gets a written price that covers all materials, labor, sealing, and cleanup. We use negative-pressure extraction and HEPA filtration during the job so demolition dust doesn’t migrate into your living space. No per-vent add-ons. One price per system, agreed before we start.
Air Duct Replacement in Novato
Air Duct Replacement in Novato is the right call when water from winter storms has pooled in low-lying ducts and rusted the galvanized seams until they split. We see this most often in 1960s and 1980s split-levels where the duct runs follow the slab contour and create natural low points. Replacement involves removing the damaged sections, installing new galvanized steel or insulated flex as appropriate, and rebalancing airflow to match the home’s original design intent. In Novato, partial replacement of a damaged return line runs $1,100 – $2,800; whole-home replacement in a 1,500-square-foot rancher typically lands between $4,500 and $8,200.
Documenting the Damage for Your Insurer
If storm water caused the damage, your homeowner’s insurance may cover the replacement. We photograph the corrosion before and after, note the failure points against NADCA reference standards, and write a plain-language report your adjuster can act on. Our camera documentation has made the difference between a denied claim and a covered replacement more than once in Novato.
Replacement Materials for Novato’s Climate
Dry summers and wet winters demand materials that tolerate both. We stock galvanized steel sections and insulated flex that handle Marin County’s moisture swings without sweating or rusting out. The right material installed wrong will fail just as fast as the wrong material. We sweat the sealing.
Trusted Brands We Service in Novato
We work on and around equipment from Rotobrush, Aprilaire, and Abatement Technologies, and we keep common replacement parts and sealants on the truck when we roll into Novato. That means fewer “we’ll have to order that” moments and more same-day completions. Whether you’ve got an Aprilaire filter housing that’s not sealing, an Abatement Technologies capture system clogged with fine Mount Burdell dust, or a blower motor caked with debris, we arrive prepared. Fast turnaround on parts is part of what keeps our Novato repair schedule moving.
Common Air Duct Repair Problems We See in Novato Homes
Our repair calls in Novato follow a pattern. Here’s what we’re actually fixing when we open up your ductwork:
- Corroded seams on original 1960s – 80s galvanized ducts. Winter moisture collects at low points, rust eats through the seam, and conditioned air leaks into the wall. You’ll notice weak airflow and a whistle near the registers.
- Collapsed returns in split-levels. The original undersized return lines in Novato’s suburban tracts can’t handle the static pressure from the MERV-11 and MERV-13 filters homeowners install after wildfire smoke events. The duct literally collapses inward.
- Fine reddish dust clogging blower motors. Dust from Mount Burdell and the San Marin grasslands is so fine it gets past the filter, coats the blower windings, and creates a conductive paste. Motor failure follows within a season or two.
- Flex duct separations in Hamilton homes. Newer flexible ducts have their own failure mode: the inner liner separates from the insulation and collapses, strangling airflow to one end of the house. Camera inspection finds it immediately.
See the difference
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After
Before
After
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AfterPricing for Air Duct Repair in Novato, CA
Our pricing is honest and written down before any work starts. A single duct seam reseal or small section patch in Novato runs $180 – $340. Replacing a damaged return run is $1,100 – $2,800. New HVAC duct installation for a partial system lands between $3,200 and $7,500, and a full air duct replacement in a typical 1970s single-story home runs $2,400 – $6,800 depending on square footage and access. What affects your final number: crawl space access, the number of runs, and whether asbestos-wrap remediation is required on original ducts. Estimates are free, and the price won’t change once we’ve put it in writing. Call (951) 527-6259 to schedule a camera inspection and get your number.
Written by Marcus Veale, Owner at Linden Air Duct San Francisco, serving Novato and the wider North Bay.
Air Duct Repair in Novato: Local Conditions That Shape the Job
Novato sits in a position that punishes ductwork. Wildfire smoke drifts down from the North Bay and settles into your return register. Wind off Mount Burdell and the open grasslands carries a reddish dust so fine it coats the interior of galvanized ducts like baking soda, then gets baked on by furnace heat. The result is a layer of conductive grit on blower motor windings that causes premature burnout. In San Marin and Indian Valley, homeowners report a visible film on vent covers after a windy day. That film is the same dust that’s quietly filling your ducts. Camera inspection is essential because you need to distinguish normal wear from smoke residue and conductive dust. It changes what we fix and what we don’t.
Our crew in San Marin found a 1970s home with original galvanized supply and return ducts that had collapsed at a seam after winter moisture. We performed a camera inspection, documented the corrosion with NADCA standards, replaced the damaged section with new galvanized steel, and used negative pressure and HEPA filtration during the job. The homeowner’s insurer accepted our photo report and covered the claim. That’s the post-storm decision framework we bring to every Novato home: documentation first, then repair or replacement based on what the camera shows.
Here’s the straight answer for Novato homeowners after a wet winter. If water pooled in your ducts but the galvanized interior is intact, professional cleaning with negative-pressure extraction and HEPA filtration can restore it. If rust has eaten through the metal or separated the seams, replacement is the only honest fix. We document both paths with photos and a written report, so when your adjuster asks why you replaced instead of cleaned, the answer is already in the file.
We Also Serve Cities Near Novato
Our repair crews run out to Novato, San Rafael, Vallejo, San Pablo, and Richmond on a regular schedule. If you’re in a neighboring community and need the same documented, fixed-price approach to Air Duct Repair in Novato, call us and we’ll get you on the board.
Serving Novato, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Novato 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 Repair in Novato
Camera inspection makes the call. If the galvanized interior is intact and the damage is surface rust, mold, or debris, professional cleaning with negative-pressure extraction restores the duct. If rust has penetrated the metal or separated the seams, replacement is required. We document everything with photos and give you a written recommendation. Call (951) 527-6259 for an inspection and an honest answer.
Full duct replacement in a 1970s Novato single-story home runs $2,400 – $6,800 depending on square footage, number of runs, and crawl space access. Partial replacement of a damaged return line runs $1,100 – $2,800. We write the exact price down before any work begins. Call (951) 527-6259 for a free estimate.
Yes. We photograph the corrosion, map the failure points against NADCA reference standards, and write a plain-language report your adjuster can act on. Our documentation has helped Novato homeowners get replacement claims approved. Call (951) 527-6259 to schedule a documented inspection.
That’s fine grassland dust from Mount Burdell and the San Marin open spaces, blown into your home by North Bay winds. It’s small enough to pass through standard filters and coat the inside of your ducts and blower motor. Camera inspection tells us how much has accumulated and whether it’s causing wear. Call (951) 527-6259 for an inspection.
Yes, we service and replace blower motors and related air handler components when they’ve been damaged by dust, moisture, or electrical burnout. In Novato, fine reddish dust on motor windings is a common cause of premature failure. We’ll inspect the motor whenever we’re inside your ductwork and give you a straight answer on what needs doing. Call (951) 527-6259 to schedule.
Call Linden Air Duct San Francisco for Air Duct Repair in Novato
You deserve to know exactly who is coming to your door, exactly what the job will cost, and exactly what happens if it isn’t right. That’s how we work. Our 365-Day Done Right Promise backs every repair in writing. If a covered repair doesn’t hold, we come back at no charge. For a free estimate on Air Duct Repair anywhere in Novato, call us at (951) 527-6259. A live person answers, 24/7.