SolvedDuct Cleaning
Does this duct system quote look high for Los Angeles?
Asked by Noah Millerin Los Angeles, California· 3/15/2026· 1214 views
I'm in Los Angeles, California and dealing with a 12-year-old duct system in our two-storey home. Over the last three days, it has been pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms and we're now noticing we are trying to decide this week and i do not want to sign off blindly.
One contractor quoted $743 for repair, while another jumped straight to a $17,668 replacement because of the age. The weather here has been dealing us humid summer load, so I do not want to wait too long, but I also do not want to approve the wrong scope.
If you were comparing bids on this, what would you want checked first? I especially want to know how much weight you would give to duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop.
ductsairflowcomfort
12 Answers
15
✓ Accepted Answer
If this landed on my schedule, I would want to document the core readings first and then explain exactly why the repair does or does not make economic sense. For a duct system that is pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms, the first things I would ask for are duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Los Angeles, California, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
32
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The recommendation should be tied to measurements, not just the age of the equipment. Age matters, but it is not a diagnosis on its own. For a duct system that is pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms, the first things I would ask for are duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Los Angeles, California, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
26
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Before signing anything, I would ask the technician to show the readings and explain which number actually supports the recommendation. For a duct system that is pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms, the first things I would ask for are duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Los Angeles, California, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
21
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From a contractor side, I would not approve a major repair or replacement without test results that line up with the symptoms. For a duct system that is pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms, the first things I would ask for are duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Los Angeles, California, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
16
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I would compare how clearly each contractor explains the diagnosis, not just the price. The clearer company ended up being the better hire for us. We had a related issue with our duct system in Los Angeles. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
James Nguyen·3/15/2026
13
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The price range alone does not tell you enough. Ask what was tested, what failed, and which assumptions are built into the quote. For a duct system that is pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms, the first things I would ask for are duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Los Angeles, California, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
10
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The recommendation should be tied to measurements, not just the age of the equipment. Age matters, but it is not a diagnosis on its own. For a duct system that is pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms, the first things I would ask for are duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Los Angeles, California, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
8
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We had something similar and the turning point was asking each company for the actual readings in writing instead of a verbal explanation. We had a related issue with our duct system in Los Angeles. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Samuel Singh·3/15/2026
8
0
The recommendation should be tied to measurements, not just the age of the equipment. Age matters, but it is not a diagnosis on its own. For a duct system that is pushing weak airflow to the upstairs rooms, the first things I would ask for are duct leakage, balancing, blower performance, and filter pressure drop. If the contractor is recommending bigger work, ask them to explain which measurement supports that recommendation and whether they ruled out airflow or controls first. In Los Angeles, California, pricing can move around, but the diagnostic process should still be clear.
8
0
I would compare how clearly each contractor explains the diagnosis, not just the price. The clearer company ended up being the better hire for us. We had a related issue with our duct system in Los Angeles. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Ella Diaz·3/15/2026
7
0
I would compare how clearly each contractor explains the diagnosis, not just the price. The clearer company ended up being the better hire for us. We had a related issue with our duct system in Los Angeles. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Ruben Russell·3/15/2026
5
0
We had something similar and the turning point was asking each company for the actual readings in writing instead of a verbal explanation. We had a related issue with our duct system in Los Angeles. Once we forced every quote into the same format, the decision got much easier because the weak recommendations stood out immediately.
Sophia Murphy·3/16/2026