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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Before
AfterHow Much Does HVAC Cleaning Cost in Marietta?
HVAC Cleaning services in Marietta, GA typically cost $450 to $1,200 for a full-system cleaning in 2026, with most single-family homes in Cobb County landing between $550 and $850. The price includes cleaning the supply and return ductwork, the air handler, the evaporator coil, and the blower motor. Homes with multiple HVAC zones, older duct systems in East Cobb ranches, or significant mold growth in high-humidity crawlspaces around Whitlock Avenue will push toward the upper end of that range.
HVAC Cleaning Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s what you can expect to pay in Marietta this year, broken down by the actual work involved:
| Service Component | Typical Marietta Price Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full HVAC cleaning (single system) | $450 – $850 | Includes ducts, air handler, blower, coil. Most common residential job. |
| Two-zone / two-system homes | $800 – $1,200 | Common in larger East Cobb and Indian Hills properties. |
| Air duct cleaning only | $350 – $600 | Supply and return runs, registers, and plenums. |
| Evaporator coil cleaning (standalone) | $200 – $400 | Rust and biofilm buildup on coils is common with Georgia humidity. |
| Blower motor cleaning | $150 – $300 | Removes dust load that reduces airflow and strains the motor. |
| Mold remediation (duct interior) | $600 – $2,000+ | Cost depends on severity, access, and containment requirements. |
| Dryer vent cleaning (add-on) | $100 – $200 | Often bundled with HVAC cleaning for a discount. |
What drives the number up or down? The size of your home matters less than the length and accessibility of the duct runs. A 1,500-square-foot ranch off Powder Springs Road with a crawlspace can take longer to clean than a two-story colonial with attic access, because the tech is working in tighter conditions. Homes that haven’t had ductwork cleaned in 15+ years will take longer, and so will systems with flexible ducts that require gentler tooling. If the system has never been cleaned and the blower wheel is caked with years of drywall dust from a Marietta renovation, that’s more labor. We hand you a written price before any work starts, so there’s no surprise at the door.
What Affects HVAC Cleaning Pricing in Marietta
Marietta’s climate and housing stock create some predictable cost drivers. We see them every week:
- Georgia humidity and coil condition. Marietta summers run hot and wet, and evaporator coils sweat constantly from May through September. That moisture traps dust, pollen, and pet dander, forming a biofilm crust. Coils in Marietta homes are routinely dirtier than coils in drier climates, and heavy coil cleaning adds time.
- Crawlspace versus attic ductwork. Many older homes in the Historic Marietta district and along Church Street have crawlspace-mounted ductwork. Crawling through a 24-inch clearance to reach galvanized ducts takes longer than walking through an attic. If your crawlspace is damp, the ducts often need more brushing too.
- Duct material. Rigid galvanized steel ducts, common in 1960s and 1970s Marietta builds, hold up well but collect debris in seams. Flexible ducts, found in many 1990s and 2000s developments around Sandy Plains Road, require slower, gentler cleaning with specialized brush heads so the liner isn’t torn.
- System type and configuration. Two-story homes in West Cobb and Powder Springs frequently run two separate HVAC systems. That’s two air handlers, two coils, two sets of returns. The price doesn’t double, but it’s not far off.
- Mold and microbial growth. Crawlspaces in Marietta are damp for most of the year. If moisture has been entering the duct system, you could have active mold growth requiring containment and antimicrobial treatment. Abatement Technologies containment units are standard on these jobs, and that equipment cost is reflected in the estimate.
- Filter type and aftercare. If you’re upgrading to Aprilaire or Honeywell media filters as part of the cleaning, that’s a materials cost. We’ll quote it separately and explain exactly what you’re paying for.
What’s Actually Included in an HVAC Cleaning?
Before we get to saving money, let’s be clear about what the work involves, because “HVAC cleaning” means different things depending on who you call. At Cardinal Air Duct Marietta, our HVAC Cleaning in Marietta service covers the full path the air travels through:
Supply ducts, return ducts, all registers and grilles, the plenums, the air handler cabinet, the blower motor and wheel, and the evaporator coil. Technicians use a Rotobrush rotary brush system to agitate and loosen debris, paired with Nikro HEPA-rated negative-pressure vacuums. Negative-pressure extraction means the loosened debris goes straight into the vacuum, not back into your living room. The whole point is that what comes off the duct walls leaves the house.
We also inspect every register and return for airflow. A duct system with crushed flex runs or disconnected joints won’t deliver the air you’re paying to condition. If we find a problem, we show you with photos and quote the repair separately. Every repair includes a written guarantee, and if that repair fails within the year, the second visit is on us. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it applies to every booking without exception.
How to Save on HVAC Cleaning
Nothing here is a gimmick. These are the same things we’d tell a neighbor:
- Bundle services. If you’re having ductwork cleaned anyway, adding dryer vent cleaning is cheap. The tech is already at your home with the equipment staged. You’ll pay less than booking it separately.
- Change filters before you call. This won’t drop the quote dramatically, but a clogged filter makes the blower work harder and dirtier. A cleaner system at the start means less labor on the back end.
- Don’t wait until the system is a science project. Georgia pollen season runs from late February through May. Pine pollen, oak pollen, and that yellow dust coating every car in Marietta also gets pulled into your return ducts. Cleaning every 3 to 5 years costs less than a system that’s gone 12 years without service, because neglect means more labor hours.
- Ask about seasonal promotions. We run flat discounts in slow months. Call and ask a real person, no voicemail loops, 24/7.
- Get a second opinion with an actual written quote. We give you a written price before a single duct is touched. Compare that against whoever else you’re considering. If they won’t put it in writing, that’s your answer.
Cardinal Air Duct Marietta offers free estimates, and there’s no charge to get a number. Call (762) 216-4075 and a live person answers, day or night.
Is HVAC Cleaning Worth It in Marietta?
We get asked this constantly, and the honest answer is: it depends on your system’s age, your filter habits, and whether you have allergies, pets, or recent renovation dust in the ducts. But here’s what we know from working in this market.
Marietta homes deal with three things that make duct contamination worse than average: long pollen seasons, high humidity, and red clay dust. That Georgia clay dust is fine and abrasive, and it works its way into every return, every register, every seam where duct sections join. If you’ve done a kitchen remodel or had floors sanded, construction debris is sitting in the ductwork and will keep circulating until it’s removed.
For homes with allergy sufferers, cleaning the system every few years can genuinely reduce the particle load in the air. It’s not a medical treatment and we never pretend it is, but removing years of accumulated dust and pollen from the surfaces air passes over does help. For homes with pets, especially multiple dogs or cats, the blower wheel and coil collect hair and dander that reduce airflow and strain the motor.
The practical test: pull a register off and shine a phone camera down the duct. If you see dust matting or debris, it’s time. If you’re not sure, we’ll send a tech who will show you before-and-after photos of the actual work.
HVAC Cleaning vs. Air Duct Cleaning: What’s the Difference?
Air duct cleaning covers the ductwork: the metal or flex runs, the registers, the plenums. HVAC cleaning includes that plus the mechanical parts of the system itself: the blower motor, the blower wheel, the evaporator coil, and the air handler cabinet. Both matter, and one without the other leaves the system half-cleaned.
Think of it this way: if you clean the pipes but leave the pump dirty, you haven’t fixed the problem. The coil and blower are where moisture, biofilm, and the worst of the dust load accumulate. Our standard service at Cardinal is full HVAC cleaning, so you’re never guessing whether the tech cleaned the coil or just ran a vacuum through the vents.
Marietta HVAC Cleaning Cost by Neighborhood
Pricing can vary subtly depending on the housing stock in your part of town. Here’s what we see across the market:
- Historic Marietta (Church Street, Whitlock Avenue area): Older homes, often with crawlspace ductwork, galvanized steel ducts, and tight access. Expect the mid-to-upper range of the scale, typically $550 to $850.
- East Cobb (Indian Hills, Walton, Timber Ridge): Larger homes, frequently with two systems or sprawling single-story ranches with long duct runs. $800 to $1,200 for two-zone properties is not unusual.
- Sandy Plains and Northeast Marietta: Homes built in the 1990s and 2000s, mostly flex duct. Faster to clean, but flex requires care so it isn’t torn. Typically $450 to $650.
- West Cobb and Powder Springs corridor: A mix of 1980s builds and newer construction. Pricing lands in the $500 to $750 range for most single-system homes.
- Franklin Road and South Marietta: Modest ranches and split-levels, often with attic-mounted air handlers. Access is usually decent. $450 to $650.
These are not hard quotes, just what we observe in the field. The only way to know your number is to have a tech assess the actual system. That assessment is free.
What Equipment Do We Use, and Why It Matters
Not all HVAC cleaning is equal, and the equipment name on the side of the truck tells you what kind of job you’re getting. We run:
- Rotobrush rotary brush systems for mechanical agitation of debris in ducts. The rotating brush head scrubs the interior surfaces without damaging the liner.
- Nikro HEPA-rated negative-pressure vacuums for extraction. HEPA filtration captures 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns, so the debris removed from your ducts doesn’t re-enter the living space.
- Abatement Technologies containment units for jobs involving mold or heavy microbial contamination. Containment means the affected area is isolated so spores don’t spread through the house during cleaning.
This isn’t a truck-mounted shop vac with a long hose. The difference matters for your indoor air and for the longevity of the cleaning results. When we finish, you get before-and-after photos of the actual work, so you see exactly what came out and what the surfaces look like afterward.
The Relay Standard: What to Expect When You Book
Cardinal Air Duct Marietta is part of the Relay Home Co. family, founded 2005. Every booking runs on what we call The Relay Standard, and it’s embedded in how we operate:
- A live trackable arrival window. You’ll see when the tech is coming, not a four-hour guessing window.
- A written price before any work starts. Not a verbal estimate that might shift. The number on the page is the number on the invoice.
- Before-and-after photos. You’ll see the work was done, not just take our word for it.
- A digital invoice payable by link. Pay from your phone, no checkbook, no paper.
Beyond that, the 365-Day Done Right Promise is the most meaningful part of what we do. If the work isn’t right within 365 days, we return and correct it at no charge. No fine print, no exclusions for “select” jobs. Every job is covered. Omar Haddad leads the team at Cardinal Air Duct Marietta, and the standard applies to every booking we take.
How Often Should Marietta Homeowners Clean Their HVAC System?
Most homes in Cobb County should have HVAC cleaning every 3 to 5 years. That cadence stretches based on your habits:
- Every 3 years if you have multiple pets, allergy sufferers in the house, or you’ve done a renovation that generated drywall or wood dust.
- Every 4 to 5 years for a typical home with regular filter changes and no unusual dust load.
- Sooner than 3 years if you’ve had water intrusion, visible mold, or a rodent problem in the ductwork.
Filter changes are the variable most people overlook. A $5 fiberglass filter doesn’t stop fine dust, it just keeps large debris out of the blower. If you run cheap filters for years, the coil and blower will look like they were dipped in felt. Upgrading to a Honeywell or Aprilaire media filter after a cleaning is one of the best ways to protect your system from re-contamination, and we’ll show you your options and the material cost before you commit to anything.
Can You Clean HVAC Yourself?
You can change filters, vacuum the return grilles, and wipe down accessible register covers. We encourage all of that. What you can’t do safely or effectively without professional equipment is clean the interior of the duct runs, the blower wheel, or the evaporator coil. Those components are buried in the system, and proper cleaning requires negative-pressure extraction to prevent debris from simply being pushed into the living space.
The coil deserves specific attention. The evaporator coil sits in the air handler, often in a dark, damp enclosure. Cleaning it properly means removing access panels and using coil-safe cleaners. If you use the wrong chemical, you can corrode the aluminum fins and shorten the life of the coil. A trained tech with the right tools and a written guarantee is the safer call.
And one more point that’s worth stating plainly: if your home has mold growth in the ducts, do not attempt DIY remediation. Disturbing mold without containment spreads spores through the house. This is exactly what Abatement Technologies containment equipment is designed to manage. It’s a health and safety issue, not a weekend project.
FAQs – HVAC Cleaning Cost
How much does HVAC cleaning cost in Marietta?
Most single-system homes in Marietta pay $450 to $850 for full HVAC cleaning in 2026. Two-zone homes run $800 to $1,200. The exact price depends on duct length, accessibility, and how long it’s been since the last cleaning. Call (762) 216-4075 for a free estimate with a written price before any work starts.
Is HVAC cleaning worth the cost?
For most Marietta homes, HVAC cleaning every 3 to 5 years costs $500 to $800 and removes years of pollen, red clay dust, and pet dander from the system. Homes with allergy sufferers or recent renovation dust see the most immediate difference. The cost is a fraction of the repair bill for a strained blower motor or a coil damaged by years of biofilm buildup.
How long does HVAC cleaning take?
A single-system home in Marietta takes 3 to 5 hours with a two-person crew. Two-zone properties can take a full day. Mold remediation with containment adds time for setup and antimicrobial treatment. We give you a live trackable arrival window, so you’ll know exactly when the tech will be there.
What’s the difference between air duct cleaning and HVAC cleaning?
Air duct cleaning covers the ducts, registers, and plenums only, typically $350 to $600 in Marietta. HVAC cleaning includes the ducts plus the blower motor, blower wheel, evaporator coil, and air handler cabinet, at $450 to $850 for a single system. HVAC cleaning is the complete service, and it’s what we recommend for anyone who hasn’t cleaned their system in 5+ years.
Can Cardinal come out the same day?
Same-day appointments in Marietta are often available, and a live person answers our phones 24/7. Call (762) 216-4075 and we’ll give you a straight answer on availability and a free estimate. No voicemail loops, no phone tag.
Does Cardinal clean mold from HVAC systems?
Yes. If mold is present in the ducts or air handler, we use Abatement Technologies containment units to isolate the area and HEPA extraction to remove the contamination. Mold jobs in Marietta run $600 to $2,000+ depending on severity and access. Every job includes before-and-after photos and a written report.
Call Cardinal Air Duct Marietta at (762) 216-4075 for a free estimate. You’ll get a written price before any work starts, the 365-Day Done Right Promise on every job, and a live person on the line whenever you call. Head back to the home page for more on our services and the Relay Standard.
Written by Omar Haddad, Owner at Cardinal Air Duct Marietta, serving Marietta and Cobb County since 2005.
Pricing reflects the Marietta market as of 2026. Cardinal Air Duct Marietta offers free estimates – call (762) 216-4075.
What Our Customers Say
"Cleaning plus HVAC coil clean. Tech texted when he was ten minutes away. No surprises on the price."
- Evan S."Paid by text link and got a receipt right away. Hassle free."
- Nina P."Booked a slot in the app, got a reminder text, and watched the crew's van on the map as it came. Cleaned all the vents and the main trunk. Easy from start to finish."
- Rob J.