Whole-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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AfterFast, Reliable Duct Repair & Sealing Across Arlington
Most duct repair in Arlington runs $280-$720 for a single-family system and $450-$1,100 for multifamily shared systems, with crews typically scheduling within 3-5 business days. CleanRun’s dispatch and scheduling are coordinated from our Washington, DC office, and our crews serve Arlington neighborhoods daily - from the garden apartments lining Columbia Pike to the postwar bungalows in Lyon Village and the high-rises clustered near Ballston-MU Metro.
We know Arlington’s housing stock because we’ve worked inside it since 2013. The 1940s-1970s garden apartment complexes that dominate the county present duct problems you won’t find in Fairfax’s newer subdivisions: shared air handlers, concrete-encased chases, and original steel ductwork with fibrous internal liner that has been shedding into airflow for six decades. Our Duct Repair & Sealing team treats these as building-wide systems, not isolated unit repairs. Call (240) 363-3380 for a written estimate before any work starts.
Why CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning Washington Is Arlington’s Preferred Duct Repair & Sealing Company
Arlington homeowners research before they call. We built our company for exactly that customer.
CleanRun has served more than 52,000 homes since 2013, every one with a written price delivered before a single panel came off and a Documented Photo Record delivered after the crew left. In Arlington specifically, our technicians work the Columbia Pike corridor, the Courthouse-Ballston corridor, and the residential streets of Ashton Heights and Lyon Village weekly. We know which buildings have original 1950s galvanized-steel trunk lines, which high-rises use flex-duct drops from rooftop handlers, and where parking restrictions limit equipment access.
Every job is backed by the 365-Day Done Right Promise - a written guarantee, not a policy subject to manager approval. Haven Standard Clause 1 requires written pricing before work begins; Clause 3, Verified Crews, means our technicians are background-checked, uniformed, and identified by name before arrival. Our license number is published on every page, not buried in a footer. And our Free Second Opinion means you can bring us any competitor’s written estimate; we’ll put our number next to it, in writing, at no cost.
We answer calls with a live person, 24/7. No automated queues. No “call for a quote” - the quote comes in writing, or it doesn’t come at all.
Our Duct Repair & Sealing Services in Arlington
Duct Sealing
Arlington’s aging multifamily buildings lose 20-35% of conditioned air through leaks at joints, seams, and register connections - in shared systems, that loss multiplies across units. We seal with mastic sealant and metal-backed tape rated for HVAC temperatures, then pressure-test to verify. In Columbia Pike garden apartments, we test building-wide, not unit-by-unit, because sealing one leak changes static pressure through the entire stack. A typical duct sealing job in Arlington runs $320-$680 for a single-family system and $550-$950 for multifamily shared handlers.
Flex Duct Repair
Flex duct runs in Arlington’s concrete-encased chases - common in 1960s garden apartments - kink at bends and tear at connections where decades of vibration have worn through the mylar jacket. We replace damaged sections with new flex duct supported at full span, never sagging, and seal with mastic at every joint. In buildings where the chase is too narrow for standard diameter, we spec reduced-radius elbows from Abatement Technologies to maintain airflow without structural modification. Flex duct repair in Arlington typically costs $180-$420 per run.
Metal Duct Repair
Original galvanized-steel trunk lines in Arlington’s postwar buildings corrode at seams and develop pinhole leaks where condensation has pooled for decades. We patch with galvanized sheet metal, seal with mastic, and reinsulate with foil-faced fiberglass where the original wrap has degraded. Metal duct repair in Arlington runs $250-$580 depending on accessibility - chases behind plaster or above dropped ceilings add labor but protect original finishes.
Duct Insulation
Arlington’s humid summers keep AC systems running hard for months, and uninsulated or degraded ductwork in unconditioned spaces sweats profusely. We install foil-faced fiberglass insulation at R-6 minimum on supply runs, sealed with mastic at all seams, to prevent condensation and thermal loss. In garden apartments with rooftop handlers, we also insulate flex-duct drops through unconditioned mechanical penthouses where temperature differentials are extreme. Duct insulation in Arlington typically costs $2.80-$4.50 per linear foot of run.
Mastic Sealant Application
Mastic is the standard for durable duct sealing - brush-applied, it fills irregular gaps and cures to a flexible, heat-resistant seal that outlasts tape. We use Guardsman-brand mastic rated for commercial HVAC applications, applied to clean, dry metal at 1/8-inch minimum thickness. In Arlington’s older buildings with crumbling internal liner, we assess liner condition before applying mastic; sealing over deteriorating liner traps debris and accelerates failure. Mastic sealing as a standalone service runs $280-$520.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
BeforeAfterTrusted Brands We Service in Arlington
CleanRun crews carry professional-grade equipment from trade-recognized brands: Rotobrush for mechanical agitation in residential ductwork, Abatement Technologies for negative-pressure extraction and HEPA filtration, and Aprilaire for media filtration upgrades. We stock common repair components - flex duct, mastic, register boots, dampers - on every Arlington truck, so most repairs complete in one visit without a parts run. For filtration upgrades in buildings with shared air handlers, we spec Aprilaire 213 or 413 media filters, which residents can verify independently through any HVAC supplier.
Common Duct Repair & Sealing Problems We See in Arlington Homes
- Flex duct kinked or torn in concrete chases. In 1960s garden apartments along Columbia Pike and near Ballston, flex duct was run through concrete-encased chases with no access panels. Decades of thermal cycling and vibration cause tears at connection points that drop static pressure building-wide. We cut access openings, replace damaged sections, and install removable panels for future service.
- Original fibrous duct liner crumbling into airflow. Technicians working the Columbia Pike corridor frequently find that 1950s-60s garden apartment duct systems still have their original fibrous internal liner intact but physically crumbling - the material literally flakes into the airstream. This failure mode is almost never seen in newer suburban stock across the county line in Fairfax, and it changes our approach from simple debris removal to a liner-condition assessment before any sealing or repair begins.
- Shared dryer vent stacks clogged beyond the trap. Garden apartments with stacked units share a single dryer vent riser that collects lint far above what individual traps catch. This is a documented fire risk in Arlington’s multifamily housing, and clearing it requires agitation tools under negative pressure - not a shop vacuum from the rooftop.
- Condensation damage from Arlington’s humid summers. Sustained heat-index values above 100°F keep AC running for months, and uninsulated or poorly sealed ductwork in unconditioned spaces accumulates condensation that corrodes metal, degrades flex duct jackets, and promotes microbial growth visible on registers.
Pricing for Duct Repair & Sealing in Arlington, VA
We publish ranges because Haven Standard Clause 1 requires written pricing before work starts - no exceptions.
| Service | Typical Range in Arlington |
|---|---|
| Duct sealing (single-family system) | $320-$680 |
| Duct sealing (multifamily shared handler) | $550-$950 |
| Flex duct repair (per run) | $180-$420 |
| Metal duct repair | $250-$580 |
| Mastic sealant application | $280-$520 |
| Duct insulation (per linear foot) | $2.80-$4.50 |
| Full system assessment with photo documentation | $150-$250 (credited toward repair) |
What moves a job toward the higher end: concrete-encased chases requiring access cuts, shared systems needing building-wide pressure testing, liner deterioration requiring replacement rather than sealing, and parking restrictions that extend setup time. What we never do: quote a low per-vent teaser that balloons once the truck is on site. Our written price is the price. Every estimate includes the Documented Photo Record - before and after images of every duct run, delivered as a standard job record. Call (240) 363-3380; estimates are free.
We Also Serve Cities Near Arlington
CleanRun crews work Arlington daily and also serve Falls Church, Alexandria, Springfield, and Fairfax. Each city’s housing stock demands different approaches - Fairfax’s newer suburban single-family homes present entirely different duct configurations than Arlington’s dense, aging multifamily buildings - and we scope accordingly.
Serving Arlington, VA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Arlington 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 - Duct Repair & Sealing in Arlington
Yes. We coordinate with building management for loading-zone access or schedule during hours when street parking opens near the entrance. Our negative-pressure extraction rigs are on wheeled carts that move through standard doorways and elevators; we don’t need a van at the curb. Call (240) 363-3380 and we’ll walk through the access plan when we schedule.
We clear shared dryer vent stacks with mechanical agitation tools under negative pressure, working from multiple access points to remove lint accumulation throughout the riser - not just the rooftop cap. This requires building management coordination for unit access and is documented with before-and-after camera inspection. The work typically costs $280-$450 per stack depending on height and access.
Crumbling original fibrous duct liner in 1950s-1960s buildings. The material was designed to absorb noise and thermally insulate; after 60 years it disintegrates and sheds into airflow. Simple cleaning or sealing makes it worse by disturbing the remaining liner. We assess liner condition with camera inspection first, then recommend repair or replacement before any sealing work.
Yes. Our duct sealing procedures meet NADCA ACR 2021 standards for residential HVAC cleaning and restoration, including post-repair pressure testing to verify seal integrity. We document compliance with the photo record delivered after every job. Haven Standard Clause 4, Documented Results, requires this record on every visit.
Yes, and that’s why we pressure-test building-wide before sealing any leaks in shared-handler buildings. Sealing a leak in one unit increases static pressure elsewhere in the system, which can worsen existing leaks or create new ones. Our Columbia Pike protocol includes a full-system assessment and coordination with building maintenance to balance airflow after repair. Call (240) 363-3380 for an exact scope and written price.
Ready to see what’s actually inside your ductwork? Call CleanRun at (240) 363-3380 for a free written estimate. We’ll show you the before photo before we say a word about what needs to happen next.
Written by Tomas Reyes, Owner at CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning Washington, serving Arlington since 2013.