Air Duct Cleaning Business Income — How Much Does It Make?

Monthly Revenue

$8K–$18K

realistic range

Startup Cost

$8K–$20K

to get started

Hourly Rate

$200–$300

per hour billed

Complexity

3/4

skill required

The Business

Air duct cleaning is a high-ticket home service ($300-700 per residential job, $1,000-5,000 commercial). It's a credence good — customers can't verify quality easily, so certification and reviews are critical. NADCA certification commands premium pricing. Post-renovation cleans and allergy sufferers are your best customers.

How to Start

Get NADCA certification ($600). Rent equipment initially while building client base. Target new homeowners (realtors are a referral source), allergy sufferers, and post-renovation clients. Partner with HVAC companies for referrals — they see the ductwork but don't clean it.

REAL EXAMPLE

Mark in Houston runs air duct cleaning with 2 vans earning $16K/month, primarily from referral partners (4 HVAC companies).

Equipment Needed

▸Truck-mounted or portable vacuum
▸Rotary brush system
▸Air whips
▸Inspection camera
▸Negative air machine

Licensing

Business license + NADCA certification

Monthly Search Volume

1,100

people/month search for this business

READY TO START?

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Revenue Calculator

Jobs per Week5

Revenue per Job$380

Weekly Hours30 hrs

Startup Cost$12,000

Weekly Revenue

$1.9K

Monthly Revenue

$8.2K

Annual Revenue

$98.0K

Monthly Profit

$7.6K

Break-Even

2 months

Hourly Rate

$63

Monthly costs: $600/mo (insurance, fuel, supplies)

CHRIS'S TAKE

“Air duct cleaning has a trust problem from all the scammers charging $49 and doing nothing. That's your opportunity — be legitimately good, show before/after video, and charge 3x. People with allergies and asthma will pay whatever you ask.”

PRO TIP

Add sanitizing spray as a $75 upsell — takes 5 minutes and the margin is pure profit. Customers with pets or allergies almost always say yes.

READY TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL?

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ACQUISITION ROUTE

Want to buy a Air Duct Cleaning instead of starting one?

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TOOLS TO RUN THIS BUSINESS

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