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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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AfterHow Much Does Duct Repair & Sealing Cost in Houston?
Duct repair and sealing in Houston typically costs between $350 and $1,100 for most homes, with a citywide average around $640 in 2026. A simple leak patch on an accessible duct run might run $180 to $350, while whole-system sealing with Aeroseal or mastic on a 2,500-square-foot home in Katy or Sugar Land can push past $1,800. The price you’ll pay depends mostly on how much of your ductwork is reachable, how old the system is, and whether you’re sealing leaks, replacing damaged sections, or both.
What you’re really paying for is labor, access, and the method used. Houston’s housing stock spans everything from 1960s ranch homes in Meyerland with rigid metal ducts to newer construction in Cypress and Pearland with flexible insulated ducting. That variety alone means no honest contractor can quote you a single flat rate without seeing the attic or crawlspace first. But you should expect a written price before any work starts – that’s the standard here, and it’s how our crews at Duct Repair & Sealing in Houston operate on every visit.
We’ve been doing this work in Houston since 2005, and the numbers below reflect what we’re seeing across the market right now. Use them to plan your budget before you pick up the phone.
Key Takeaways: Houston Duct Repair & Sealing Costs
- Most Houston homes pay $350 to $1,100 for duct repair and sealing in 2026.
- Per-vent sealing with mastic runs $35 to $75 per vent in the Houston market.
- Aeroseal whole-system sealing costs $1,200 to $2,500 depending on square footage and leak severity.
- Attic access is the single biggest wildcard – Houston attics get 130°F+ in summer, which can add a heat-surcharge or push jobs to early morning hours.
- Free estimates are standard practice with reputable companies. Call (940) 314-5008 and get a written number before any work begins.
Duct Repair & Sealing Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here are the line-item ranges we quote in Houston right now. These assume a typical single-family home with a conventional attic or slab foundation. If you’re in a pier-and-beam house in the Heights or Montrose, expect crawlspace labor to add 10 to 20 percent.
| Service | Typical Houston Price Range (2026) | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Minor leak repair (single accessible spot) | $180 – $350 | Mastic or foil tape patch, one access point, no drywall work |
| Per-vent mastic sealing | $35 – $75 per vent | Sealing the boot-to-drywall connection at each register |
| Duct section replacement (per 10-foot run) | $250 – $600 | Remove damaged flex or metal duct, install new section, seal both ends |
| Whole-system duct sealing (manual) | $600 – $1,400 | Mastic sealing of all accessible joints, seams, and plenum connections |
| Aeroseal whole-system sealing | $1,200 – $2,500 | Computerized aerosol sealing from the inside, includes pre/post leakage test |
| Insulation replacement on ducts (R-6 to R-8) | $3 – $6 per linear foot | Removing old, torn duct wrap and installing new insulation |
| Full duct replacement (2,000+ sq ft home) | $2,800 – $6,500 | New flex or metal ducts throughout, all connections sealed, system testing |
These numbers are current for the Houston market as of 2026. What pushes you from the low end to the high end? Access, mostly. A single-story ranch in Pasadena with an open attic is a different job than a three-story townhome in Midtown where the ducts run through closed chases and framed soffits. The more drywall has to be opened, the more the labor climbs. In Houston specifically, summer attic conditions are brutal – we regularly book sealing work for 7 a.m. starts in July and August because a 140-degree attic is unsafe for both our techs and the mastic, which cures poorly in extreme heat. That scheduling constraint can add a small premium during peak cooling months.
Another local factor: humidity. Houston’s Gulf Coast climate means condensation on duct exteriors is common, especially in vented attics. If we find wet insulation or mold on the duct exterior during a repair, remediation adds $150 to $500 depending on the extent. It’s not something every company looks for, but it’s the kind of thing that turns a $400 repair into a $1,200 correct-and-repair if it’s ignored.
What Affects Duct Repair & Sealing Pricing in Houston
- Attic accessibility and heat. Houston attics are uniquely punishing. If your access hatch is in a closet (common in 1970s-80s builds in Sharpstown and Alief), expect to pay more than a home with a hallway pull-down ladder. Heat slows everything down and shortens safe work windows in summer.
- Age and type of ductwork. Metal ducts from the 1960s and 1970s in neighborhoods like Meyerland and Braeswood often have failing joints and rusted seams that take more time to seal properly than newer flex duct. Conversely, flex duct installed during the 1990s housing boom in Sugar Land and Clear Lake often has collapsed inner liners that need full section replacement rather than simple sealing.
- Number of supply and return vents. A 1,500-square-foot home with 8 vents is straightforward. A 4,000-square-foot home in Memorial with 20-plus vents and multiple zones takes longer. Per-vent sealing pricing scales directly.
- Slab foundation ductwork. Many Houston homes have ducts running through the slab foundation, especially in older sections of Bellaire and Westbury. Repairing slab-embedded ducts is a different animal entirely – often requiring camera inspection, and sealing options are limited. Budget 2 to 3 times normal rates for slab duct issues.
- Season and demand. Houston’s shoulder seasons (October-November and February-March) are the sweet spot for duct work. Summer emergency calls during a heat wave when the AC is running nonstop and the leak is dumping conditioned air into a 130-degree attic will cost more, both because of demand and because the work conditions are harder.
- Testing requirements. Some Houston HVAC companies include a duct leakage test (using a duct blaster) before and after sealing. That test adds $150 to $300 but gives you a before-and-after number. It’s worth paying for if you’re spending over $1,000 on sealing work.
Repair vs. Replace: How to Decide (and What Each Costs)
If your ducts are less than 15 years old and the damage is localized – a torn section in the attic, loose boots at a couple of registers, a disconnected branch line – repair and sealing is almost always the right call. You’ll spend $350 to $1,100 and get most of the benefit of a full replacement at a fraction of the cost. In Houston, we see a lot of 10-to-15-year-old flex duct systems in suburbs like Katy and Pearland where one or two runs have been chewed by rodents or knocked loose by attic activity. Sealing and patching those is a same-day job.
But if your ducts are 20-plus years old, especially if they’re original to a 1970s-era house, sealing may be throwing good money after bad. Old grey flex duct with a plastic inner liner degrades over time – the liner cracks, air leaks from the core, and mastic on the exterior does nothing to fix it. Full replacement of a 2,000-to-2,500-square-foot Houston home runs $2,800 to $4,500 for flex duct, and $4,000 to $6,500 if you’re upgrading to R-8 insulated flex. That’s a big check, but it’s also a 15-to-20-year fix. We tell every customer the same thing: if the ducts are old enough to vote, replace them. If they’re not, seal them.
Why Duct Sealing Matters in Houston’s Climate
Houston’s humidity does something specific to leaky ducts: it doesn’t just waste conditioned air, it pulls attic air into the duct system. That attic air is hot, humid, and often carrying fiberglass particles or dust. The result is rooms that never quite cool down in August, humidity levels inside the house that hover around 60-plus percent, and AC systems that run 14 or 16 hours a day fighting a losing battle. The DOE estimates the average home loses 20 to 30 percent of conditioned air through duct leaks. In Houston, that number hits harder because of how many hours per year the AC runs – we’re talking 2,500 to 3,000 cooling hours annually in some years.
Sealing ducts properly means using mastic (a thick, brush-on sealant) or Aeroseal (an aerosol that seals from the inside), not foil tape. Foil tape fails in attic heat within a few years. Mastic, applied to a clean surface, lasts the life of the duct. At Morton’s, every sealing job uses mastic or Aeroseal exclusively – we don’t patch with tape and call it done. That’s part of the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if the seal fails within a year, we’re back to make it right at no charge. No fine print, no inspection fee, no argument.
How to Save on Duct Repair & Sealing in Houston
- Combine sealing with a cleaning. If you’re already having your ducts cleaned, sealing while the system is open and accessible saves a separate mobilization trip. Most companies, including us, discount sealing when it’s done the same day as a cleaning.
- Schedule during shoulder months. October, November, February, and March are the best times. Attic temperatures are survivable, demand is lower, and you’re more likely to get flexible scheduling without any heat-related upcharge.
- Get at least two written estimates. This is a market where prices vary widely. Ask for a line-item breakdown. If someone quotes you $800 for “sealing” without specifying what’s being sealed and how, keep looking. A real quote tells you the number of vents, the method, and the materials.
- Check for utility rebates. CenterPoint Energy and some Houston-area municipal utilities have offered rebates for duct sealing and air sealing work in recent years, typically $100 to $400 depending on the program. Ask your provider or mention it when you call – we’ll help you check eligibility before you commit.
- Look at the whole picture before spending. If your ducts are leaking, your insulation is probably thin in spots too. Doing both at once means one crew visit, one mobilization fee, and often a package rate. It also means the sealing work performs better because the attic temperature around the ducts is lower.
The best way to save is to know the number before you agree to anything. Call (940) 314-5008 and we’ll give you a written estimate over the phone for straightforward repairs, or schedule a visit and have a written price in your hand before any tool comes off the truck. That’s the standard we’ve held since 2005, and it’s non-negotiable.
What to Expect When We Seal Your Ducts in Houston
This is how a typical duct sealing job goes at a Houston home with our team. First, we protect the house. Shoe covers go on at the door, drop cloths go down from the entry to the attic access, and any furniture near the work path is covered. If there’s a dog, we’ll know where they are before we start moving through the house. If there’s a toddler napping, we work quietly – our tools don’t need to be loud, and our techs know how to move through a napping house.
Then we document what we find. You’ll get photos of the damaged or leaking areas before work starts, so you can see exactly what we’re seeing. The written estimate you already got is confirmed against what we find in the attic. If the scope needs to change – say a section needs replacement rather than sealing – we tell you, show you, and give you an updated number before we proceed. No surprises on the invoice.
The sealing itself uses mastic applied with brushes and, on larger jobs, a powered applicator. We use professional-grade equipment from Rotobrush and Nikro for any cleaning that accompanies the work, and we test the system when we’re done. You’ll get a photo of the finished work and a photo of the clean-up before the crew leaves. That’s the Cedarwell Care Promise, and it’s on every job we do – not just the big ones.
Paul Adeyemi, who runs the Houston operation, holds every tech to the C.A.R.E. values on every call: Communication, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence. In practice that means a tech who tells you what they found, takes responsibility for the work, treats your house like someone lives in it (because someone does), and does the job right the first time. If the job isn’t right, the 365-Day Done Right Promise means we make it right. That’s the whole thing.
What Does Duct Repair Cost in Houston by Neighborhood?
Houston is big. The housing stock, the duct systems, and the access conditions change neighborhood by neighborhood, and so does the final number.
Inside the Loop: Heights, Montrose, Midtown, Rice Military
Older homes, bungalows renovated multiple times, lots of pier-and-beam foundations with crawlspace ductwork. Expect $450 to $1,200 for typical sealing and repair, with crawlspace access adding 10 to 20 percent over attic-only work. Add $200 to $400 if there’s drywall to cut and patch around a chafed duct run.
Southwest: Meyerland, Bellaire, Westbury, Sharpstown
Homes built mostly 1950s-1980s. Metal ducts are common, slab foundation ductwork shows up regularly in Bellaire. Sealing runs $400 to $1,000, but slab-embedded duct problems bump that to $1,500 plus. These older systems often need more time per joint, and that’s reflected in the estimate.
North and Northwest: Cypress, Spring, Tomball, Jersey Village
Newer builds, 1990s to present, mostly flex duct in accessible attics. Per-vent sealing is fast, and whole-system sealing lands between $350 and $850. These are the most straightforward jobs we do in the Houston area. What we see most here is disconnected or poorly-sealed boot connections from the original build.
Southeast: Clear Lake, Friendswood, League City, Pasadena
Mix of older waterfront homes with salt-air-exposed duct exteriors and newer neighborhoods with standard flex. Humidity and salt exposure make exterior duct insulation degrade faster here. Duct insulation replacement runs $3 to $6 per linear foot, and we do more of that in this quadrant than anywhere else in Houston.
Fort Bend: Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Katy
Tract-built homes from the 1990s and 2000s, often two-story with long flex runs from centralized plenums. Whole-system sealing runs $500 to $1,100, and multi-zone homes push toward the high end. The long runs common in these floorplans mean more linear feet of hand-sealed joints.
FAQs – Duct Repair & Sealing Cost
How much does duct sealing cost in Houston?
Duct sealing in Houston costs $35 to $75 per vent for mastic boot sealing, $600 to $1,400 for manual whole-system mastic sealing, and $1,200 to $2,500 for Aeroseal whole-system sealing in a typical 2,000-to-2,500-square-foot home. The exact number depends on how many vents you have, how much of the ductwork is accessible, and which method is right for your system. Call (940) 314-5008 and we’ll quote your specific home based on square footage and vent count – the estimate is free.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace ductwork?
Repair and sealing is almost always cheaper in the short term, at $350 to $1,100 for most Houston homes, versus $2,800 to $6,500 for full replacement. But if your ducts are over 20 years old, especially grey flex duct from the 1990s, repeated repairs will cost more than one replacement over a five-year span. We tell Houston customers this: if the ducts are under 15 years old, repair and seal them. If they’re older, get a replacement quote alongside the repair quote and compare honestly.
How much does Aeroseal cost in Houston?
Aeroseal duct sealing in Houston runs $1,200 to $2,500 for a typical single-family home in 2026. The price includes a pre-sealing leakage test, the aerosol sealing process itself, and a post-sealing test that shows exactly how much leakage was eliminated. It’s the right choice for ducts that are mostly inaccessible – slab runs, internal chases, finished ceilings – because it seals from the inside without opening walls.
Can you fix duct leaks the same day in Houston?
Yes, most localized duct repairs and sealing jobs in Houston are same-day, especially if the leak is in an accessible attic. A simple torn section or disconnected boot takes 1 to 3 hours on site. Whole-system sealing on a large home may take 4 to 6 hours, but it’s still a one-day visit in most cases. If you call (940) 314-5008 in the morning, we can usually have a tech out same day or next morning.
How much does it cost to fix a leaking air duct under a slab foundation?
Slab duct repair in Houston typically runs $1,500 to $4,000, depending on whether the leak can be sealed from inside with Aeroseal or requires rerouting the duct through the attic or walls. Camera inspection to locate the leak adds $150 to $350. This is the most expensive duct repair category in the Houston market, and it’s most common in mid-century homes in Bellaire, Westbury, and older parts of Meyerland.
Does homeowners insurance cover duct repair in Houston?
Most Houston homeowners policies cover duct damage only if it was caused by a covered peril – a fire, a tree falling on the house, a major water event. Normal wear, age, rodent damage, and general deterioration are almost always excluded. Deductibles typically run $1,000 to $2,500 in this market, which means most duct repair and sealing work doesn’t make sense to file a claim for anyway. Paying out of pocket for a $600 sealing job is usually cheaper than a claim that raises your rates.
Pricing reflects the Houston market as of 2026. Mortons Air Duct Houston offers free estimates; call (940) 314-5008.
What Our Customers Say
"With two kids and a dog the vents were overdue. The crew put down runners through the whole house and wore booties. Not a speck of dust left behind, and the air smells fresh."
- Paula Esposito"My son's asthma has been better since they did the ducts. The crew was gentle and quiet, asked before moving anything, and used a product they said was safe around kids and pets."
- Grant Mcallister"With two cats the vents were full of hair. The crew was kind and patient with the pets, kept the doors closed, and vacuumed up before they left. Really considerate."
- Lacey Burkhart