Air Duct Cleaning

The shortcut: Don't market this as "cleaner air." Market it as post-renovation, post-pet, and post-smoke cleanup. EPA enforces the difference, and HVAC contractors are your best lead source.

Industry: Cleaning & Maintenance Investment level: Mid — $5,000-$15,000 Time to launch: 6-10 weeks Best for: People comfortable crawling in attics and basements, lifting 50 lbs of hose and gear, and pitching a contractor as easily as a homeowner. You're a fit if you can drive a cargo van and would rather chase three HVAC partners than 30 homeowners a month. What you'll likely make: ~$3-$4K/month after expenses by month 3, and $6-$8K by month 6 if you land one or two HVAC contractor referral relationships.

Market Opportunity

Most people who Google "air duct cleaning" don't actually need it. EPA has said for years that routine duct cleaning has no documented health benefit for the average home. That sounds like bad news — until you realize the $99 Groupon corner of the market is built on a claim EPA explicitly disputes. Skip that fight. Sell to customers who have a real reason: post-renovation drywall dust, smoke or water damage, a dead animal in the ducts, visible mold. Smaller pool, much higher close rate, 3-5x the price per job.

US Janitorial Services (NAICS 561720): $112.0B in 2026, growing about 1.8% — IBISWorld Janitorial Services Market Size
62,099 cleaning firms across 66,471 establishments (2020 Census) — NAICSList NAICS 561720. Most don't touch ducts.
Typical air-duct job runs $269-$497, national average around $383 — Angi air duct cleaning cost guide
EPA: routine duct cleaning has "not been shown to actually prevent health problems" absent specific causes (visible mold, vermin, substantial dust) — EPA Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned?

Target customer: Homeowners who just finished a renovation or moved into a house where the previous owner smoked or had pets. Property managers and small commercial buildings (under 10,000 sq ft) where the system hasn't been touched in 5+ years. Plus HVAC contractor partners who flag dirty systems on service calls.

Why this is a good time to start: Stanley Steemer (around 1,800 locations) and Sears Home Services dominate the franchised side, but neither builds real local relationships with the HVAC company on the next block. That gap is wide open. A portable Rotobrush-class system runs $4,000-$8,000 today, where it used to take a $20K+ truck-mounted rig to compete.

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