Ductwork replacement cost: $10 to $40 a foot, sealing (2026)

National figures. Linear feet, material, access (attic, crawl space, inside walls) and whether old ducts come out move the price.

How much does ductwork replacement cost?

Ductwork replacement costs $10 to $40 per linear foot installed in HomeAdvisor's June 2026 guide, which puts the average project at $1,252 and most between $453 and $2,189. HomeGuide's HVAC guide and Angi's duct repair guide both list a whole-house replacement at $1,400 to $5,600.

Fixr's August 2025 guide runs far higher: a $9,293 national average and a $1,436 to $17,149 range, built on a 2,500 square foot home with 275 feet of duct and sheet metal priced at $21 to $62 a foot, against HomeAdvisor's $10 to $40 a foot for any material. The guides are not measuring the same job, which is why the footage and the material belong on any quote.

Ductwork installation cost by home size

Ductwork for a 2,000 to 3,000 square foot home costs $2,800 to $6,700 in HomeAdvisor's figures, and the table runs on the 100 to 400 linear feet a typical house uses.

Fixr's tiers: budget (one story, attic or basement access, under 2,000 sq ft) $574 to $7,146; mid-range (2,000 to 3,000 sq ft, crawl space) $1,096 to $10,009; high-end (over 3,000 sq ft, walls or ceilings cut) $13,338 to $19,419.

• Retrofit with no ducts: $30 to $50 per foot (HomeAdvisor). Fixr says replacing existing ducts costs about 25% more than retrofitting into a home with none, because the old ducts come out.
• Labor is about 60% of the project at $50 to $110 an hour (HomeAdvisor); Fixr prices HVAC mechanics at $83 to $151.
• Permits: $250 to $1,500 (HomeAdvisor).
• Old ducts with asbestos: $700 to $2,200 to remove (HomeAdvisor). Common on pre-1980 houses; do not disturb them.
• Vents: $250 to $500 each when added (HomeAdvisor).

Ductwork cost per linear foot by material

Duct material costs $2 to $13 per linear foot before labor in HomeAdvisor's figures, with galvanized steel at the top and non-insulated flex duct at the bottom.

Per linear foot. HomeAdvisor's installed figure for any material is $10 to $40 a foot.

DOE says insulating ducts in unconditioned spaces is usually very cost-effective and that cooling ducts need a vapor barrier outside the insulation; HomeAdvisor prices duct insulation at $800 to $2,000 and Angi at $1,000 to $2,700.

Duct repair cost: when you do not replace

Duct repair costs $200 to $2,100 in Angi's July 2026 guide, or $5 to $45 per linear foot, and HomeAdvisor prices minor duct repairs at $200 to $700.

By material, Angi lists rigid duct repairs at $300 to $2,100, flexible at $100 to $800. By location: attic $200 to $1,500, crawl space $300 to $2,500, inside walls and floors $400 to $3,500.

DOE's rule for who does it: "A qualified professional should always perform changes and repairs to a duct system."

Air duct sealing cost: manual sealing vs Aeroseal

Air duct sealing costs $400 to $1,900 done by hand and $1,300 to $2,700 with Aeroseal in HomeAdvisor's guide; Angi prices leak sealing at $375 to $700. DOE says ducts that leak heated air into unheated spaces "can add hundreds of dollars a year to your heating and cooling bills."

• Manual sealing is mastic or heat-approved tape on every joint the technician can reach. DOE says mastic is the preferred sealant but will not bridge gaps over 1/4 inch, and to avoid cloth-backed rubber-adhesive duct tape; use mastic, butyl tape, foil tape or other tape with the UL logo.
• Aeroseal blows a sealant aerosol through the pressurized duct system to plug leaks from the inside, including runs inside walls. HomeAdvisor's $1,300 to $2,700 is the only published national figure; get a before-and-after leakage reading in writing.
• Where it pays: DOE says sealing matters most for ducts in attics and vented crawl spaces, and that unsealed return ducts can pull in unconditioned air.
• Sealing is not cleaning. EPA does not recommend routine duct cleaning and recommends against routine sealant use inside ducts during cleaning; leak sealing is a different job.

Signs ductwork should be replaced rather than sealed

Ductwork lasts 10 to 20 years in HomeGuide's HVAC guide, which says ducts usually need work when a system over 15 years old is replaced; the signs below point to replacement rather than a $375 to $700 sealing job.

• Crushed, collapsed or disconnected runs in a crawl space or attic. Angi prices a collapse repair at $150 to $2,000; a run that has failed in several places is a replacement.
• Rust, corrosion or condensation damage on metal duct (Angi: $200 to $500 and $200 to $900 to repair).
• Mold or rodents inside the duct, which EPA lists as the reasons to clean; porous duct board that has had either is usually replaced.
• Rooms that never reach temperature after sealing and balancing, or a new system that is undersized for the old duct layout. A new system is the moment to do it: HomeGuide says a change-out with ductwork takes 3 to 5 days, and Angi's HVAC replacement guide puts the ductwork portion at about $3,500.
• Asbestos on old ducts. Removal, not repair, and by a licensed abatement company.

Ductwork replacement near me: what to ask

• How many linear feet, what material, and the price per foot? HomeAdvisor: $10 to $40 installed.
• Did you test for leakage, and will you test again after? Ask for the numbers.
• Is the old duct coming out, and does any of it contain asbestos?
• Are the new ducts sized for the system (Manual D)? Undersized returns are a common cause of noise and uneven rooms.
• Is insulation and sealing included? DOE: mastic or UL-listed tape, insulated in unconditioned spaces.
• Permit and inspection? $250 to $1,500 (HomeAdvisor).
• License number and proof of insurance. Ask for the company's license number and proof of insurance yourself; the HVAC license table shows who licenses HVAC work by state.

Ducts are often replaced with the equipment: HVAC system replacement cost, furnace replacement cost and AC replacement cost. No ducts at all? Mini split installation. Attic ducts and insulation: attic insulation cost. Calls go to an independent heating and cooling company that serves your area and takes this kind of job; hours vary. How calls work.