Ductwork jobs reported a median $6,500 (65 reports), and ENERGY STAR says a typical house loses 20 to 30 percent of duct air to leaks.
Prices: HVACPro analysis of 65 homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts, 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. Licenses: FL DBPR construction licensee extract (CONSTRUCTIONLICENSE_1.csv), retrieved 2026-10-05.
Reported price, U.S. dollars
Source for every price on this page: HVACPro analysis of homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts, 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29. Repair figures are U.S.-wide; only rows marked Florida are Florida. The posts do not always say what a price included, and people who post are not a random sample. N is the number of quotes behind each figure.
The reports do not separate sealing a few leaks from replacing whole runs, and that is why the middle half is so wide. Ask any bidder to state which one the quote is.
| Job | Median | Middle half | Reports (N) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ductwork repair or replacement job | $6,500 | $3,000 to $10,000 | 65 |
Stock photo, not our work. Photo by Anh-Bao Tran-Le via Pexels.
ENERGY STAR says that in a typical house about 20 to 30 percent of the air moving through the ducts is lost to leaks, holes and poorly connected ducts, and that sealing and insulating ducts can often pay for itself. Leaky ducts can cut a heating and cooling system's efficiency by as much as 20 percent (ENERGY STAR duct sealing). ENERGY STAR also lists ducts located in an attic, crawl space or garage as a sign to check for leaks.
The reported price is $6,500, with a middle half of $3,000 to $10,000. That is 54 percent of a Florida median full system ($12,000).
The materials matter. ENERGY STAR says to seal with mastic sealant or metal tape and never use duct tape, which is not long-lasting, and to insulate the ducts you can reach in attics, crawl spaces and garages.
It also says most heating and cooling contractors repair ductwork (ENERGY STAR duct sealing). Ask the bidder what they will seal with and how they will test the result.
Simplified drawing, not to scale. Real systems vary: the indoor unit can sit in an attic or closet, the ducts can run in the attic or under the floor. Original illustration, not a photo.
If the ducts leak 20 to 30 percent of the air (ENERGY STAR duct sealing), a system with a compressor or coil problem may be masking a duct problem, and a new system on old leaky ducts will lose the same share. When you replace equipment, ask for a duct leakage check in the same quote. ENERGY STAR's hiring advice is for the contractor to check the duct system for air leaks and insulation and measure airflow (ENERGY STAR hiring tips).
Looking is free. With the system off, check registers and any exposed duct for crushed sections, gaps at joints and missing insulation. If the AC blows weakly, the filter and closed vents come first, and our pages on cooling problems cover them.
Stock photo, not our work. Photo by Bingqian Li via Pexels.
Open
Need a licensed HVAC pro in the Tampa Bay outer ring? Call and we'll connect you with a licensed local contractor.
HVACPro is a free referral service for homeowners, not an HVAC company. We don't do the work, and we may be paid by the contractor. Check any contractor's license on the state's lookup before you hire.
Every city below has an A-to-Z list of the businesses with an active Florida HVAC license there. The number on each chip is that count.
Counts: businesses with an active license and a city address in the Tampa Bay outer ring, from FL DBPR construction licensee extract (CONSTRUCTIONLICENSE_1.csv), retrieved 2026-10-05. A license says the state permits the work, not that the work is good.
A business with offices in two cities counts in each city's list. The city chips above open each A-to-Z list.
Source: FL DBPR construction licensee extract (CONSTRUCTIONLICENSE_1.csv), retrieved 2026-10-05. A license says the state permits the work; it says nothing about quality. Check any license on the state's live lookup before you hire. No ratings, rankings or reviews.
Lakeland Electric's $100 yearly tune-up rebate lists a duct leak check among the required items. It is the only ring program on file that touches ducts. Tampa Electric and Duke Energy Florida programs pay for equipment, not ductwork.
| Program | Utility | Amount | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC Annual Maintenance Rebate | Lakeland Electric | Up to $100 per year (the cost of the inspection) | Annual inspection of a central electric heating and cooling unit (refrigerant, thermostat, ductwork, coils, fans, controls, voltage and amperage) |
Cities we map to each utility:
Need a licensed HVAC pro in the Tampa Bay outer ring? Call and we'll connect you with a licensed local contractor.
HVACPro is a free referral service for homeowners, not an HVAC company. We don't do the work, and we may be paid by the contractor. Check any contractor's license on the state's lookup before you hire.
Stock photo, not our work. Photo by HUUM │sauna heaters via Pexels.
ENERGY STAR says about 20 to 30 percent of the air moving through the ducts in a typical house is lost to leaks, holes and poorly connected ducts (ENERGY STAR duct sealing).
ENERGY STAR says to use mastic sealant or metal tape and never duct tape, and to insulate accessible ducts in attics, crawl spaces and garages (ENERGY STAR duct sealing).
Homeowners reported a median $6,500 across 65 reports, with the middle half at $3,000 to $10,000. The reports do not separate small repairs from full replacement.
ENERGY STAR says leaky ducts can reduce heating and cooling efficiency by as much as 20 percent and lead to higher utility bills (ENERGY STAR duct sealing).
These questions come from the topic clusters below in our research on 2,095 mined questions (Ducts, vents, airflow, insulation, air handler: 128; Repair / service cost and quotes: 23; High electric bills / efficiency / SEER: 9). The wording and answers are ours; we do not republish anyone's post.
$6,500
Ductwork repair or replacement job: median reported price, from 65 homeowner reports
HVACPro analysis of 65 homeowner-reported quotes and invoices in public Reddit posts, 2025-01-01 to 2026-09-29.
