Bay Area housing stock is old. Eichlers went up between 1950 and 1974. Ranch houses filled the Peninsula in the 1960s and 70s. Even a "newer" 1990s build is now pushing 30 years old, often with original HVAC, original flue, original dryer run. Previous owners may have been meticulous about paint and landscaping — the systems inside the walls are a different story.

Here's the 90-day playbook for a home you just bought.

Week 1 — Measure before you clean

Before you spend a dollar on cleaning, get a baseline. Take photos inside your air ducts. Test the damper. Note how long a dryer cycle takes. Walk the perimeter of the roofline — look for missing or tilted chimney caps, visible cracks in the crown. These are your before-pictures. They're free.

Week 2 — Dryer vent

Cheapest, fastest, highest-value service on this list. $149 flat. Takes 45 minutes. You'll probably recover the cost within a year in utility savings alone (dryers with blocked vents can run 30–50% less efficiently than clean ones). And you'll remove the fire risk the previous owner was unknowingly running.

Week 3–4 — Chimney inspection

If you plan to use the fireplace, you need a Level 1 inspection before first use. If the home has been vacant or the previous owner didn't use the fireplace, get a Level 2 camera scope — you need to see inside the concealed flue, and you need it documented for insurance. Do not light a fire in a home you've owned for less than 30 days with no inspection on file.

Week 5–8 — Air ducts (the big reset)

This is the one that changes how the house feels. A deep duct clean on move-in is a one-time reset — once it's done properly, you won't need another for 3–5 years. The $399 flat for up to 10 vents covers most Bay Area homes without add-ons. Budget $449–$549 if you have a 12–15 vent layout. Add UV ($349) if anyone in the house has allergies or asthma.

Week 9–12 — Everything else

By now, the core three systems are clean. Use the remaining time to hit the smaller items — bathroom fans (cheap at $49 bundled with duct cleaning), water heater exhaust flue, kitchen exhaust fan, and register/vent cover replacements if yours are the yellowed 1970s plastic variety. None of these are urgent. All of them compound quality over the next decade.

The whole-home cost, if you do all of it at once

  • Air duct cleaning (10 vents, flat): $399
  • Dryer vent cleaning: $149
  • Chimney sweep + Level 1 inspection: $169
  • Bathroom fan (bundle rate): $49
  • Furnace cleaning (bundle rate): $99
  • Total: $865

Add a UV light ($349) if indicated. Upgrade to a Level 2 chimney ($749 instead of $169) if you have no service history. Worst case, $1,390 for a complete, documented reset of every air and exhaust system in the house.

For most Bay Area buyers, this is a fraction of the carpet cleaning budget we've seen clients spend post-move-in. And unlike carpet cleaning, these systems genuinely affect your family's air for the next decade.

Book all three services in one visit — or call (408) 655-0609 and we'll sequence it.