Whole-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 Air Duct Cleaning Cost in San Antonio?
Air duct cleaning in San Antonio typically costs between $350 and $700 for a standard single-family home, with most homeowners landing near $475. That price covers the full supply and return system for a house in the 1,500 to 2,500 square foot range. Larger homes, heavy contamination, or added dryer vent service push the total higher, usually into the $800 to $1,200 range.
If you’ve gotten quotes that swing wildly, you’re not imagining it. We’ve seen San Antonio homeowners handed a $199 teaser price on the phone, then a $1,400 invoice at the door after the technician “found mold.” That gap between the advertised number and the real number is exactly why we put a written price in your hands before a single vent is touched. No surprises, no doorstep revisions.
Air Duct Cleaning Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s what the line items actually run in the San Antonio market right now. These are real ranges, not placeholder figures.
| Service | Typical Price Range | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Standard duct cleaning (up to 10 vents) | $350 - $550 | Full supply and return cleaning, negative-air extraction, vent covers removed and reset |
| Larger system (11-20 vents) | $550 - $850 | Same process, scaled to bigger homes and multi-zone systems |
| Heavy contamination / post-remodel | $700 - $1,200 | Extra passes, brush agitation, HEPA containment for drywall dust and debris |
| Dryer vent cleaning (add-on) | $125 - $225 | Full lint line removal, exterior cap check, airflow verification |
| Sanitizing / antimicrobial treatment | $100 - $250 | Optional fogging after cleaning for odor or mild microbial concerns |
| Return to make it right (guarantee period) | $0 | Covered under the 365-Day Done Right Promise - no charge |
What pushes a job toward the top of that range? Bigger houses simply have more ductwork and more vents to service. A 4,000 square foot home in Stone Oak with two AC units takes meaningfully longer than a 1,300 square foot home near Southtown. Heavy contamination from a recent remodel, pet dander buildup, or years of skipped maintenance also adds labor. And if your system has never been cleaned, the first pass is always the hardest.
What keeps a job at the low end? A smaller single-system home with light dust, easy attic access, and no add-ons. When you call, we ask a few questions about your home so the price we quote is the price you pay. You can start on our home page and reach out for a free written estimate.
What Affects Air Duct Cleaning Pricing in San Antonio
San Antonio has its own set of conditions that shape what a cleaning costs. Here are the factors we see move the number most.
- Home size and number of vents. This is the single biggest driver. More vents means more removal, more brushing, and more resetting. A three-bedroom home on the Northside usually runs less than a five-bedroom in Alamo Heights.
- Number of HVAC systems. San Antonio summers push a lot of homes to run two systems, and some run three. Each system is separate ductwork, so each one adds cost.
- Contamination level. New construction dust, drywall grit, or a system that’s gone a decade without service requires additional passes. We use rotary brush agitation, which means a spinning brush scrubs debris off the duct wall instead of just blowing air through it.
- Duct accessibility. Attic runs in the San Antonio heat are common here, and if your system sits in a tight attic space, the tech needs more time and care to work safely. Basement systems are rare in this market, so most jobs are attic or closet access.
- Duct material and condition. Flex duct is common in newer San Antonio builds and cleans differently than rigid metal. Severely damaged or disconnected runs may need repair before cleaning makes sense, and we’ll tell you if that’s the case.
- Dryer vent add-on. If we’re already at your home, bundling your dryer vent is the smart move. Lint buildup is a real fire hazard, and cleaning it during the same visit costs less than a separate trip.
One note on safety: any work in an attic or around your HVAC equipment in San Antonio’s summer heat carries real risk, from heat stress to electrical and mechanical hazards. That’s a job for a background-checked, uniformed technician with the right equipment, not a weekend project. We’d rather you call us than climb into a 140-degree attic yourself.
How to Save on Air Duct Cleaning
Nobody wants to overpay. Here’s how San Antonio homeowners keep the cost down without cutting corners that cost more later.
- Bundle your dryer vent. Adding it to a duct cleaning visit runs $125 to $225, versus a standalone trip that costs more. Two birds, one visit.
- Skip the sanitizing fog unless you need it. Antimicrobial treatment is $100 to $250 and it’s optional. If you don’t have persistent odors or a known microbial issue, put that money elsewhere.
- Get the price in writing first. A written price is your protection. It’s also the fastest way to spot a lowball quote that will grow at your door.
- Clean on a schedule, not on an emergency. Homes that get serviced every few years avoid the heavy-contamination price tier. Let it go a decade and you’re paying for the backlog.
- Know the right frequency for your home. Pets, recent remodeling, allergies, or a home near a construction corridor all mean more frequent cleaning. Ask us what interval fits your situation.
- Ask about maintainable filtration. Upgrading to a quality filter and IAQ product between visits keeps your ducts cleaner longer, so you stretch the interval between paid cleanings.
Free estimates are exactly that - free, and there’s no pressure attached. Call (469) 972-3151 and we’ll get you a written number for your specific home.
Does Price Change Based on Where You Are in San Antonio?
Not really. A duct cleaning in Boerne or Helotes costs about the same as one inside Loop 410. What changes is scheduling and access, not the base rate. Some outlying areas may carry a small trip consideration, but the price we quote is the price we honor.
The bigger variable is the home itself, not the zip code. Two houses on the same street can come in $200 apart if one has two HVAC systems, a longer attic run, and a dryer vent that hasn’t been touched in years. That’s why we quote per home, not per neighborhood.
What Equipment Are You Paying For?
Fair question. If a company shows up with a shop vac from a hardware store, the results are what you’d expect. Here’s what your money actually covers.
- Rotobrush rotary brush systems dislodge debris at the duct wall. A spinning brush physically scrubs the surface, so settled dust actually comes free instead of getting pushed around.
- Nikro negative-air units pull contaminants out of the system while we work. Negative pressure means loosened particles travel toward the collection unit, not into your living room.
- Abatement Technologies HEPA filtration keeps fine particles contained during the job. That matters in San Antonio homes where cedar and mold spores already load the air.
For homeowners who want to keep things cleaner between visits, we also carry Honeywell, Aprilaire, and Guardsman filtration and indoor-air-quality products. That’s the full equipment list, and we don’t pretend to offer anything outside it. Our services are air duct cleaning in San Diego and dryer vent cleaning, and we do both well.
Repair or Replace: When Cleaning Isn’t the Answer
Sometimes cleaning isn’t the fix. If your ductwork is crushed, disconnected, or leaking badly, no amount of brushing will solve it. We’ll tell you straight if that’s what we find. In cases like that, we’d rather point you toward a licensed HVAC contractor for repair than take money for a cleaning that won’t help.
Disconnected ducts are more common than people think in older San Antonio homes, especially where flex duct has aged in a hot attic. A cleaning can’t fix a gap that’s dumping conditioned air into the attic. Our job is to clean what’s cleanable and be honest about what isn’t. If a return visit is needed within the guarantee period, the 365-Day Done Right Promise covers it at no charge.
FAQs - Air Duct Cleaning Cost
How much does air duct cleaning cost in San Antonio?
Air duct cleaning in San Francisco typically runs between $350 and $700 for most single-family homes, with a typical job around $475. Larger homes or heavy contamination run $700 to $1,200. Call (469) 972-3151 for an exact quote - estimates are free.
Is it cheaper to clean ducts or replace them?
Cleaning is almost always the cheaper path, typically $350 to $700 versus thousands for duct replacement. Replacement only makes sense when ducts are crushed, badly disconnected, or failing structurally. We’ll tell you honestly which situation you’re in.
How much does dryer vent cleaning cost in San Antonio?
Dryer vent cleaning runs $125 to $225, and less when bundled with a duct cleaning visit. It’s worth doing given that lint buildup is a genuine fire risk. Call (469) 972-3151 to add it to your estimate.
Why do some San Antonio companies quote $99?
Because the $99 is bait, not the price. The lowball number gets you on the schedule; add-ons and “discovered” problems raise the total at your door. We put a written price in your hands before work starts, so the number you agree to is the number you pay.
Can you come today, and will the price change?
We answer live, 24/7, so you can reach a real person anytime to check availability. Your written price is fixed before we begin, and it doesn’t change at the door. Call (469) 972-3151 to see what’s open.
What does the 365-Day Done Right Promise cover?
The 365-Day Done Right Promise means if the work falls short within the guarantee period, we come back and make it right at no charge. It’s documented in writing on every job. If you’re not satisfied, call us and we’ll return.
Our Written Price, Before We Start
We founded Kestrel Air Duct Cleaning in 2004 under the Kingswell Guarantee, and the same written standard has applied to every job since. You get a written price before work begins, a defined arrival window, a cleaner job site than we found, and a written guarantee on the work. Every location is independently owned and operated under that standard.
Around San Antonio, summers push your HVAC hard, and ducts that haven’t been serviced in years are quietly costing you airflow and efficiency. Call (469) 972-3151 for a free estimate. A live person answers, day or night, and you’ll have a written price in hand before anyone touches a vent. Is your home due? Let’s find out.
Pricing reflects the San Antonio market as of 2026. Kestrel Air Duct Cleaning offers free estimates - call (469) 972-3151.
Written by Dale Whitmore, Owner at Kestrel Air Duct Cleaning, serving San Antonio since 2004.
What Our Customers Say
"Set up an appointment for the whole house plus the dryer line. They called the morning of to confirm, showed up in the window, and showed me pictures of the gunk they pulled out. Worth it."
- Terrence Boyd"My wife's allergies were awful every morning. Had the ducts done and it's made a real difference. Tech was on time and wore booties in the house without me asking."
- Rob Pendergast"Bought an older home and the previous owners had pets everywhere. After Kestrel did the ducts the stale smell was just gone. On time, quick, and they showed me the filter they pulled."
- Preston Ngata