Air Duct Cleaning & Ductwork Repair in San Antonio
Free quotes from independent local HVAC contractors for air duct cleaning, duct repair and ductwork replacement. We connect San Antonio-area homeowners with independent, TDLR-licensed local HVAC contractors for free, no-obligation quotes. The contractor you choose diagnoses, quotes, pulls the permit and does the work directly with you.
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When air duct cleaning helps
Duct cleaning removes dust and debris that has built up inside supply and return ducts. Homeowners usually ask for it when dust or debris blows out of the registers, after a remodel, after signs of pests in the ducts, or when moving into a home with an unknown history. Searches for duct cleaning in San Antonio peak in February and March, before the long cooling season starts.
Cleaning is not a fix for every comfort problem. It will not seal a leaking joint, reconnect a duct that has fallen off its collar in the attic, or add insulation. If some rooms stay warm while others are fine, ask for the ducts to be inspected for leaks and damage as well — see ductwork repair and replacement below.
Cleaning also does not replace routine filter care. ENERGY STAR recommends checking the filter monthly and changing it when dirty, because a dirty filter raises energy costs and can damage equipment. A regular AC tune-up is the place to have the coil, drain and airflow checked.
Duct cleaning prices and what to ask
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Air duct cleaning | $300–$700 (about $500 for a 2,000 sq ft home) |
| Duct repair (sections) | $500–$2,600 |
| Ductwork replacement, San Antonio | about $2,000–$3,000 per ton (3 tons: $6,000–$9,000) |
| AC tune-up / maintenance | $150–$350 (CPS Energy offers a no-cost tune-up to eligible customers) |
Typical ranges from published cost guides (2024–2026) — estimates, not quotes. National figures unless marked San Antonio.
Questions worth asking any duct cleaning company before booking:
- Is the price for the whole system — every supply and return, plus the main trunk lines — or per vent?
- Will anyone cut into ducts or plenums? If so, that work needs a TDLR-licensed contractor.
- Will they report leaks, crushed runs or missing insulation they find, without pressure to buy?
- Is the full price in writing before work begins?
Licensing: cleaning vs repair
Texas rules (16 TAC §75.100(c)(1)) let duct cleaning and testing be done without an air conditioning contractor license only if the work is limited to the air-distribution system, no cuts are made to ducts or plenums, there are no electrical changes, and disassembly is limited to removable grilles and registers. Repairing or replacing ductwork is licensed air conditioning work, and biomedical remediation requires a contractor license. This is general information, not legal advice.
Ductwork repair and replacement: attic ducts in Texas heat
Ducts and air handlers in the attic are common in San Antonio-area homes. That puts the system’s cold air in the hottest part of the house. A U.S. Department of Energy case study on San Antonio homes notes that uninsulated, vented attics typical here average about 130 °F. DOE’s Building America program adds that ducts in unconditioned, vented attics raise heating and cooling energy use by about 10%, and that duct leakage has been measured to commonly exceed 20% of conditioned airflow.
ENERGY STAR estimates that about 20–30% of the air moving through a typical duct system is lost to leaks, holes and poorly connected ducts, and recommends insulating ducts in unconditioned spaces such as attics with insulation rated R-6 or higher.
Signs worth an inspection: rooms that never reach the thermostat setting, weak airflow at some registers, a duct you can see crushed, kinked or disconnected in the attic, or ductwork with torn or missing insulation. Older homes may have older ductwork worth inspecting; in ZIP codes such as 78201, 78212 and 78209, the median home was built in 1952, 1949 and 1968 (ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
Repair sections or replace the system?
A contractor may recommend sealing and re-connecting a few runs, replacing damaged sections, or replacing the whole duct system. Section repairs typically cost $500–$2,600. Full replacement in San Antonio runs about $2,000–$3,000 per ton, so a 3-ton home is roughly $6,000–$9,000. Replacing ducts at the same time as the AC lets the contractor size both together — ask for a load calculation (Manual J) and duct design with any AC replacement quote.
Permits and Live Oak’s duct-leakage test
Live Oak’s 2026 residential HVAC replacement FAQ says replacing an AC condenser, air handler or HVAC ducts requires a permit, a mechanical final inspection, and a passing duct-leakage (“Duct Blaster”) test when ductwork has been replaced. In San Antonio, mechanical permits go only to licensed trade contractors registered with the City; New Braunfels, Boerne and Universal City also require contractor registration. Elsewhere, check with the city. Ask each contractor which permit and tests your job needs. Read more in attic AC ducts and Texas heat.
Before you hire for ductwork
- License number. Get the company’s TDLR license number — it looks like TACLA… or TACLB…, ending in E or C for home AC — and look it up at the TDLR license search. Texas rules require that number on the company’s ads, both sides of its vehicles (2-inch letters), proposals and invoices (16 TAC §75.71).
- Technician. The person who works on your system should be TDLR-registered or certified and EPA Section 608 certified to handle refrigerant.
- Permit. A replacement needs a city mechanical permit in San Antonio (check with your suburb). The contractor pulls it, and in San Antonio CPS Energy rebates require the permit number.
- Sizing. Ask for a load calculation (Manual J) before replacing equipment.
- Written quote. Get a written, itemized quote with model and serial numbers. Ask whether the diagnostic fee is credited to the repair and what the after-hours rate is.
- Compare. Get 2–3 quotes before you sign.
- Safety. If a CO alarm sounds, leave the house and call 911.
See our guide to comparing San Antonio HVAC companies for license lookups and red flags, and the HVAC cost guide for a quick price estimate.
Duct cleaning and ductwork quotes near you
Alamo Heights has some of the oldest housing in the area (median year built 1950, about 74% before 1980, ACS 2024 5-year), so older ductwork is worth inspecting there. Newer homes in Cibolo and New Braunfels have younger ducts, but attic ducts in any home can be damaged. Either way, the contractor’s inspection decides the scope.
Related: AC maintenance and tune-ups and heat pump repair and installation.
Duct cleaning and ductwork FAQ
How much does air duct cleaning cost in San Antonio?
Published cost guides put air duct cleaning at about $300–$700, with roughly $500 typical for a 2,000-square-foot home. The price depends on the number of supply and return vents, how many trunk lines there are, attic access and how dirty the system is. These are estimates, not quotes, so ask for the full price in writing before work begins.
Does a duct cleaning company need a TDLR license?
Texas rules let duct cleaning and testing be done without an air conditioning license only when the work stays within the air-distribution system, no cuts are made to ducts or plenums, no electrical changes are made, and only removable grilles and registers are taken apart. Repairing or replacing ductwork requires a licensed contractor. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does new ductwork cost in San Antonio?
A published San Antonio guide puts new ductwork at about $2,000–$3,000 per ton of system capacity, or roughly $6,000–$9,000 for a typical 3-ton home. Repairing individual sections usually runs $500–$2,600 nationally. Quotes vary with attic access, the number of runs, insulation level and whether the AC is being replaced at the same time.
Why do attic ducts matter so much in San Antonio?
Ducts and air handlers in the attic are common in San Antonio-area homes, and a DOE case study found uninsulated, vented attics here average about 130 °F. Cooled air in a leaky or poorly insulated duct picks up that heat before it reaches your rooms. ENERGY STAR says 20–30% of air moving through ducts can be lost and recommends R-6 or higher insulation.
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