Whole-home duct cleaning
Dryer vent cleaning
Camera inspection
Sanitizing & deodorizingWhole-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.
Styles & brands we work with
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterVideo Inspection in San Antonio, TX
Video inspection for air ducts in San Antonio typically costs between $95 and $195 when booked as a standalone service, though many homeowners bundle it with a full Air Duct Cleaning in San Antonio visit that already includes camera work as part of the job. It’s the fastest way to know what’s actually inside your ductwork before you spend money fixing or cleaning it. Cardinal Air Duct San Antonio runs this service with professional push-camera equipment, and you’ll see the footage yourself while we walk you through what it means.
We’re part of the Relay Home Co. family, founded 2005, and every video inspection job comes with a written price before we start, a live trackable arrival window, and the full footage shared with you on the spot. No mystery. No upsell theater. Just a clear look at your ducts. If you’d rather talk it through first, call (254) 347-3897 and a live person answers, any hour.
Why San Antonio Homes Need Video Inspection (and When It’s Worth It)
San Antonio’s climate loads your ductwork with more than the average home sees. We have cedar fever in January, a long dusty summer that runs from May through September, and humidity that spikes every time a Gulf system pushes inland. That combination means dust, fine pollen, and the occasional biological growth all end up circulating through your HVAC system. Video inspection tells you which of those you’re actually dealing with, and more importantly, where it’s concentrated.
Here’s the honest part: most homes do not need a standalone video inspection. If you’re already booking a cleaning, camera work should be included or offered at a reduced add-on rate. A standalone camera-only visit makes sense when something feels wrong and you want answers before touching anything else. Think of it as diagnostic imaging for your house’s lungs.
When You Need Video Inspection
- You smell something you can’t place. A musty odor that comes and goes with the AC cycle often means moisture is trapped somewhere in the duct run, or there’s organic debris breaking down inside. Camera work finds the exact section instead of leaving you guessing.
- One room never cools correctly. If the bedroom over your garage in Stone Oak stays 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the house, you may have a disconnected duct, a crushed flex run, or a damper that’s been closed for years. Inspection shows it in minutes.
- You bought an older home and have no idea what the previous owner left behind. We’ve found everything from construction debris to children’s toys to decades of pest activity inside ductwork in Alamo Heights and King William historic homes. Knowing what’s in there before your family breathes it matters.
- Your energy bills jumped without a clear reason. Leaky or disconnected ductwork means you’re paying to condition air that’s blowing into your attic or crawlspace. A camera shows where the air is escaping.
- You had a renovation and suspect drywall dust got pulled into the returns. Remodel dust is fine enough to pass through your filter and coat the inside of your ducts. It also plugs up evaporator coils faster than almost anything else.
- You want proof before and after a cleaning. We provide before-and-after photo documentation on every job through The Relay Standard, and video inspection is the strongest version of that proof.
Our Video Inspection Process
- We confirm the scope and price first. You get a written price for the inspection before anything runs. No surprise line items, no pressure to add services.
- We locate your main supply and return runs. Most San Antonio homes are on slabs with flex duct in the attic or a mix of hard pipe and flex. We’ll map the system so we know what we’re looking at.
- We run the push camera through each accessible run. We use professional inspection cameras that feed live video to a screen. You can watch along if you’d like, or just review the highlights at the end.
- We flag issues and show you the footage. Cracks, disconnections, buildup, moisture staining, pest evidence, even leftover construction material – you’ll see exactly what we see, with plain-language explanation of what it means.
- We give you a recommendation, not a pressure pitch. Sometimes the answer is “your ducts are in decent shape, here’s what to watch.” Other times there’s a clear fix needed and we’ll quote it transparently. Either way, you decide with real information.
Every inspection is documented. You get before-and-after photos or video captures as part of the job, and a digital invoice you can pay by link. That’s The Relay Standard in practice: live trackable arrival, written pricing, visual proof.
Video Inspection Pricing in San Antonio
Standalone video inspection for a typical single-family San Antonio home runs $95 to $195. The range depends on three things: the number of accessible runs we’re inspecting, whether the system has hard duct, flex duct, or a mix, and whether access requires working in a tight attic or crawlspace. Larger homes with multiple systems may run higher, and we’ll quote that before any work begins.
If you’re already booking a full Air Duct Cleaning services, ask about bundling inspection with it. Most customers save meaningfully that way, and it gives you before-and-after proof of the cleaning itself. Here’s what affects the cost:
- Number of runs and returns: More duct branches means more camera work.
- Access difficulty: Some San Antonio attics are tight, hot, and require care to work in safely. We scope this during the quote.
- System complexity: Homes with zoned HVAC, multiple units, or commercial-style duct layouts take longer.
- Inspection only vs. inspection plus documentation: All camera work includes footage review with you, but if you need a full written report for a real estate transaction or insurance claim, let us know and we’ll quote that specifically.
Every inspection comes with a free estimate for any follow-up work the footage reveals. And any service you book afterward carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if the work isn’t right within a full year, we return and correct it at no charge. That applies to every job, without exception.
FAQs – Video Inspection
How much does video inspection of air ducts cost in San Antonio?
Standalone video inspection in San Antonio typically costs between $95 and $195 for a standard single-family home, depending on the number of duct runs, access difficulty, and system complexity. When bundled with a full air duct cleaning, the inspection cost drops significantly. Call (254) 347-3897 for a written quote – estimates are free and the price doesn’t change at the door.
How long does a video inspection take?
A typical video inspection takes 45 to 90 minutes from arrival to final walkthrough, depending on home size and how many accessible runs we’re inspecting. You’ll see the footage live or in review right after we finish, with a plain-language explanation of anything we find. It’s a same-day job in almost all cases.
Is video inspection worth it before buying a home in San Antonio?
Yes. If you’re under contract on a home, especially one built before 2000, a duct camera inspection can reveal disconnected runs, mold-adjacent moisture, pest evidence, and debris buildup that a standard home inspection won’t catch. It’s a small price for a very specific, actionable picture of what you’d otherwise be paying to clean or repair after closing. We regularly do pre-purchase inspections, and we can schedule on short notice.
Can Cardinal Air Duct San Antonio inspect and clean on the same day?
Yes, and that’s the most common way we do it. We inspect first, show you the findings, and if a cleaning or repair is needed and you approve the written price, we proceed right then with professional-grade equipment including Rotobrush rotary brush systems and Nikro HEPA vacuum extraction. One visit, no second appointment to wait on. Call (254) 347-3897 and we’ll get you on the schedule.
What equipment does Cardinal use for video inspection?
We run professional push-camera equipment designed for ductwork, paired with the same professional-grade fleet we use for cleanings: Rotobrush rotary brush systems for agitation, Nikro HEPA-rated vacuums for extraction, and Abatement Technologies containment units where needed. That means we see the duct, understand what we’re looking at, and can correct it with commercial-grade tools – not a shop vac and a flashlight. You’ll know your technician’s name before they arrive, and they’ll be in uniform, background-checked, and ready to show you real footage on site.
Get Answers, Not Guesswork
If something feels off with your ductwork, stop wondering. Video inspection gives you a direct look at what’s actually happening inside your system, whether it’s a damp section of flex duct in your attic, a disconnected return pulling hot air from the crawlspace, or years of dust caked against the walls of your supply runs. You get the footage, the explanation, and a written quote for anything that needs fixing – plus the 365-Day Done Right Promise if we do the work.
Ready to see inside your ducts? Call (254) 347-3897 for a free estimate on video inspection or full air duct cleaning in San Antonio. Curious about How Much Does Air Duct Cleaning Cost in San Antonio, TX? (2026 Price Guide)? We’ll give you a written quote. A live person answers, 24/7.
Written by Omar Haddad, Owner at Cardinal Air Duct San Antonio, serving San Antonio.