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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AfterAprilaire Air Quality & Sanitizing in San Antonio: What to Know First
CleanRun provides independent Aprilaire air quality and sanitizing services in San Antonio, with most jobs scheduled within 48 hours and completed in a single visit. Whole-system sanitizing with documented photo verification runs $380-$620 for typical single-system homes under 2,500 square feet. We are not affiliated with or authorized by Aprilaire; we service their equipment as an independent Aprilaire service provider using OEM-spec parts and trade-standard methods.
This page is for San Antonio homeowners who own an Aprilaire air purifier, humidifier, or ventilation system and need mold treatment, bacteria sanitizing, odor removal, UV light installation, or allergen reduction. If your Aprilaire unit runs but your air still smells stale, or if you’ve noticed condensation around the cabinet, the problem is usually in the distribution path, not the unit itself. Call (726) 600-7155 for a written estimate before any work starts.
How Aprilaire Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Model 5000 Electronic Air Cleaner: The ionizing wires in the 5000 series collect a conductive film of cooking grease and fine dust that insulates the charge surface. In San Antonio, where outdoor humidity sits above 60% for months, this film becomes a biological substrate. We remove the cells, clean the ionizing assembly with a non-residue foaming agent, and test microamp draw at the power head before reassembly. If the power supply shows drift below 4.2 kV, we replace it with an OEM-spec unit, not a universal aftermarket board that voids the remaining warranty.
- Model 600/700 Humidifier Series: The water panel in these units can harbor pink slime bacteria (Serratia marcescens) when the float valve weeps continuously. San Antonio’s hard water accelerates scale on the distribution tray, which cracks the plastic and creates stagnant pockets. We descale the tray with a food-grade acid flush, replace the orifice if it’s enlarged beyond 0.042 inches, and treat the plenum downstream with a botanical sanitizer rated for HVAC use.
- Model 8100/8120 Energy Recovery Ventilators: The enthalpy core in these ERVs can develop mold between the polymer layers when the defrost cycle fails in San Antonio’s shoulder seasons. Homeowners smell it first in the master bedroom, usually around 6 a.m. when the unit kicks to high speed. We scope the core with a borescope camera, measure pressure drop across the heat exchanger, and replace the core if the pressure differential exceeds 0.3 inches w.c. at rated airflow.
- Model 1850/1870 Dehumidifiers: The condensate drain pan in these crawl-space and basement units cracks at the corner radius after 4-6 years of thermal cycling. In San Antonio’s expansive clay soils, the cabinet shifts and stresses the pan further. We install a secondary drain safety pan with a float switch, repair the primary with a welded ABS patch rather than epoxy (epoxy fails in 18 months here), and treat the surrounding duct boot for mold if the leak went undetected.
- Model 1210/2210/3210 Media Air Cleaners: The MERV 16 filter media in these cabinets can act as a moisture dam when the system short-cycles in San Antonio’s spring and fall. The cardboard frame swells, bypass gaps open at the track seals, and unfiltered air erodes the blower wheel. We measure bypass with a smoke pencil, replace the track gaskets with closed-cell foam rated for 200°F, and inspect the blower for imbalance. If the wheel is out of true by more than 0.020 inches, we pull it for rebalancing or replacement.
Our Aprilaire Air Quality & Sanitizing Process
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Camera inspection first. Tomas Reyes put this in place back in 2013: the camera goes in first. Then we talk. We run a borescope through the plenum and the first three duct runs to document what we’re actually dealing with, not what we assume from the service history.
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Written scope and price. Haven Standard Clause 1: we deliver a written price before any panel comes off. The scope names the Aprilaire model, the specific failure mode we’ve identified, the parts source (OEM or verified aftermarket), and the flat price for the complete job.
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Containment and extraction. We seal registers with magnetic covers and run negative-pressure extraction through the main trunk, so dislodged debris doesn’t migrate to rooms downstream of the work zone. The vacuum is a Nikro HEPA-filtered unit, not a shop vac with a drywall bag.
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Component-level treatment. For sanitizing, we apply a quaternary ammonium or hydrogen peroxide-based solution (customer’s choice, both EPA-registered) through a compressed-air fogger at the plenum. For UV installation, we measure available cabinet depth and mount a Guardsman or Honeywell UV-C lamp upstream of the coil, with a sight glass so you can verify lamp operation without disassembling anything.
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Post-work verification and photo record. We re-scope the treated runs, photograph the results, and deliver the before-and-after set as part of your standard job record. The 365-Day Done Right Promise goes into writing before we leave.
BeforeAfterWhat Aprilaire Air Quality & Sanitizing Costs in San Antonio
| Service | Typical Range | What Moves the Price |
|---|---|---|
| Media cabinet sanitizing (single system) | $380-$480 | Number of returns, accessibility of plenum |
| Electronic air cleaner deep clean + test | $420-$580 | Power supply replacement, cell count |
| Humidifier sanitizing + descale | $340-$460 | Distribution tray condition, valve replacement |
| UV-C lamp installation (single lamp) | $520-$680 | Cabinet modification, electrical routing |
| Whole-system mold treatment + sanitizing | $680-$920 | Extent of contamination, number of zones |
These are whole-system prices, not per-vent teaser rates. The $79 coupon jobs you see advertised in San Antonio typically cover one return and one supply, then escalate once the truck is on your driveway. We don’t work that way. The price we write is the price you pay. Call (726) 600-7155 for an exact quote; estimates are free.
Why San Antonio Homeowners Call CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning San Antonio for Aprilaire Work
We’ve cleaned and treated Aprilaire equipment in San Antonio since 2013, including hundreds of units in Stone Oak, Alamo Heights, and the older ranch-style homes near McAllister Park where the original flex duct is finally failing alongside the air cleaner. Our technicians are background-checked and uniformed under Haven Standard Clause 3: Verified Crews. We also service Lennox, Trane, and Carrier systems, which matters when your Aprilaire is integrated with a mixed-manufacturer setup and the problem is at the interface, not in the box.
Every job carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing, the Documented Photo Record is delivered before we leave, and if you have a competitor’s written estimate, we’ll put ours next to it for free under our Second Opinion policy. No manager approval needed. The guarantee is the guarantee.
FAQs
No. Using an independent Aprilaire service provider does not void your warranty, provided the work meets OEM specifications and uses equivalent parts. We document parts sources and test procedures so you have a record if a warranty claim arises later. For questions about your specific warranty status, call (726) 600-7155 and we’ll review it with you.
Replace the unit if the cabinet is rusted through, the power supply is obsolete, or repair costs exceed 60% of a comparable new installation. Repair makes sense for failed components in cabinets under 12 years old, especially the Model 5000 series, where the cells themselves often outlast the electronics. We’ll show you the borescope images and run the numbers both ways before you decide.
You receive the Documented Photo Record of every duct run, before and after, as a standard deliverable. We also leave the UV lamp sight glass accessible and the sanitizer lot number recorded on your invoice. If you want, we’ll run a follow-up scope at no charge within 30 days under the 365-Day Done Right Promise.
Yes. We stock common Aprilaire consumables, including Model 5000 cells, 600/700 series water panels and orifices, and 1210/2210 filter media. For specialty items like ERV cores or dehumidifier drain pans, we source through regional HVAC distributors with next-day availability in most cases. We never start a job with parts on order; we confirm availability before we write the price.
Every 3-5 years for standard residential use, sooner if you have pets, recent water intrusion, or occupants with respiratory sensitivities. In San Antonio, the combination of high outdoor humidity and hard water scale means humidifier and ERV components typically need attention at the 3-year mark. Call (726) 600-7155 and we’ll scope the system to give you a condition-based recommendation, not a calendar guess.
Written by Tomas Reyes, Owner, CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning San Antonio at CleanRun Air Duct Cleaning San Antonio, serving San Antonio and nearby areas.