When your ductwork actually works the way it should, you notice it immediately. Rooms that used to stay hot in summer suddenly cool down. Your AC stops running constantly because it’s not fighting against leaks and poor airflow. Your energy bills drop because you’re not paying to cool your attic or crawl space.
Properly installed air duct systems do more than move air. They distribute it evenly so every room in your home stays comfortable. They keep dust, allergens, and outdoor pollutants out of your living space. They let your HVAC system work at the efficiency it was designed for instead of straining against undersized or damaged ductwork.
Most homes in Live Oak have ductwork issues they don’t even know about. Leaks at connections. Undersized ducts that can’t handle the load. Sections that have pulled apart from years of Texas heat causing expansion and contraction. You might think your AC is the problem when it’s actually the delivery system that’s failing you.
We’ve been handling residential air services across the San Antonio area for over 20 years. We’re veteran-owned, which means we approach every job with the same discipline and attention to detail that military training instills. When we install ductwork in your Live Oak home, we’re thinking about how it needs to perform during a 105-degree July and a surprise 30-degree February night.
Live Oak sits in Bexar County where the climate puts serious stress on HVAC systems. Humidity causes mold problems in ducts. Temperature swings cause materials to expand and contract. Dust clogs everything faster than you’d expect. We’ve seen it all, and we know which materials and installation methods actually hold up here.
You’re not getting a national chain that rotates technicians through. You’re getting licensed professionals who’ve been doing this work in this specific area long enough to know what works and what fails.
We start with an honest assessment of your current system. That means measuring your home, calculating the actual load requirements, and inspecting existing ductwork to see what’s salvageable and what needs replacement. A lot of companies skip this step and just start installing. We don’t, because undersized ductwork is one of the biggest problems we see in existing homes.
Once we know what your home actually needs, we design a duct system that matches it. For Live Oak’s climate, that typically means galvanized steel or aluminum ductwork with proper insulation. These materials resist corrosion from humidity and last 25-30 years when installed correctly. We handle all the permit applications and inspections required by San Antonio building codes so you don’t have to deal with that process.
Installation day, we protect your home and work efficiently. We seal every connection properly because even small leaks add up to major energy loss. After installation, we test the system to verify airflow and make sure every room is getting the conditioned air it should. Most of our installations are completed in one to two days depending on home size.
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A proper air duct installation isn’t just about running some metal tubes through your attic. You’re getting a complete system designed for your specific home and our specific climate. That includes properly sized supply and return ducts so your HVAC system can actually move the air it’s supposed to. It includes sealed connections at every joint because those are the spots where most energy loss happens.
You’re also getting insulation rated for Texas heat. Uninsulated or poorly insulated ductwork in a 140-degree attic means you’re losing cooling capacity before air ever reaches your vents. We use insulation that maintains temperature and prevents condensation that leads to mold growth.
In Live Oak, we’re also dealing with the reality that many homes were built during periods when contractors cut corners on duct sizing to save money. Studies show up to 80% of homes have some kind of duct sizing issue. When we install your new system, we’re correcting those problems so your HVAC system can finally work at its designed capacity. That means better indoor air quality, more consistent temperatures, and lower energy bills month after month.
The installation includes all necessary permits and inspections. It includes cleanup and removal of old ductwork if you’re doing a replacement. And it includes testing to verify the system is performing the way it should before we consider the job complete.
Most residential duct installations in the Live Oak area run between $1,400 and $5,600 depending on your home’s size and the complexity of the layout. A straightforward single-story home with an accessible attic costs less than a two-story home with limited access or a complex floor plan.
The size of your HVAC system matters too. If you’re running a 3-ton AC unit, you need ductwork sized to handle that capacity. Undersized ducts are cheaper to install but they’ll cost you more every month in wasted energy and uneven temperatures. We price based on doing the job right, not doing it cheap.
Material choice affects cost as well. Galvanized steel and aluminum ductwork costs more upfront than flexible ductwork, but it lasts decades longer in Texas heat and humidity. We’ll walk you through the options and give you upfront pricing with no surprise charges. Most homeowners find that proper installation pays for itself within a few years through lower energy bills.
Properly installed ductwork should last 20-25 years in Texas, though you’ll start seeing issues around the 15-year mark as seals and connections begin to fail. The constant expansion and contraction from our temperature swings puts stress on duct systems that homes in milder climates never experience.
The bigger issue is that most ductwork fails long before it should because it wasn’t installed correctly in the first place. Poorly sealed connections start leaking within a few years. Undersized ducts strain your HVAC system from day one. Inadequate insulation means you’re losing efficiency immediately. When we see ductwork that’s only 10 years old but already causing major problems, it’s usually because corners were cut during installation.
If your ductwork is approaching 15 years old and you’re noticing higher energy bills, uneven temperatures, or your HVAC system running constantly, it’s worth having someone inspect it. Small problems become expensive problems when you ignore them. Sometimes you can extend the life with repairs and sealing, but often replacement makes more financial sense than trying to patch a failing system.
Your energy bill is usually the first indicator. If it’s climbing even though you’re not using your system any differently, you’re likely losing conditioned air through duct leaks. Central Texas ductwork leaks an average of 27% of air, which means if you have a 3-ton system, only about 2 tons of cooled air is actually reaching your rooms.
Uneven temperatures throughout your home point to ductwork problems. When some rooms stay hot while others are comfortable, it usually means restricted airflow from clogged or undersized ducts, or it means leaks are preventing proper air distribution. You might also notice more dust than usual, or family members experiencing more headaches, fatigue, or respiratory issues. These symptoms often indicate that your ducts are pulling in contaminants through leaks and circulating them throughout your home.
Strange noises from your ductwork, visible damage or disconnected sections in accessible areas, and an HVAC system that runs constantly without keeping your home comfortable are all signs it’s time for an inspection. Ductwork problems don’t fix themselves, and they get more expensive the longer you wait.
Yes, air duct installation in Live Oak typically requires permits to ensure the work meets local building codes and safety standards. San Antonio and Bexar County have specific requirements for HVAC work, and ductwork installation falls under those regulations.
The permit process verifies that your new duct system is properly sized for your home and HVAC equipment, that it’s installed using approved materials and methods, and that it meets energy efficiency standards. An inspector will check the work to make sure everything is up to code before signing off on the permit.
We handle all permit applications and inspections as part of our service. You don’t need to visit any offices or deal with the paperwork. We know what the local inspectors look for, and we install systems that pass inspection the first time. Working with a licensed contractor who pulls proper permits protects you if you ever sell your home, and it ensures the work is done safely and correctly.
Yes, though older homes often present challenges that newer construction doesn’t. Many older Live Oak homes were built before central air conditioning was standard, which means they either have no existing ductwork or they have ductwork that was added later and may not be adequate for modern HVAC systems.
Limited attic access, unusual floor plans, and older construction methods can make duct installation more complex. Sometimes we need to get creative with routing to avoid structural elements or to maintain proper airflow. We might recommend mini-split systems for certain areas if ductwork installation isn’t practical. Each older home is different, and we assess what’s actually feasible before proposing a solution.
The advantage of working with experienced installers is that we’ve dealt with just about every scenario older homes present. We know how to work within the constraints of existing structures while still delivering a system that performs well. The goal is always to give you even temperatures and good indoor air quality without tearing your home apart in the process.
Flexible ductwork is exactly what it sounds like – a tube made of wire coil covered with plastic and insulation that can bend and curve. It’s cheaper and faster to install, which is why a lot of contractors use it. The problem is that it restricts airflow more than rigid ductwork, especially if it’s not pulled tight or if it has too many bends. It also doesn’t last as long in Texas attics where temperatures regularly hit 140 degrees.
Rigid ductwork, usually made from galvanized steel or aluminum, maintains consistent airflow because the interior is smooth and the diameter stays constant. It holds up better to our climate extremes and typically lasts 25-30 years when properly installed. The upfront cost is higher, but the long-term performance and durability make it the better investment for most homes.
We typically recommend rigid ductwork for main trunk lines with flexible ductwork only used for short runs to individual vents where its flexibility makes installation easier. This combination gives you the performance and durability of rigid ductwork where it matters most, with the installation advantages of flexible ductwork in limited applications. The key is using each type where it makes the most sense, not just defaulting to whatever’s cheapest.
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