Cities We Serve
Austin Area:
San Antonio Area:
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In-Duct Air Scrubbers
What a Filter Cannot Do, a Scrubber Does
A filter is a net. It catches what is big enough to get caught and lets the rest through, and it does nothing at all about smell. That is why a house with a good filter can still hold onto last night’s fish, the wet-dog smell after a storm, or the smoke that drifted in during a burn ban. An air scrubber goes after what the net misses.
Installed in the supply plenum or the ductwork near the air handler, the scrubber treats the air stream as it passes. Depending on the unit, that means charging fine particles so they clump and get caught by the filter on the next pass, or breaking down odor and smoke compounds in the air rather than just moving them around. It works quietly every time the blower runs, with nothing on the floor and nothing to remember except a periodic check of the cell or bulb.
We are not in the business of selling gadgets. If what you need is a better filter or sealed ducts, we will say so. If the problem is odors, smoke or the fine dust that comes back after every cleaning, a scrubber is the right tool, and we will size it to your air handler and price it in writing under the Home Comfort Guarantee.
- Whole-house coverage Every room the ductwork reaches gets treated air. No unit to move from bedroom to kitchen.
- Silent and out of sight It lives in the duct or at the air handler. You will not hear it or trip over it.
- Recommended only when it fits We check the ducts and the filter first. A scrubber on a leaky system is money spent in the wrong place.
Who Needs One
Problems a Scrubber Is Built For
These are the complaints a filter change did not fix.
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Cooking and pet odors that linger
A filter has no effect on smell. A scrubber treats odor compounds in the air stream instead of recirculating them.
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Smoke from outside gets in
Brush fires, a neighbor’s burn pile, a barbecue joint down the road. Fine smoke particles slip through most filters.
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Fine dust that beats the filter
The film on the TV that is back by morning is the smallest particulate. Charging it helps the filter catch it.
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A tightly built newer home
New construction in Austin and San Antonio holds air well, which also means it holds onto whatever is in that air.
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A smell that came with the house
Previous owners smoked, or the pets were many. Cleaning helps; ongoing treatment keeps it from creeping back.
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You are done with portable units
Three plug-in purifiers, three sets of filters to buy, and the hallway still smells. One in-duct unit replaces them all.
What We Install
Scrubbers Matched to the Problem and the System
Different units do different things. The right one depends on what is in your air.
- Particle-charging units Give fine particles a charge so they cluster and get trapped by the filter on the next pass. Good for dust and pollen that slips through.
- Odor and smoke treatment Units that act on odor compounds and smoke in the air stream rather than just filtering. The choice for lingering smells.
- Sizing to the air handler A scrubber rated for a small system does little on a large one. We match capacity to your blower and duct layout.
- Wired to run with the blower Installed so it operates whenever the system moves air, and only then. No wasted run time.
- Paired with the right filter A scrubber and a good media filter cover both the big and the small stuff. We set up both.
- Service and cell replacement Scrubber cells and bulbs wear out on a schedule. We check them at Care Club tune-ups and replace them when due.
How It Works
Installing an Air Scrubber
A half-day job in most homes, with the system back on before we leave.
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Talk about the problem
Odors, smoke, fine dust, all three. What you want fixed decides which unit fits.
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Check the system
Ducts, filter and air handler. If something upstream needs fixing first, you hear it now, not after the install.
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Mount and wire
The unit goes into the plenum or duct at the air handler and is wired to run with the blower.
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Run and explain
We start the system, confirm the scrubber is operating, and show you what to check and when.
Current Specials
Save on the work your home needs most.
Still Smelling Yesterday’s Dinner?
Get a written quote on an in-duct air scrubber for your Austin or San Antonio home. No pressure, no surprise fees.
What Our Customers Say
Don't just take our word for it — hear from our satisfied customers
★★★★★
Our 18 year old HVAC system finally gave out this past week, so we reached out to Radiant to see what could be done. They sent a tech out named Bryan the same day, and he did a great job looking over the entire HVAC system. He was friendly and helpful in explaining everything that he saw, and our options moving forward. We decided to replace the entire system, so we met with Jacob (same day thankfully) to find the best HVAC system for our needs. Jacob was friendly, professional, and did a great job explaining the different options on offer. Radiant was able to set-up next day install, which was much appreciated, because the temps were still going to be cold in the coming days.
The install team consisted of Carlos and Pablo, who were very courteous and professional, and were kind enough to answer any questions I had regarding the install. They did a great job installing our new HVAC system, and were tidy which is always appreciated! Before they left, they explained everything that had been done, and showed me photos of the work.
Our entire experience from start to finish was great. I appreciate that they send photos of who is coming to your home too. Friendly, kind, professional team members, and good work all the way around. Thanks Radiant!
The install team consisted of Carlos and Pablo, who were very courteous and professional, and were kind enough to answer any questions I had regarding the install. They did a great job installing our new HVAC system, and were tidy which is always appreciated! Before they left, they explained everything that had been done, and showed me photos of the work.
Our entire experience from start to finish was great. I appreciate that they send photos of who is coming to your home too. Friendly, kind, professional team members, and good work all the way around. Thanks Radiant!
★★★★★
This is the first time I’ve used radiant my neighbor recommended them…. I called them today and they set me up an appointment on the same day. I was totally shocked at that and the service call was only $39!!…. Highly recommend them Danielle showed up and he was a great guy and he put up with all my wishy-washiness and I had to hurry him because I was heading to church and he got caught in a lot of traffic getting here he even would’ve installed the part that broke but I Didn’t have the time tonight….. He was patient with me and just told me to call the office first thing in the morning and get a service call set up…. Thank you so much Radiant!!….
With another cold front coming in tomorrow now I just hope they can get me scheduled for a separate call tomorrow but I have a feeling they will. They are such a great company!!😊😊
With another cold front coming in tomorrow now I just hope they can get me scheduled for a separate call tomorrow but I have a feeling they will. They are such a great company!!😊😊
★★★★★
Alex performed the winter service on my unit. This business along with Alex, are very professional and upfront about everything. To be transparent, this is the maintenance included with the purchase of a unit from them. I was informed about everything to include pictures as proof. I was told that my unit is 100% and very clean and again pictures to prove it. I was reccomended this business by a friend and glad he did. The initial purchase experience was also amazing. I had contacted 5 other businesses to get quotes about a new unit as my upstairs unit failed. 2 were outrageous quotes and I am technically still waiting on the other 3. On every instance of getting a quote, I waited about 1 week. Luckily my house has two units but still, un acceptable especially during the summer. I guess they all had so much business they did not care for mine. When I called this business not only did they come out the same day, I had the new unit installed with in 48 hrs. Oh and let's not forget the quote they gave me was the lowest of all. I can say enough good things about this business. Keep up the great work.
Maintenance Membership
Join the Care Club
Home maintenance for $9.99 a month.
Care Club members get two HVAC tune-ups and a plumbing safety inspection every year, priority scheduling, no dispatch fees — ever — and 5% off every repair.
- Priority scheduling
- Seasonal HVAC tune-ups
- Annual safety inspection
- Exclusive member discounts
- Free dispatch on repairs
- No long-term contracts
Air Scrubber Questions
What is the difference between an air scrubber and an air filter?
A filter is passive: air passes through media and particles larger than the openings get stuck. It handles dust, pollen and dander well and does nothing about odors or the finest particles. An air scrubber is active: it treats the air stream as it passes, either by charging fine particles so they clump and get caught downstream, or by acting on odor and smoke compounds directly. The two work together. The filter does the bulk work and protects the scrubber; the scrubber handles what the filter misses. In most homes we would install a good media filter before a scrubber, and add the scrubber when odors or fine particulate are the remaining complaint.
Will an air scrubber get rid of cooking and pet smells?
That is the job it is best at. Odors are gases and very fine particles, not the kind of thing a filter can hold. A scrubber designed for odor treatment acts on those compounds in the air stream every time the blower runs, so the smell of last night’s dinner or a wet dog does not settle in for the week. It is not instant; the system has to cycle the house air through several times, so a strong odor fades over hours rather than minutes. It also cannot fix a source that keeps producing, like a litter box that needs changing or a drain that needs clearing. We will tell you honestly which kind of smell you have.
Does an air scrubber need maintenance?
Some, and it is simple. Depending on the unit, there is a cell that needs periodic cleaning or a bulb or cartridge that needs replacing on a schedule, typically measured in years rather than months. The manufacturer sets the interval, and we write it on the unit and tell you at the install. If you are a Care Club member, our technician checks the scrubber at each of the two annual HVAC tune-ups and replaces what is due, so you do not have to track it. A scrubber whose cell is spent looks like it is working and is not, which is why the check matters.
Is an in-duct scrubber noisy or visible in the house?
No to both. The unit mounts inside the supply plenum or on the ductwork next to the air handler, which in most Central Texas homes is in the attic or a utility closet. From inside the house you see nothing new and hear nothing beyond the blower you already hear. There is no unit on the floor, no cord across the room and no plug-in filters to buy every month. That is the main practical advantage over portable purifiers, along with the fact that it treats the whole house instead of the twelve feet around a single unit.
*Offers cannot be combined with other promotions or applied to dispatch fees. No cash value. Must present offer at time of service. Call for details.
