FIVE MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN CHOOSING AN AIR DUCT CLEANER

MISTAKE # 1:

Choosing an air duct cleaner based on equipment alone.
No question, your air duct cleaner needs first-rate equipment. But he also needs something else. He needs employees who are skilled at operating that equipment. Many companies own the right tools, but very few companies teach their employees how to use them properly.

MISTAKE # 2:

Choosing an air duct cleaner based on low price.

Low price could be a problem in three ways:

• Low price can be the bait that attracts your phone call. But once the cleaner gets into your home, he pressures you into a much more expensive job.
• Low price can be for a partial job or only an encapsulate application. Rarely does the consumer know that this means, and when told, asks for a more complete cleaning and/or other services which result in a much more expensive job.
• Low price could mean the air duct cleaner has cheap equipment or untrained personnel which will not effectively clean your air ducts, Low Powered Electric Shop-Vac style equipment.

MISTAKE # 3:

Choosing an air duct cleaner based on a single telephone call. Ask questions, check out reviews on Google or Nextdoor. Then you'll know exactly what the air duct cleaner recommends--and you won't be the victim of high pressure tactics when the technician steps into your living room.

MISTAKE # 4:

Choosing an air duct cleaner who doesn't offer a FULL money-back guarantee. In my view, every air duct cleaning company should be fully accountable for its work. And if you aren't pleased with the job in every way, you shouldn't have to pay for it. Period. Ask the air duct cleaner if he offers a money-back guarantee and then make sure the air duct cleaner includes his guarantee on his written invoice.

MISTAKE # 5:

Choosing an air duct cleaner without getting comments from his other clients. Any air duct cleaner can say anything about his past jobs. And sadly, some of what he says may not be true. Make sure you ask for references or read comments from current customers, check them out on Google reviews or Nextdoor revieww, so you can depend on the air duct cleaner and his work.

FOUR COSTLY MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT AIR DUCT CLEANING

MISCONCEPTION # 1:

My air doesn't smell bad, so my air ducts don't need to be cleaned.

False. Although many odors can be traced back to the air system and require a thorough cleaning to eliminate them, not all mold, mildew, or bacterial contamination will produce a noticeable odor. As a matter of fact, this is a simple explanation for the term “sick building syndrome”. Many buildings, homes and offices are air tight to improve efficiency of the air cooling and heating system. Only a small amount of outside air is circulated into the room, which means that the occupants end up breathing stale air.
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ranked poor indoor air quality as one of the highest risks to human health among all types of environmental problems. According to studies conducted by the EPA and others, the average measured levels of many hazardous pollutants may be as much as 100 times higher in indoor air than in the air outside. The World Health Organization has estimated that 30% of tall

buildings experience indoor air quality problems. According to the highly respected Journal of the American Medical Association: "the risk of respiratory infection is 45% higher among occupants of energy efficient buildings".

MISCONCEPTION # 2:

The only reason to clean air ducts is to get the dirt out and keep my home or office cleaner.
 
Not True! Indoor air contaminants include: fibers and chemicals from carpeting and fabrics, formaldehyde and other chemicals from furniture, vapors from cleaning and copier chemicals, dust mites, and hair, dander, and germs from occupants and pets. The combined effects of these pollutants can be significant, especially on those suffering from allergies, asthma, or other respiratory ailments. So, getting ALL of the contaminants out for that reason alone is pretty important. There is another. All of the contaminants provide a rich breeding ground for mold, mildew, and bacteria. Further, the particles get into moving components, which can cause physical damage to the system over time. Cleaning the entire system will result in a more efficient one that can actually end up saving you money. Oh, yes . . . and your home will be cleaner, too.

MISCONCEPTION # 3:

Having the right equipment is all a company needs to clean my air ducts properly.

Absolutely False. Many companies own duct cleaning equipment--but a large number of employees don't know how to use it. You probably know someone who bought the newest computer on the market, but didn't learn how to use it for a year or more. The same is true of duct cleaning equipment.

MISCONCEPTION # 4:

The company that offers the lowest price is the company I should hire.

Maybe-- --but not always. Here are some points to consider...

The price you see offered may not be for the services you want performed. If you want a complete, professional cleaning of your air duct system, the air duct cleaner should perform all of the following:

• Open access ports or doors to allow the entire system to be inspected.
• Inspect the system before cleaning to be sure that there are no asbestos-containing materials which requires specialized procedures performed by a specially trained and equipped contractor.
• Use vacuums that exhaust to the outside, or only HEPA, high efficiency particle air vacuums, if they exhaust indoors.
• Protect you, your family, your pets, your carpet and furnishings during the cleaning process.
• Use specialized equipment for dislodging foreign matter from duct surfaces and high power vacuums to remove it.
• Protect duct integrity, including re-insulating and re-sealing any access holes.

“Don’t be fooled by the Low-Priced, Low-Powered, Electric Shop Vac-style Duct only Cleaners.”