Duct cleaning in itself is considered a necessary service for homes and offices. It improves air quality, controls allergens, and avoids the spread of infection. However, it is not free of con artists or the typical scam. Yes, rising trends have convinced a lot of homeowners that they need to clean out their air ducts regularly.
But anyone convincing you to hire duct cleaners every month should be looked into. As with every new fad, the scams are not far behind.
The protection you can have from being conned is to be well informed and know what it takes to really get your ducts spotlessly clean.
Here are some pointers to look out for next time you want to hire a duct cleaning company.
References and credible reviews
Any credible company should have good references and client reviews to back them up. A good heating ac duct cleaning job is quite costly. It’s worth spending time to call up some people who have worked with that company before hiring them.
Work estimates
A well grounded company should have the confidence and integrity to give you a quotation and should not charge you for it. They should also stand by their estimate and not add any hidden costs after you hire them.
Make sure you get two or three industry estimates before you commit to any company.
Certification
Find out the national and regional authority that certifies and licenses duct cleaning companies in your town, and check in with them. Make sure your duct cleaners they have the right documentation and insurance to carry out the job in your area.
A lot of scam artists cannot go to the trouble to falsify documents from the relevant authorities, so they prey on people who don’t ask for credentials.
Check the Results
Insist that you will need them to show you the state of the ducts before they begin and after they finish the work, as a condition of payment. You can do this in person or use remote cameras.
Make sure to be attentive, because supply ducts are much cleaner than return ducts, so a good con artist could use this against you. They could photograph or shoot different ducts for the “before and after” pictures if you are not careful.
Mould Scam
A lot of scam artists offer you a great deal to clean your ducts. But when they come to your house, they miraculously ‘find’ mould, which pushes the price way up.
There have been cases of con artists bringing their own mould and pretending to find it in your ducts. Pre-cleaning quotations can help, so invite different companies for on-site visits and estimates.
Also take the mould samples for independent testing. It will save you a lot of money if you discover the sample is a fake.
Scam artists are always looking for new ways to con people. The best thing you can do is find out as much as you can about air duct cleaning. Research any company offering the service before you hire them and you’ll save yourself a lot of time and money.