How to Hire an Air Duct Cleaning Service
Decide if You Need Air Duct Cleaning
Most experts recommend that air duct cleaning be done every three to five years. This is done to prevent allergens, dust and even mold from accumulating and growing in your house. It can prevent future problems and make your home a more friendly environment. However, there are cases where it may need to be done earlier. In some areas with high allergy counts, you may find that your air duct system will need to be cleaned sooner. If you got air duct cleaning recently but still notice that you have allergy symptoms or that the air filters are dirty, the provider may have not done a well enough job and you should seek out another one. You can check if cleaners provide free estimates to see if they need to be cleaned as well. In most cases, you may not know when they need to be cleaned until symptoms appear.
Find a Certified Professional
There are many ways to find a certified air duct cleaning professional. Most air duct cleaning providers in the United States must have National Air Duct Cleaning Association (NADCA) accreditation. When shopping for a professional, check to see if they have this accreditation. Another way to find a certified professional is to get a written estimate. A professional air duct cleaner will tell you exactly what will be done during their service and what areas will be cleaned. The Better Business Bureau often recommends getting several quotes from providers as many offer free or nominally priced quotes to compare prices and providers.
Avoid Scammers
Unfortunately, there are a lot of scammers in the air duct cleaning industry. Many cleaners will pretend to clean your air ducts but just clean them at a surface level. Then, they will take your money and go. This is a real problem in the industry. While this may take away some of your issues short term, only a deep professional clean will make the benefits last several years. One of the best ways to find a professional air duct cleaner is to use friends and family for referrals and check online reviews. Checking if the provider offers a warranty is also helpful.
Get a Second Opinion if Desired
A reputable contractor will not mind you getting several estimates before going through with service. Prices in this industry vary greatly, so a second opinion is always a smart idea. While going through the process of cleaning your air ducts, these professionals will also inspect your system and check for structural damages and mold. If any provider tries to upsell, it’s perfectly fine to get a second opinion to see if that treatment is needed. Getting a second opinion will also help you get the cheapest cost to repair. If you find that the cleaner is heavily pushing you to get something done right away, a second opinion could save you hundreds of dollars.
Inspect After a Cleaning
Once you go through with getting your air ducts cleaned you will need to double check that the provider did their job. One way to check is to ask the provider to show you what they did during the service. A reputable provider will be able to walk you through the steps they took to clean your air ducts. You can also inspect them yourself to see if they look like they have been cleaned. If a provider said that there was mold removed, check the location of the mold to be sure that it’s gone. Lastly, keep all of the warranty information just in case something goes wrong at a later date.
