4 Tips to Help You Spot Duct Cleaning Scams

Almost anyone can purchase an industrial shop vac and other important-looking equipment, advertise duct cleaning services and attract unsuspecting homeowners into duct cleaning scams. Typically, these faux professionals will make unfulfilled promises, provide seemingly great discounts, falsely find serious duct issues, and convince you that they can fix everything.

Because Wilmington and the surrounding areas, including Claymont, Hockessin, Montchanin, Rockland, and Yorkland, are in the middle of summer, keeping ducts cleaned for efficient operation is vital. And that’s when you’ll have fake duct cleaning specialists come out in droves.

We want to keep you in the know so you can spot a duct cleaning scam as soon as you see it and save yourself (and friends and family) time, money, and frustration.

Tip #1: Duct Cleaning Scammers Will Claim Specific Certifications

Nowadays, anyone can claim to have a license or certification in air duct cleaning. And many people who feel like they’re in desperate need of healthy air ducts won’t always double-check credentials. This is a mistake the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) says you can’t afford to make.

Never take the word of someone you don’t know; contact the association or search their directory to confirm membership before proceeding with ductwork services. Now, not every legitimate duct cleaning company will be a NADCA member. However, if they do claim membership, conduct your own research for peace of mind.

Tip #2: Duct Cleaning Scammers Typically Offer Extremely Low Discounts (For a Reason)

Duct cleaning will typically run you, at most, $1,800, depending on your home’s square footage. That might sound like a lot, but prices certainly vary, and you can speak to a professional about an estimate beforehand. After all, everyone loves saving money! We’re definitely proponents of helping Claymont, Hockessin, Montchanin, Rockland, and Yorkland homeowners save money with great discounts. Unfortunately, so do scammers who can tack on extra services like mold remediation, knowing you’ll think you’re getting a great deal. Worse, there’s likely no problem with your ducts or any indication of mold, and the duct cleaning scammer is hoping fear will cause you to waste your money on unnecessary services.

Any legitimate professional will show you the actual problem before writing up an estimate for supposed repairs. It’s okay to ask your duct cleaning technician to directly show you the problem or provide pictures of their findings. Our advice is don’t make any hasty decisions without seeing the evidence first.

Tip #3: Duct Cleaning Won’t Immediately Improve Indoor Air Quality or Stop Health Issues

Healthy air ducts help reduce health issues, but it certainly isn’t a guarantee. According to the EPA, duct cleaning hasn’t been definitively proven to prevent health problems. Still, many duct cleaning con artists allege their services can clear up any lingering health problems and allergies and quickly improve indoor air quality. Don’t be fooled by these false claims.

Pollutants that cause respiratory issues can enter your home from even the simplest household tasks, so simply cleaning your air ducts may not be enough to eliminate contaminants completely. That being said, you should have your ducts cleaned every 3 to 5 years to ensure they remain efficient and operational long-term.

Tip #4: Duct Cleaning Should Take Longer than an Hour

Providing you with healthy air ducts doesn’t mean cutting corners for expediency. A well-respected and legitimate duct cleaning specialist should take their time to evaluate, communicate their findings, and estimate cleaning expenses. If someone claims to work thoroughly but only takes 30 minutes to an hour to perform service, this is a red flag. Most duct cleaning takes at least 2 hours to complete with the necessary preparation and cleaning the compartment blower, duct system, and return vents. We can guarantee that if your duct service is less than an hour, your ducts weren’t cleaned properly or at all.

Aire Serv of Wilmington Has Honest & Thorough Duct Cleaning Services

Inexpensive and inexperienced duct cleaners will make promises all day long that sound amazing but end up costing you more in the long run. Our duct cleaning professionals provide competitively priced and comprehensive duct support to Wilmington, Claymont, Hockessin, Montchanin, Rockland, and Yorkland. You can count on our team to keep you in the loop about what we discover and work with your budget instead of relying heavily on discounts (though we do have special offers).

Allow our technicians to clean your ducts to potentially improve indoor air quality and make your home comfier for everyone. Call or request service today!