As a homeowner, it’s safe to say that you’re probably preoccupied with protecting your wallet.
While you might not mind investing in legitimate services that help protect your household, the story is different when it comes to scams. While it’s hard to say how many of us fall prey to financial cons, many of us find it hard to say no to a good deal—which is why consumers worldwide lose billions of dollars to scams each year.
When it comes to residential air duct cleaning, however, you may be on the fence. Businesses who provide this service claim it offers a huge range of benefits to your home—but how can you tell whether or not this is the truth?
If you’re not sure whether or not you should part with your hard-earned cash over this service, here’s what you should know.
Is Residential Air Duct Cleaning Really a Rip-Off?
The short answer to this question is “no.” However, you’ll want to do your due diligence before investing in the service.
As the name suggests, air duct cleaning involves using specialized tools to clean the air ducts in your home. This can help remove any build-up substances within them, allowing the air to circulate from room to room more easily.
In other words, residential air duct cleaning isn’t a scam, though you’ll want to make sure your home actually needs the service before you invest your money in it. There are a few situations where you may want to consider getting a professional cleaning done:
- Your vents and registers are covered in a thick layer of dust
- Your home itself seems dustier than usual
- Your HVAC system has been struggling to keep up with your family’s needs
- Your energy bills are higher than normal
- You or someone in your family has had worse allergy sensitivities than usual
- You or someone in your family has had more respiratory issues than usual
- You have a pet that sheds
- Someone in your household smokes
- You’ve noticed evidence of mold growth in your ducts
- Recent renovations or remodeling left dust everywhere
If you’re not sure whether or not you need this service, checking in with your usual HVAC technician is a good place to start. These experts can help you decide whether or not it’s a good idea to partner with a specialist for a deep cleaning.
What Are the Benefits of Air Duct Cleaning?
For most homeowners, the main benefit of duct cleaning is the improvement in indoor air quality.
Because your ducts circulate all air within your home, it’s crucial to ensure that they’re clean so that the air you breathe will be clean in turn! Air duct cleaning can help remove mold, dust, pet dander, and even household pests that have made their way into your vents. This means cleaner air for everyone in your home, which can be crucial if your household includes older adults, younger children, or anyone with respiratory sensitivities.
In addition, air duct cleaning can make a major difference in your bottom line. Dirty air ducts make your HVAC system work harder to move the air throughout your home, driving your energy bills up and shortening the life of your unit. Air duct cleaning increases the effectiveness of your air conditioner overall, which can be great for your wallet in the long-term.
How Are Residential Air Ducts Cleaned?
As noted above, cleaning residential air ducts involves a spectrum of special tools to do the job.
A common residential air duct cleaning method is to use a HEPA-filtered vacuum to clean your ductwork, vents, and registers. In addition, experts will also use specialized blowers that send compressed air throughout your ducts, dislodging any contaminants or dust. They may also use brushes to clean your vents as a final touch.
A good cleaning service, like the team at DUCTZ Air Duct Cleaning, will also show you in-duct before and after photos so you can see the difference for yourself!
How Do You Find Quality Air Duct Cleaning Services?
The truth is that while air duct cleaning itself isn’t a scam, there are plenty of companies willing to claim they offer air duct cleaning without doing a thorough job of it. If you’re worried about falling prey to a local scam artist, it’s a good idea to consider a few factors as you look for an experienced team.
Look for Certifications
Any company willing to invest time and effort in certifications is well worth the cost. When it comes to air duct cleaning, you’ll want to find a business that has a National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) certification, as this association sets the industry standards.
Check for Checklists
Cleaning air ducts can be a surprisingly detailed job, which is why any company you partner with should have a standard checklist. In the best-case scenario, they’ll follow the EPA’s Post-Cleaning Consumer Duct Cleaning Checklist.
Up-Front Pricing
Businesses that rely on gimmicks—like sales ads with deep discounts that sound too good to be true—should be avoided. Instead, look for companies that are clear about their pricing per job up front.
Ask for Evidence
If you’re considering a particular company, don’t forget to ask for references. Call around to see whether or not they’ve satisfied past customers, and check with the business to see if they can show you before and after photos from homes they’ve worked on in the past.
Freshen the Air in Your Home Today
If you’ve been struggling with dust, mold, health problems, or other related issues, it may be time to invest in residential air duct cleaning. While this isn’t a service you’ll need often, it can be helpful to have a professional perform a deep cleaning when you need one. Don’t hesitate to ask around for recommendations, and be sure to reach out to the businesses in question to decide whether they offer reliable service!
Looking for more guides to help you make the most of your home and health? Our other posts are full of tips like these, so be sure to check them out for more info.
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