Questions To Ask Before Hiring a Duct Cleaner
What Should I Ask Before Hiring a Duct Cleaning Service?
Cleaning and maintaining your air duct system is essential to ensuring your home environment is safe and healthy. Most homeowners want their HVAC systems to be energy efficient, and a clean ductwork system is one way to ensure both efficiency and indoor air quality.
Regular ductwork cleaning removes dust, debris, and allergens from your HVAC system, preventing these toxins from circulating throughout your home. How often you clean your ductwork depends largely on your situation. Are there pets in the home? Does anyone smoke? Are there some family members with respiratory concerns that you need to be mindful of? Answering these questions will give you a better idea of how often ductwork should be cleaned, as well as how often it should be inspected and maintained to ensure that your system stays in good working condition.
The Importance of Ductwork Care and Maintenance
The primary function of your HVAC system is to circulate regulated (heated and cooled) air throughout your home. This circulation makes the interior temperatures of your home comfortable, regardless of seasonal changes.
When your indoor air quality is low, either due to a dirty air filter or clogged ductwork, it can affect the physical and even emotional health of your loved ones. Here a few of the reasons to consider regular cleaning and maintenance of your ductwork.
Cleaner Home
Cleaning your ductwork provides you with a cleaner home. Indoor air quality is improved as your freshly cleaned ducts are able to circulate air freely to rooms in your residence. Dirty ducts cause circulated air to become saturated with pollutants such as pollen, dust, allergens, mold, and mildew. Some of these pollutants are detrimental to your health, particularly if you incur long-term exposure to them.
Happier HVAC System
Statistics show that nine out of ten HVAC systems break down prematurely due to poor maintenance and care. Dirty air ducts contribute to this premature breakdown, as your unit has to work harder to circulate air through partially obstructed passageways. Increase the longevity and efficiency of your whole system by cleaning your ductwork regularly.
Reducing Allergen Risks
Air ducts can be pathways for harmful contaminants and bacteria to enter your home. This contaminated air keeps continuously circulating through your rooms, leading to allergic reactions and health issues for your loved ones. Those with allergies or respiratory concerns are significantly more affected when dirty ductwork is not properly cleaned and maintained.
Odor-Free Living
Messy ductwork contributes to musty, stale odors in rooms throughout your home. Even the use of strong candles and air fresheners won’t be able to completely cover this odor, as it is continuously circulating through your ductwork. Breathe fresher air as you commit to a regular cleaning schedule that prevents the buildup of dirt, dust, and mold.
Reduction in Energy Costs
An efficient HVAC system is going to have many benefits for you, including a significant reduction in your energy usage and costs. Keeping your unit clean and well maintained has financial benefits that will show up on your monthly energy bill.
Hiring a Ductwork Professional
When hiring a ductwork professional to clean and maintain your system, it is essential that you know a bit about what you are getting into. While there are reputable, reliable contractors dedicated to providing their customers with quality services, there are also others who will deliver substandard service at prices that are simply too high for what you’re getting. Asking the right questions before service will point you in the right direction and identify the right person for the job. Here are a few of the questions you’ll need answered as you schedule this important work.
How Long Have You Been In Business?
The length of time that a company has been in business says. much about how they conduct relationships with valued clients. A start-up company may not have the type of experience that you are looking for to get the job done correctly. Companies that have been in business for two years or more are likely to have built the knowledge, experience, and customer base needed to prove their proficiency.
May I See References?
It is always a good idea to ask contractors for references, especially when they are setting foot inside your home. A reputable contractor will be more than willing to provide them, and they will likely point you to customer reviews and third-party sites that evaluate businesses objectively. Steer clear of any contractor that hems and haws about references or customer experience; they may be hiding something that they don’t want you to see.
Do You Have Liability Insurance?
If your home is damaged, or if a technician gets injured on your property, you don’t want to be left with a hefty bill. The right duct cleaning company will have proof of liability insurance, and they will provide you with it upon request. Don’t risk your home and savings by hiring a company that isn’t prepared to protect their employees and valued customers.
Will the Quoted Price Be My Actual Price?
The duct cleaning field has become overrun with companies attempting to use bait-and-switch tactics on their customers. Some companies advertise an extremely low initial quote to get in the door and then upsell a customer by creating a laundry list of issues and problems they “discover” within the system. Don’t fall for these rock bottom prices; be prepared to pay a reasonable and standard price based upon your system size and your home’s layout. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
What Safety Guidelines Do You Follow?
The NADCA and the EPA both have guidelines for safety when cleaning air ducts. Meeting strict requirements for membership means that a company adheres to these safety guidelines, protecting both employees and customers from harm.
Do You Use Chemicals?
The whole point of having ductwork cleaned is to help protect your family from toxic, harmful substances. The last thing you should be doing is adding additional chemicals and aerosols to your system. If a chemical cleaning is required, your contractor should disclose procedure details as well as a recommended safety protocol so that work can be completed safely and with minimal impact to you and your family.
Will You Clean the Entire System?
Some duct cleaning services only clean a portion of your ductwork. Be clear about your expectations, and if you wish to have a thorough cleaning, look for a company that supplies whole-house guarantees that include the furnace and air conditioner as well as supply and return ducts. A partially clean system will still circulate dirty air, so make sure you know what you are paying for.
Will You Provide Visual Proof of Work Completed?
It is extremely risky to take someone else’s word for it that your duct system is actually clean. Protect your home by selecting a company that provides before and after images of your house system. If a company is hesitant to provide this proof, move on to one that will.
You Deserve the Best
Keeping your home comfortable, safe, and clean is our top priority as we serve our valued customers in Macomb country and beyond. Our crew at C & C Heating & Air Conditioning has hundreds of satisfied clients across the Detroit Metro area, and they attest to our exceptional technicians providing exceptional services. For heating, cooling, and indoor air quality installation, maintenance, and repair as well as ductwork cleaning, you’ve come to the right place. Contact us at C & C Heating & Air Conditioning today.
