Duct cleaning gets a bad rap – but it’s not a scam (as long as you work with professionals!). Duct cleaning is actually a great way to keep your HVAC systems working smoothly and efficiently. It can also help eliminate common allergens and irritants from your home. Learn more about duct cleaning below:
1. How To Avoid Duct Cleaning Scams
2. Is Duct Cleaning Worth it?
3. Duct Cleaning FAQ
At Service 1st, we offer professional duct cleaning services for homeowners in the Cambridge area. We have over 30 years of experience working with HVAC systems, and we know how to thoroughly and effectively clean your ducts to make a difference in your home. Get in touch with us today.
How To Avoid Duct Cleaning Scams
We’ve all been there – you pick up the phone and someone on the other end asks if you need your ducts cleaned. You may have fallen victim to a duct-cleaning scam in the past, or you may have been warned about them from friends or neighbours.
After a while, you may start to think that all duct cleaning is a scam! However, this is not the case. Unfortunately, there has been a history of duct cleaning scam calls and businesses. But duct cleaning itself is not a scam, it’s actually a very important part of maintaining your HVAC (heating and cooling) systems in your home.
Because duct cleaning scams are still prevalent, it’s important to find a reputable, professional company to perform duct cleaning for you when you are ready to get it done. Here are some tips for avoiding scam calls and businesses.
Find a Duct Cleaning Company Yourself
A quick Google search can help get you started
Instead of waiting around for someone to call you, simply find a duct cleaning company on your own. The best way to do this is to simply type in “duct cleaning [your location]” into Google or another search engine.
You will be met with hundreds of results, but don’t feel overwhelmed. Google is usually pretty good at suggesting reputable companies to you – but not always. Sometimes, fraudulent businesses or scam pages could appear on your search results, so don’t just go with the first company you see.
Check out the suggestions in the section below to learn more about finding a reputable business – whether you searched for one yourself, or are considering working with a company that cold-called you.
Read Online Reviews
If someone cold calls you asking if you need your ducts cleaned, it makes sense to feel skeptical. If you think the person on the other end is reputable, ask for their name and business. Instead of signing up for any ‘deals’ or services, tell them that you will call them back. Then, do your research.
This next step is important for both companies you’ve heard of (either from a phone call or through a friend) or if you are simply looking up local companies yourself. Spending 15-20 minutes online can tell you a lot about a company. Simply go to Google and type in the name of the business you are interested in working with. Then, do the following things:
- Read their Google reviews: Google reviews are an amazing way to learn more about a business. See how many reviews a business has. Check out how many stars they’ve been rated. Take the time to read through the highest and lowest reviews. Remember, the quality of reviews matter too, not just the star rating. A company with a perfect 5-star rating but only has 3 reviews may not be as reputable as a company with a 4.8 star rating but has over 100 reviews.
- Check out other review sites: Sites such as Facebook, HomeStars, and Yellowpages will often have reviews listed. Read as many reviews as you can on a variety of sites. If the consensus among multiple websites is that the company is legitimate, you can probably rest assured that you are working with a real, professional company.
- Check out testimonials on their website: Once you’ve found their website, see if they have any testimonials listed. Their website can also tell you a lot about who they are as a business (more on that below!)
Check Out Their Website and/or Visit In-Person
A professional company will be happy for you to meet their staff
A company’s website is a great way to learn more about who they are and what they do. If you find an HVAC company you would like to work with, first make sure that they offer duct cleaning services! If they do, don’t close their website.
Read a few of their pages. Check out the pictures. Do you see images of real people and staff from their business? A scam website wouldn’t want to showcase any of their workers! But a reputable, professional business will be happy to let you find out more about who you’ll be working with.
You can also call the company to see if they have a showroom or store where you can actually go in-person and visit. A scam company won’t have a legitimate store for you to visit, but a real business will be happy to let you visit their store if they have one. If they don’t have a store, see if you can book a phone call to talk more about their services, what they offer, and how payment works.
Make sure that you are clear on their pricing system, as duct cleaning scams often involve unknown ‘add-ons’ that occur without your knowledge, but you will still get charged with it after the duct cleaning is complete!
Is Duct Cleaning Worth It?
Because of the prevalence of duct cleaning scams, a lot of homeowners don’t really know what duct cleaning is and why anyone would choose to get it done. Duct cleaning, when done by a reputable company, is very much worth it.
So, first off, what exactly is duct cleaning? In your home, you have a system of ducts running all throughout the house. Your ductwork helps carry hot air from your furnace to each room and area of your home, as well as cold air from your air conditioner. Over time, dust, debris, and even moisture can begin to build up in your ductwork. If you have pets, pet hair and dander can start to fill up your ducts.
Your ducts are mostly hidden in your home – so you can’t really see them. We commonly say, “if your ducts were made of glass, you would get them cleaned more often!” Just because you can’t see the dirt, dust, cobwebs and other no-so-great stuff that’s lurking in your ducts doesn’t mean that it’s not there.
Cleaning your ducts both improves the air quality of your home and the efficiency of your HVAC systems.
Duct Cleaning Improves Air Quality
Duct cleaning helps remove build-up from cooking oils, pet fur, and more
If your ducts haven’t been cleaned in a while, you might be surprised to learn what is hanging out down there. As you turn on your furnace or AC, air is moved through your ducts and circulates in your home. However, all that unseen mold, dust, allergens, and even common household pollutants also gets circulated throughout your home too.
When you clean your ducts, you improve air quality by:
- Removing films and build-up caused by cooking oils
- Removing mold and mold spores
- Removing dust and other common allergens
- Removing build-up caused by smoke, or soot from candles or fireplaces
Duct Cleaning Improves HVAC Efficiency
Your furnace, air conditioner and other components of your HVAC system are all intricately connected. While most homeowners don’t really think about their ductwork, it’s a very important part of keeping your home cool or warm when you need it! Duct cleaning helps to remove any debris and build-up that could cause blockages.
Keeping your ductwork clean and clear means that your furnace and AC won’t have to run harder than necessary to heat up or cool down your home. This not only means more comfort for you and your family, but also that you won’t have to pay more than really needed on your energy bills.
Duct Cleaning: FAQ
Check out our duct cleaning FAQ below to learn more about some frequently asked questions that homeowners often have before they book a duct cleaning session. If you still have questions, reach out to us at Service 1st. When you give us a call, you’ll get to speak right away with one of our staff, who would be happy to answer any questions you may have about duct cleaning and other HVAC services.
Duct Cleaning Helps You Breathe Easier!
At Service 1st, we have over 30 years of experience and a reputation of excellence in the Cambridge area. We offer quality duct cleaning services to help you and your family breathe easier. Duct cleaning offers a wide range of benefits for you and your family, including:
✓ Improved HVAC Efficiency
✓ Improves Indoor Air Quality & Smell
✓ Removes Allergens, Dust, and Mold
✓ Removes Pet Hair & Dander
✓ And Much More!
For The Best Duct Cleaning Cambridge Has To Offer, Rely On The Experts at Service 1st
You can rely on our experience and expertise at Service 1st. We provide thorough, high-quality duct cleaning services as well as a wide range of other HVAC services that homeowners can count on.
We have been serving homeowners in Cambridge and the surrounding areas for over 30 years and have a proven record of excellence. Whether it’s time to get your ducts cleaned, need a service call, or are looking to replace your air conditioner or furnace and want to learn more, we can help.
We are a locally owned and operated business that prides itself on the highest quality work and installation of the highest quality products. We have received the prestigious Circle of Champions award from Bryant – an honour that highlights our commitment to quality, leadership, and excellence in the HVAC industry. We are an Elite Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer and offer our customers the highest quality products and services.
