Duct cleaning can help reduce or eliminate the danger of indoor air pollution, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks as one of our gravest environmental threats. Dust, dirt, pet dander, chemical traces, mold spores and bacteria will collect in and circulate through your home’s HVAC duct network, putting your family at risk of respiratory distress along with a host of other potential health problems. If you hire a trained, reputable contractor to clean your ducts on an annual basis, it should be well worth the investment. But there’s the problem: reputable duct cleaning contractors are forced to compete with scam artists, fly-by-night operators and other assorted crooks, cheats and rip-off artists. Fake or low-quality duct cleaning services abound, and their sole purpose in life is to empty bank accounts while doing absolutely nothing to earn their ill-gotten gains. So how do you identify duct cleaning scams and prevent yourself from becoming their victim?

Here are a few warning signs you would be foolish to ignore: Bargain prices that seem too good to be true: Before hiring anyone you should contact several duct cleaning companies, either by phone or online, to get price quotes, and if any are well below the industry average it’s a fairly safe bet they aren’t legitimate. In many instances the scammers will hide extra fees and charges in the fine print of your contract, and if you’ll let them in your home you’ll end up paying them far more for their (crappy) service than you expected. An inability to answer questions or provide detailed technical information: When you ask a company’s representatives to describe the duct cleaning process in detail, they should be able to answer all of your questions thoroughly and without hesitation. If they won’t it probably means they can’t, in which case you’d be crazy to use them. Poorly maintained, cut-rate cleaning equipment: There is standard equipment that all qualified duct cleaning contractors rely on to help them get the job done properly (like high-powered vacuums, for example).

But the cheapo outfits may show up with little more than a standard shop vac and a box full of cleaning rags. You should ask to see a potential contractor’s arsenal of cleaning equipment ahead of time, to make sure they aren’t cutting corners. Over-the-top warnings about health dangers or imminent HVAC equipment damage: Your ducts do need to be cleaned, but there’s really no such thing as a duct cleaning emergency. best way to clean microfiber upholsteryIf a company’s technician tries to scare you with lurid tales of impending catastrophe, you should recognize this as the sales pitch of a snake oil salesman.best vacuum cleaner australia 2014 Multiple negative reviews or complaints: Thanks to the Internet it is not hard to find customer reviews for most companies, including those involved in duct cleaning. clean fan gateway laptop

The Better Business Bureau keeps online records of complaints against such companies, making it even easier to check out duct cleaners to make sure they are on the up-and-up.No real online footprint to speak of: What if your Internet search about a particular company comes up empty? While it’s possible a reputable start-up might not have a website yet, or a lot of online reviews, in most cases the lack of an online presence should be considered a bad sign.best dryer vent cleaning kits A general air of unprofessionalism: A clean, crisp, professional presentation by friendly representatives eager to answer questions and offer information about the services they offer: this is what you have a right to expect when you audition duct cleaning contractors. cleaning laptop fan heatsinkBut the con artists seldom live up to these standards, and if your initial instincts tell you to stay away you would be wise to listen.truck mount air duct cleaning equipment for sale

Please Don’t Feed the Scammers In general it’s best not to take shortcuts in life, and this is certainly true with duct cleaning. If you avoid the temptation to automatically hire the company that gives you the cheapest quotes, and go with a contractor that has a firmly established reputation instead, you’ll get the service you need at a price that’s reasonable and fair to all. The duct cleaning scammers are always out there, circling like hungry sharks waiting for their next unsuspecting victim to jump into the water for a swim. Do yourself a favor and stay in the boat, where it’s safe. 3 Dyson tools for cleaning dust and dirt from around the home. Carefully selected cleaning tool combinations. See it in action All Dyson upright, canister and cordless vacuum cleaners.1-800-501-4157 Service Request Form I am interested in: Dryer vent cleaning is an important part of any homeowner's maintenance checklist, but is often overlooked. Though we understand that servicing the dryer vent may not seem like a priority when weighed against other home services, the truth of the matter is that the oversight is costly.

The Basics: Proper Dryer Vent Cleaning Process Many start-up dryer vent cleaning firms will show up to your home with a leaf-blower and a shop vac. Though it can appear that this will do the job, the fact of the matter is that every home is different, so it follows that every dryer vent will be too.Dryer vents with long runs often have many bends and pressurized air may not be enough to move debris out of the line. Our certified technicians will assess the situation for you with an air flow reading, develop a cleaning strategy to remove your debris, and follow up the service with another air flow reading to ensure the debris has been removed.The following video, produced and aired by NBC's Today Show, illustrates the basics of what you need to know about dryer vent cleaning. Why You Should Get Your Dryer Vent Cleaned Fire PreventionThe U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that clothes dryers are associated with approximately 15,600 fires yearly. Fires can occur when lint builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust duct.

Lint can block the flow of air, cause excessive heat build-up, and result in a fire in some dryers.Energy SavingsAccording to recent industry studies, an excessively clogged dryer vent may add an additional $18-$24 to your home's energy bill. That translates to almost $300 a year in unnecessary fees. Most dryer vent cleaning bills come well below this $300 mark, so it only makes sense to follow dryer manufacturer recommendations and have the cleaning performed once a year. Warning Signs: Need For Cleaning Indicators It is very easy to recognize the signs for dryer vent cleaning need. They include:Drying times that surpass 35-40 minutesClothes that are abnormally hot to the touch after dryingYour vent hood flap does not open during a dryer’s operationIt has been a year since your last dryer vent cleaning Cost and Time Estimates Fair PricingMany dryer vent cleaners provide set pricing. This may seem great because it's straight forward, but some dryer vents run 5 feet and others 40 feet.

Some dryer vents have one bend, others have five. Some vent to the side, under the deck, or through the roof. Others vent to the attic, the basement, or not at all.The fact of the matter is that every dryer vent is different and once a cleaner is out, the pricing hiking begins. Each elbow can be an additional add-on and your low quote becomes increasingly higher.Because we believe in fair, first-time quotes, Mr. Duct offers free dryer vent cleaning estimates. Once the price is provided, you can make the decision to have the service performed. If you do want it done, we can perform the dryer vent cleaning at the same time. If not, we leave and there is no charge for the dryer vent diagnostic.Efficient Service TimeTypical service time in a residential home will run between 30 minute to an hour. We understand that your schedule is as busy as ours, so our dryer vent cleaners will always provide an estimate for time completion before they begin the cleaning. To lengthen the benefits of your dryer vent cleaning, there are a few preventative measures you can take:Regularly remove lint from your dryer vent's lint trap.