How to Hire an Air Duct Cleaner

By Susan M. Keenan

The quality of the air you breathe is a growing health concern for many individuals. Not only are they concerned with outdoor air, but also with indoor air quality. Cleaning your air ducts is one of the major facets in preventing indoor air pollution.

Air duct cleaning is a growing business, and selecting a qualified, experienced professional may be a difficult choice for the first time. Fortunately, hiring a reputable air duct cleaner is an easy task, provided that you do a bit of research so that you know what to look for when making your selection. Follow the simple guidelines presented to ensure that the cleaner you hire is an excellent choice and will perform a first-rate service.

Make sure that the cleaner you are considering is a member of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, or NADCA. This organization provides standards for acceptable methods of cleaning for the association, in addition to training and certification in cleaning (ASCS), inspection (CVI), and mold remediation (VSMR). They maintain an official website that facilitates locating an approved member of their group by postal code in the United States or Canada or by state or province.

Once you have conducted a cursory search, select several members from the choices that you are given. Narrow your choices down by location, certifications, or member status. Now it's time to ask a few questions. Find out how long each potential air duct cleaner has been in this particular business. Find out how familiar they are with the specific system your home has.

Make your choice using the information that you have on each candidate. Then ask for references. Many people ask for references and then fail to follow up on them simply because the sheer number of references gives the impression that the cleaner must be good. Always call a few of the references to back up the impression. If you like what you hear, then you have found a reputable cleaner. If you don't like what you hear, move on to another selection.

Go one step further and contact the Better Business Bureau to find out whether any serious complaints have been lodged against the air duct cleaning service that you have selected. If their record is clean and no complaints are in effect, then you have most likely made a wise choice.

Once the air duct cleaners enter your home to do the required work, make sure that they inspect and clean all of the ducts and related components. In fact, it is a good idea to check the work yourself to guarantee that it has been completed to your level of satisfaction. Always attempt this step while the cleaners are still at your home, so any modifications to the work can easily be taken care of then and there. Usually, this step is not necessary if you have selected an approved member of the NADAC; however, it doesn't hurt.

Occasionally, as with any industry, promotional incentives may be offered to lure you to a particular air duct cleaning service. If the service is not a member of the NADAC or does not have sufficiently glowing recommendations, it is best to steer away and make a different choice. What good will the free item or discounted price be to you if the ducts haven't been cleaned properly?

Now that you have discovered the air duct cleaning service that you feel comfortable hiring, remember to have your air ducts cleaned once every year. Store your research in a safe location where it will be easy to locate the next time that you or someone you know needs it.

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