Q: The air ducts in my home need to be cleaned. How do I choose a reputable business to do the job? Much of the media advertising appears to be competitive driven and not realistically priced.
A: An excellent observation on your behalf, local ads offering a low price on air duct cleaning can seem like a great deal with minimal risk. While most companies are on the straight and narrow, Better Business Bureau warns consumers to beware of air duct cleaning businesses that employ bait and switch tactics or try to scare homeowners into thinking they have a serious health-threatening mold problem.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a careless or inadequately trained service provider can damage your ducts or heating and cooling system, possibly increasing your heating and air conditioning costs or forcing you to undertake difficult and costly repairs or replacements. Complaints to BBB also show that putting your trust in the wrong company can mean spending thousands of dollars on unnecessary mold remediation services.
Most of us are not experts when it comes to maintaining the mechanical components of our house and we have to rely on the opinion of the technician. Unfortunately, some companies are taking advantage of that trust by misleading customers and even lying about having a serious mold problem.
BBB’s, locally and particularly in the Southeastern states, has received many complaints on duct cleaning companies. Customers are baited with low advertised prices, generally through mass mail or local newspapers, for air conditioning duct cleaning services. These ads often include a depiction of a giant dust mite and alarming descriptions of mold, mildew and unhealthy air quality. Once sales agents are in the customer’s homes they run reportedly bogus mold detection tests and tell the owner they must pay thousands of dollars to have the mold removed.
When looking for a professional to clean out air ducts, BBB recommends that consumer:
1: Check the company out with BBB — Before setting up a visit, first check the company out with your Better Business Bureau. Ideally, the business will be Accredited by BBB or at least have a good grade rating. Pay close attention to the name of the business you are researching because unscrupulous outfits often choose a name that is similar to an existing business that has a solid reputation. To check out a business’s Reliability Report or locate a BBB Accredited duct cleaner visit http://www.bbb.org/us/Find-Business-Reviews/.
2: Look for the fine print — Ads and contracts may contain fine print which the business might think will absolve them from honoring their advertised price. Always ask plenty of questions and get to the bottom line of what it’s going to cost you, before you sign on the dotted line.
3: Get a second opinion — If the duct cleaner discovers that you have a mold problem, get a second opinion. Mold remediation can cost thousands of dollars so you will want expert advice on how to take care of it.
4: Door-to-door solicitation — Be wary of sales people who go door to door promoting and selling duct cleaning services. If you become interested, do not sign a contract before checking the business out with BBB.
5: File a complaint with BBB — If you believe you have been misled by a business, file a complaint with your BBB online at www.bbb.org/us/file-complaint. Even if BBB is not able to resolve the issue for you, the complaint can serve as a warning to other consumers about the business in our marketplace.
For more advice on home improvement and maintenance, visit http://www.bbb.org/us/consumer-tips-home/.
Get answers to your questions each Friday from Jim Winsett, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau Inc., which serves Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. Submit questions to his attention by writing to Business Editor John Vass Jr., Chattanooga Times Free Press, P.O. Box 1447, Chattanooga, TN 37401-1447, or by e-mailing him at jvass@timesfreepress.com.
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