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Air Duct Cleaning Scam Warning: 7 Signs to Look For

4/7/2020

15 Comments

 

How to Find a Reliable, Honest Air Duct Cleaning Company

WARNING!!! Beware of scammers. Unlike many of our competitors, MN Duct Pros is proud to be honest and upfront with our customers, truly striving for high quality results and exceptional customer service. Unfortunately, not everyone in the industry is like us. We know there are some companies who will do anything just to get in the door. They often surprise the customer with hidden fees and additional charges. Sadly, half the time they don’t even do a thorough job. We recently did a free inspection for a home owner who had their ducts cleaned by a well-known company the week before. Sadly, the results of the inspection were horrible. The ducts and vents were still dirty, there were no access holes cut for an adequate negative air machine or vacuum, and the home owner told us that the one man crew was there for an hour and a half and their tech used a shop vac to clean the system. These people were clearly scammed by a decently large and reputable company. We recommend all consumers do their due diligence when searching for a reliable, responsible air duct cleaning company. Here are some RED FLAGS to look out for when shopping.

1. Business license and insurance: We are a registered LLC out of Eden Prairie, MN. We are licensed to do business in the state of Minnesota. We are also insured to protect ourselves and home owners from anything that may go wrong. Lastly, we are Better Business Bureau accredited.
Red Flags:
  • Lack of business name
  • Lack of business license
  • Lack of business insurance
  • Lack of BBB accreditation​
2. Communication: We strive for excellent and open lines of communication. We want our customers to know exactly how much they are paying, what they will be receiving for their hard earned money, and what processes we use for cleaning. We are happy to answer any and all questions to make the customer feel as comfortable as possible. 
Red Flags:
  • Unable or unwilling to answer questions about the process
  • Cannot give a rough estimate over the phone
  • Slow to reply or return calls
  • Call center services
3. Reputation: Reviews can be make or break in any industry. We are proud to have all 5 star reviews. If a customer has an issue or question, even if it is outside our profession, MN Duct Pros goes above and beyond to help resolve and problems. We also recommend checking with the BBB for complaints.
Red Flags:
  • Poor reviews
  • Lack of reviews
  • Cross posted reviews
  • BBB complaints
4. Equipment and Specialty: At MN Duct Pros, we use the top of the line equipment and cleaning process. Air duct and dryer vent cleaning is our specialty, our sole profession. Our negative air machine pulls close to 7,000 cubic feet of air per minute with the filters in place. We combine this with 175-200 psi of compressed air down each of your air ducts using a variety of contact air whips (micro line, single, triple, octo whips) and air nozzles for air duct cleaning. This variety of tools helps us complete the job regardless of what issues may arise.
Red Flags:
  • Under-powered equipment
  • Secondary service (carpet cleaning company doing air duct cleaning)
  • Equipment designed for a different industry
  • Inferior cleaning methods
  • Different levels of cleaning (there is only one way: the right way)
  • Time it takes to complete the cleaning (Average 3-5 hours per home with a two man crew)
5. Pricing: MN Duct Pros believe in upfront and honest pricing. We want our customers to know exactly what they are paying. We don’t believe in hidden fees or charges. Upon arrival we count all vents and trunk lines and do a brief dryer vent inspection to give the customer an exact price before we get started.
Red Flags:
  • “Too good to be true” pricing
  • Unable to discuss pricing over the phone
  • Inability to give rough estimate based on square footage
  • Extreme discounts
6. Photos: MN Duct Pros feels their customers deserve to see our work, not someone else’s. We send before and after photos from each home we complete, along with a brief service summary.
Red Flags:
  • No before and after photos included
  • Using stock images on social media
  • Using images from other companies
7. Cleanliness: MN Duct Pros is very attentive to detail. This includes cleanliness. Our goal is to leave every home cleaner than it was upon arrival, inside and outside of your HVAC system. The first thing we do upon entry is remove our shoes. We brush vacuum each vent/register individually after cleaning the air ducts. We also vacuum around any vents where dust may have settled before cleaning. Lastly, we vacuum the furnace surfaces and floor in the furnace room.
Red Flags:
  • Lack of shoe covers or shoe removal
  • Doesn’t vacuum vent/registers
  • Doesn’t vacuum furnace surfaces and floor in furnace room
  • Doesn’t seal each vent off to prevent contamination

Articles on Air Duct Cleaning scams:
https://www.angieslist.com/articles/3-air-duct-cleaning-scams-to-watch-out-for.htm
https://www.kgw.com/article/news/investigations/customers-left-with-1000-bills-after-responding-to-air-duct-cleaning-ad/283-2f8d7767-46ae-43f1-a6c2-413242ec4853?fbclid=IwAR3ZzcsLm1nUMW74khQvimnhQHrM4p1CusobA36YId-y5sPCNQqj71EhR9o
https://www.edenprairie.org/Home/Components/News/News/8405/283?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
​
15 Comments
Duct Cleaning link
2/14/2022 11:21:55 pm

Thank you for guide me about Duct Cleaning
share more information with me . thank you

Reply
MN Duct Pros
12/1/2022 09:44:18 am

You are welcome. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments, thank you!

Reply
Dryer Vent Cleaning Greenville link
2/22/2022 11:54:50 pm

Dryer vent cleaning is one of the most important things you can do to keep your home safe. A clogged dryer vent can cause a fire, so it's important to have it cleaned regularly. If you live in the Greenville area, there are several companies that offer dryer vent cleaning services. We are also offer a variety of services, including dryer vent cleaning, duct cleaning, and chimney sweeping.

Reply
MN Duct Pros
12/1/2022 09:47:32 am

We couldn't agree more. MN Duct Pros does service the Greenville area as well. The DIY kits will work in some cases, but we carry a variety of compressed air, brush, retrieval, and camera tools to ensure professional service.

Reply
Braden Bills link
4/7/2022 08:24:14 am

My air ducts have been getting dirty, and I'm not sure what to do about it. It makes sense that I would want to get my air ducts cleaned. I'll be sure to get a professional to help me out with that. I'll be sure to find one that has a lot of experience with this.

Reply
MN Duct Pros
12/1/2022 09:49:20 am

Thanks for the comment. It can be difficult to find quality companies. If you have any questions or we can help in any way please let us know. We are part of a nationwide professional air duct cleaning community and have plenty of referral options across the country.

Reply
Mia Evans link
5/31/2022 05:24:27 am

I like that you pointed out that the reviews can make or break the company in the industry they are in, so we need to check reputable platforms like the BBB before hiring one. I will do that now that we need air duct cleaning services this weekend. I noticed that I usually sneeze when we turn on the unit that is why it might mean that there are vents or the source is full of dusts now.

Reply
MN Duct Pros
12/1/2022 09:51:05 am

You are welcome. Unfortunately, we have seen a lot of less than desirable companies that just don't do a great job. Doing your due diligence is one thing we always preach. Reviews, asking questions, asking for before and after photos helps ensure a quality cleaning.

Reply
Owens Heating and Air link
8/27/2022 01:22:57 pm

These 7 warnings are really helpful, we avoid such activities that's why our clients are satisfied.

Reply
MN Duct Pros
12/1/2022 09:54:41 am

Owen's Heating and Air,

I don't believe we have seen your work, but we are happy to hear you are one of the quality companies. We see a lot of HVAC companies where the customer becomes more of a price tag than a person, not saying that is always the case. It looks like you guys have great reviews, please let us know if any of your customers ever need professional air duct cleaning.

Thank you,

MN Duct Pros

Reply
Naturally Green Cleaning link
11/26/2022 04:12:17 am

This is a great guide! Well written and very informative as well. For me one of the most important things to check is the reputation of the company. It's good to know how other people feel about the company's service.

Reply
MN Duct Pros
12/1/2022 09:56:36 am

Thank you, Naturally Green Cleaning. We always try to do our part to educate beyond just the duct and/or dryer vent cleaning. Unfortunately, we have seen far too many people taken advantage of by less than desirable companies.

Reply
lionaircooling link
12/1/2022 09:35:15 am

I agree. If you have pets or you’re sensitive to indoor air quality, and if you’ve recently had your house renovated, you should have your ducts cleaned as renovation work increases the amount of dust in your forced air system.

Reply
MN Duct Pros
12/1/2022 09:59:40 am

Definitely the case. We also find a lot of construction debris and drywall dust in new construction. We now recommend cleaning every 5-7 years unless 1. New construction 2. Remodeling 3. Health or auto immune issues. 4. Excessive dust around the home or collecting in the filter. We appreciate the comment.

Reply
apexcleanair link
2/9/2023 08:49:04 am

I agree. Duct cleaning is not an easy job. Doing it right takes specialized equipment in the hands of a skilled technician.

Reply



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