How Much Should Duct Cleaning Cost?

Due to the increased awareness and concern that indoor air pollution is a major contributor to many of our health related issues, many companies are marketing products and services intended to improve and help control indoor air pollution. You have seen the advertisements offering to clean your “ducts” at discounted prices, sometimes as low as $120.00! These advertisements may also claim that clean ducts means relief from allergies. But can you get allergy relief from discount duct cleaning? Do your ducts need to be cleaned? Can air ducts be cleaned properly for under $200.00? How do you know if the duct cleaning job is being done properly and you are getting your money’s worth? Read on!

Duct Cleaning And Allergy Relief

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that you have your air ducts, heating and cooling systems inspected first by a Professional Heating and Cooling Contractor. In many cases, this service is unnecessary. If, after this inspection, you discover that your air ducts have substantial visible mold, dust, dirt, and other contaminants or a musty odor, a professional will recommend duct cleaning. This is especially important if someone in your household suffers from asthma, allergies, or other symptoms that may be related to indoor air pollution. Although duct cleaning alone has never been shown to actually prevent health problems, it is an important step in a whole-house air cleaning strategy.

Much of the dirt and dust that accumulates in the ducts adheres to the duct surfaces and to the furnace and air conditioning components. This does not mean that it necessarily becomes airborne and enters our breathing space. However, this accumulation is a perfect breeding ground for mold, bacteria, dust mites and other fungi that are definite sources of indoor air pollution. There are many other sources of indoor air pollution that can be controlled with the whole-house duct mounted air cleaning systems available through Nature’s Home.

TORAVAC SYSTEM: Proper Duct Cleaning Procedures

It is very important when choosing a duct cleaning service provider that they follow proper duct cleaning procedures as recommended by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA). According to the EPA: “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 replacement.”

The low priced “blow and go” guys will scam the customer into believing that a proper job has been done when their inadequate system and procedures can actually make the problem worse. For example, many duct cleaners are not licensed HVAC contractors and are not qualified to service any of your HVAC equipment. So, they may vacuum out the ducts and vents, but they should not touch any of the component parts of the heating and cooling system. However, these parts are also dirty, which means the job is only half done. This would be like changing the oil in your car without replacing the oil filter. Also, inadequate vacuum systems and not having the proper duct cleaning brushes and tools can release more dust, dirt, and other contaminants than if you had left the ducts alone. The job may be cheap and fast, but it’s just a waste of time and money and can cause additional problems rather than preventing them.

Expected Customer Investment For Proper Duct Cleaning

Don’t be fooled by the $200.00 duct cleanings. These “blow and go” guys are usually in and out of your home in less than an hour and a half. This is not enough time to do anything remotely close to a complete job and is a waste of your hard earned dollars.

The EPA states that a duct cleaning service, “providing that it is done properly”, will take 3 to 8 hours and will “range in cost from $450.00 to $1,000.00 per heating and cooling system, depending on the services offered, the size of the system to be cleaned, system accessibility, the climate region, and level of contamination.”

The EPA also says that a properly done “duct cleaning” job should include the cleaning of “all components of the system”. . . and “failure to clean the components of a contaminated system can result in re-contamination of the entire system, thus negating any potential benefits.”

You work hard for money! Make sure that the duct cleaning service provider that you choose gives you your moneys worth. Call for a Nature’s Home contractor in your area that uses the ToraVac System to give you the confidence you need to ensure that the service provided is complete and will protect your investment.