Need your ducts cleaned? Here's what to look for so you don't get ripped off
If you own a home you may have considered getting your ducts cleaned, especially if you have pets, allergies or have had recent home renovations done.
You may have received random phone calls from duct cleaners or seen advertisements to have the job done, but what is the best way to choose a company?
Debbie Wilson of Oshawa hired a duct cleaner, but in the end felt she was overcharged and may have paid for a service she didn’t need.
"You just feel foolish and angry," said Wilson.
When Wilson saw an ad for duct cleaning in a flyer for $149 she called the company, but was surprised when they showed up in a van instead of a large duct cleaning truck.
The two workers told her that she had mould in her ducts that should be dealt with immediately at a cost of an additional $900. Wilson agreed to the added charge, but later had her HVAC system checked by someone else.
“He said ‘Your ducts are as dirty as ever and I don't see any mould down there,’" Wilson said.
Atanas Deliivanov of Scarborough hired the same company, which also said he had mould in his ductwork. He also paid an additional $900 but was concerned after the company left and his ducts were still dirty. When he called the company he said they refused to come back.
“Absolutely I feel I was taken advantage of,” said Deliivanov. “They just told me you've got mould in the duct and we got scared and we made a quick move which was obviously wrong."
CTV News Toronto contacted the company that cleaned both Wilson’s and Deliivanov’s ducts, but the company’s lawyer told CTV News Toronto that “whatever work was done was appropriate and proper.”
CTV News Toronto also reached out to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) , a group that promote ethics and fairness in the duct cleaning industry.
Clint Orr, a spokesperson with NADCA, and also a duct cleaner who owns Full Throttle Furnace and Duct Cleaning in Regina, Saskatchewan said “our mandate is to give our customers proper advertising and to not falsify anything that we can't back up."
Orr said that low prices are often a red flag.
“If you get into a duct cleaning job for $99 or $149 dollars and they are done in 15 to 45 minutes, that's a telling tale that maybe some steps were missed," said Orr.
Orr says while mould can be an issue in ductwork, photos and samples should be provided and testing can also be done by a third party.
Orr said a duct cleaner should also be able to provide customers with before and after photos or video.
“Photo or video evidence is actually paramount to make sure you actually got your system cleaned," said Orr.
When you're choosing a duct cleaning company beware of low introductory pricing, expensive surprise add-ons and high pressure sales tactics.
Orr said customers can also consider choosing a NADCA member. On the association's website, you can put in your postal code and duct cleaners that belong to the association will be listed in your area.
The industry suggests getting your ducts cleaned every few years, but it really depends on where you live and how dirty they get. Changing your furnace filter often can also help keep your duct work clean.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.