Over the years we have heard from customers who have encountered various difficulties in regards to the relationship between the homeowner and other unprofessional duct cleaning companies in terms of their expectations. It has been our experience that good communication skills and a thorough explanation of services, would greatly benefit both the consumer and the duct cleaning company. We have gathered the following tips and information for this purpose.
These are some steps that consumers should really know before hiring a professional duct cleaner.
Always remember to exercise due diligence before hiring a duct cleaner. Finding and maintaining a quality duct cleaning service provider begins with a good relationship, good communication, and a commitment to making the process work!
“PLEASE READ” – The responsibility does not fall solely upon the duct cleaning provider. The homeowner shares part of the responsibility as well.
- Always ask if they are licensed, bonded and insured. Many states do not require licensing nor bonding. Know your states laws and see how they answer.
- Ask for a detailed description of the duct cleaning service they will provide for you.
- Ask if you will be charged for any miscellaneous services and will you be notified before they implement them? In this case there will be an understanding of the final price. There oftentimes is a lot of “Bait and Switch Advertising” in the duct cleaning industry.
- Get an approximate estimate for your project. Ideally, they will be able to give you a quote over the phone.Ask if you can write the check out ahead of time as insurance against additional charges.
- Does the price include tax?
- Will they have all the equipment needed to complete the job.
- Address any safety concerns you might have beforehand.
- What are your cleaning expectations? Address this with the duct cleaning company before scheduling.
- Are they able to provide additional services related to duct cleaning like chimney cleaning, furnace cleaning, dryer vent cleaning, etc.
- What details are most important to you?
- Are you concerned about the chemicals? How does their company address this?
- Do you have any specific time of the day for job implementation?
- Will they arrive on time?
- Ask about any special services, prices or cleaning specials.
- Have you received price quotes from a variety of duct cleaning companies?
- How many duct cleaners will be coming to the home?
- How long will it take them to complete the service?
- Let them tell you as much as possible about their duct cleaning company and the services they provide. This way you can determine if they match your criteria.
- Trust is very important. Is their company registered with the Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau?
- The service provider(s) will be in your home and at times unsupervised. At the beginning of the conversation and introduction you can gain a sense of the person or the company you are dealing with. Are they someone you would want in your home?
These tips will help guide the homeowner in hiring the very best duct cleaner for their home. This article was created for the purpose of minimizing miscommunications and misunderstandings between the homeowner and the duct cleaning company.
