· by Michael Blair, Nashville's Air Duct Cleaning
Duct cleaning has a persistent problem with very low advertised prices that become much larger invoices on the day. A few questions before booking prevent most of it.
Equipment and method
Proper cleaning uses a large vacuum putting the whole system under negative pressure, with each branch agitated so debris travels to the collection point.
Ask what equipment is used and whether the trunk lines and the air handler are included, or only the branch runs.
What is in the price
How many vents are included and what an additional one costs. Whether the return ducts, the plenum, the blower and the coil are included.
Get the total in writing before the appointment, and be explicit that you are not agreeing to on-site additions without a written price.
- Negative pressure vacuum and branch agitation
- Trunk lines, plenum and air handler included or extra
- Number of vents included and cost per extra
- Written total before the visit
- Decline chemical treatments and sanitizers by default
Sanitizers and sealants
Chemical sanitizers and duct sealants sprayed inside ducts are common upsells with limited evidence behind them, and some products are not appropriate for residential ductwork.
If there is genuine mold, the answer is remediation and addressing the moisture, not spraying a biocide into the supply air.
Photographs
Ask for before and after photographs from inside the ducts. Reputable operators offer them, and it is the only way to know what was there and what was removed.
It also protects against the common claim of mold found on site that justifies a much larger job.