How Can I Tell Whether They Actually Cleaned My Ducts?

A question that comes up fairly often is: How does a homeowner actually know if a duct-cleaning company cleaned their ductwork properly?

At the root of this question is usually trust. You're paying hundreds of dollars for a service that takes place mostly inside ductwork you can't easily see. It's reasonable to want some reassurance that the work you paid for was actually completed.

Are there dishonest duct-cleaning companies out there? Of course. There are bad companies in every trade. But that doesn't mean the entire duct-cleaning industry is a scam. In our experience, the majority of professional duct-cleaning companies are trying to provide a legitimate service.

There are also some simple things you can do before and after a duct cleaning to make sure you know what you're paying for.

Ask What They're Actually Going to Clean

Before hiring a company, ask them to explain their duct-cleaning process.

Will they clean both the supply and return ductwork? Are the main supply and return trunks included? What equipment will they use? Will the system be placed under negative pressure? Are there additional charges that aren't included in the original quote?

You should understand what the company considers a complete duct cleaning before the work begins.

That gives you something concrete to compare against when the job is finished.

Before-and-After Photos

One of the easiest ways to verify duct cleaning is through before-and-after photos.

At SDG Duct Cleaning, when we encounter particularly dirty return ducts, supply ducts or other areas of concern, we like to show the homeowner what we're seeing.

After cleaning, those same areas can be viewed again.

This gives you something more useful than simply being told, “Your ducts are clean.”

You can actually see some of the work for yourself.

Look at Accessible Areas

You don't need specialized equipment to look at everything.

Registers can be removed, and some portions of the supply and return ductwork may be visible from the openings.

If an area was visibly covered with dust and debris before the cleaning, there should be an obvious difference afterward.

Keep in mind that ductwork isn't supposed to look brand new after cleaning. Staining, rust, scratches and material adhered to old ductwork aren't necessarily evidence that the ducts weren't cleaned.

The question is whether the loose dust and debris the cleaning was intended to remove has actually been removed.

Know Why You're Having Your Ducts Cleaned

This may be the most overlooked part.

Before asking “How do I know they did a good job?”, ask yourself what you expected the duct cleaning to accomplish.

Are you having the ducts cleaned because:

• You recently completed renovations?
• You can see significant debris inside the ductwork?
• You recently purchased the home?
• There is a large amount of pet hair in the returns?
• The ducts haven't been cleaned in many years?
• You're dealing with a particular dust or odour concern?

Your expectations matter.

For example, if you're expecting duct cleaning to completely eliminate household dust or cure allergies, you may be disappointed even after a properly performed cleaning. There are many sources of household dust and many factors that affect indoor air quality.

A properly cleaned duct system can be cleaner without magically solving every problem in the home.

Ask Questions Before the Job Starts

A good question isn't only:

“How will I know you cleaned my ducts?”

Ask:

“What exactly are you going to clean?”

“Do you clean both the supply and return sides?”

“Do you clean the main trunk lines?”

“Can you show me what you find?”

“What should I realistically expect after the cleaning?”

The more you understand about the service before hiring someone, the easier it becomes to judge whether you received what you paid for.

So, How Do You Know Your Ducts Were Actually Cleaned?

Understand the company's process beforehand, know what's included in the service, ask questions, and look for before-and-after evidence from accessible areas of the duct system.

Most importantly, have realistic expectations about what duct cleaning can and cannot accomplish.

A professional duct-cleaning company should be comfortable explaining what they're doing, why they're doing it and what the ductwork looks like when they're finished.