Many homeowners throughout Ottawa, Cornwall and the SDG area ask this question: Is duct cleaning a scam?

I think the answer needs to be looked at in two different ways.

First, there are outright duct-cleaning scams and misleading offers. We've all seen advertisements promising “Whole-House Duct Cleaning for $99.” If a company has been advertising the same $99 duct cleaning for the last 10 years, I'd be cautious. With today's labour, fuel, equipment and operating costs, it's difficult to see how a thorough professional duct cleaning could realistically be performed for $99 without additional charges or upselling. When you see duct-cleaning prices that seem too good to be true, ask exactly what is included before booking.

The second issue is expectations. Sometimes people call duct cleaning a scam because they expected the service to do something it was never designed to do. Duct cleaning won't repair improperly sized ductwork, fix a failing blower motor or guarantee that you'll never have dust in your home again.

That doesn't make duct cleaning a scam.

Professional duct cleaning is a specific HVAC cleaning service designed to remove accumulated dust, debris and other material from inside the duct system. When homeowners understand what the service does, how it should be performed and what results they should realistically expect, it's much easier to separate legitimate professional duct cleaning from the scams that have given the industry a bad reputation.

This is a great question because duct-cleaning prices can be all over the place. One company may advertise $99, another may quote $300–$400, and another may charge considerably more.

So why is there such a big difference?

There are several reasons. Let's deal with the obvious one first.

“Get Your Ducts Cleaned for $99”

One of the worst marketing strategies I've seen in the duct-cleaning industry is the “$99 duct cleaning” advertisement.

The idea is simple: advertise an extremely low price to get the homeowner interested. The problem is that the advertised price only cover a very limited portion of the actual service.

For example, a low advertised price include only a certain number of vents—perhaps 8—and then charge an additional amount for every vent after that. Depending on the company, there may also be additional charges for connecting the vacuum equipment, cleaning the main trunk lines, or cleaning the return side of the system.

That last one is particularly important.

Your return ductwork is a major part of your HVAC system and is often where we find some of the heaviest accumulations of household dust, pet hair and debris.

So when comparing duct-cleaning prices, don't simply ask:

“How much does it cost?”

Ask:

“What exactly does that price include?”

A $99 price isn't much of a deal if you end up paying three or four times that amount by the time the job is finished.

A proper residential duct cleaning commonly takes us approximately 2–3 hours, depending on the home and system. When you consider the vehicle, fuel, insurance, professional duct-cleaning equipment, setup, cleaning and teardown time, it's difficult to see how a complete professional duct cleaning can realistically be provided for $99.

That's why I'm extremely cautious about duct-cleaning advertisements built around unusually low prices.

What About Legitimate Duct-Cleaning Companies?

Once you get away from extremely low advertised prices, comparing companies becomes a little more realistic.

Professional duct-cleaning companies generally use one of two common pricing approaches.

Base Price + Additional Vents

Some companies provide a base price that includes the main supply and return ductwork along with a certain number of vents.

For example, a company might have a starting price around $199 that includes setup, connection of the equipment, cleaning of the main trunk lines and the first 8–10 vents.

Additional vents may then cost another $8–$10 each.

There's nothing necessarily wrong with this pricing model.

The important difference is transparency.

If the company tells you beforehand what the base price includes and exactly what each additional vent costs, you can calculate approximately what you're going to pay before the work begins.

This type of pricing can also work well when the homeowner isn't sure about the size or complexity of their duct system.

Flat-Rate Duct-Cleaning Pricing

Other duct-cleaning companies, including SDG Duct Cleaning, use flat-rate pricing.

We prefer this approach.

We're not walking around your house counting every register and adding another charge each time we find one.

We're there to clean your HVAC duct system.

With flat-rate pricing, we agree on the price before the work begins. Assuming the information provided about the home and HVAC system is accurate, that's the price you pay when we're finished—no surprise per-vent charges at the end of the job.

We've found this works well because homeowners aren't sitting there wondering what their final bill is going to be while we're working.

How Does Our Flat-Rate Pricing Work?

Our duct-cleaning pricing is primarily based on two things:

The size of the home and the amount of time we expect the cleaning to take.

Generally, a larger home has more ductwork and takes longer to properly clean, so the price will naturally be higher.

Location can also affect the price.

SDG Duct Cleaning is based in Cornwall, Ontario, so customers in Cornwall and nearby SDG communities will generally be on the lower end of our pricing compared with customers farther away in areas such as Hawkesbury or Ottawa, where additional travel time has to be considered.

For a typical home of approximately 1,500 square feet, homeowners can generally expect our professional duct cleaning to be around $350–$450, depending on the home, location and HVAC system.

For a more detailed breakdown, visit our duct-cleaning pricing page.

How Do I Know If I'm Getting a Good Duct-Cleaning Price?

Don't judge a duct-cleaning quote solely by the number at the bottom.

Look at what you're actually receiving for that price.

A reputable company should be able to explain what they're cleaning, how they're cleaning it and what's included in the quote.

Ask questions such as:

Are both the supply and return sides being cleaned?

Are the main trunk lines included?

Is there a limit on the number of vents?

Are there additional hookup or equipment charges?

Are there services being added that weren't included in the advertised price?

Is the price you're being quoted actually the price you're expected to pay when the job is finished?

Transparency is one of the best signs that you're dealing with a legitimate company.

Should I Get More Than One Duct-Cleaning Quote?

Absolutely.

There's nothing wrong with getting two or three quotes and comparing what each duct-cleaning company is offering.

In fact, we encourage it.

And we're willing to compete with legitimate professional duct-cleaning companies.

If our quote comes in higher than another company's, show us the quote. We'll look at what the other company is providing and how their service compares with ours.

If they're offering a comparable professional duct-cleaning service at a lower price, we'll see whether we can match or improve the price or provide additional value through another service.

We're not interested in competing with a $99 advertisement that turns into something completely different once the company arrives.

But we'll happily compete for your business against another legitimate professional duct-cleaning company.

The cheapest duct-cleaning quote isn't necessarily the best deal—and the most expensive quote doesn't automatically mean you're getting the best cleaning. What matters is knowing exactly what you're paying for before the work begins.

If you're going to spend hundreds of dollars on a service, it's reasonable to ask: Will I actually notice a difference after duct cleaning?

The answer can be yes or no, and I think it's important for a duct-cleaning company to be honest about that.

The first thing we need to consider is how dirty your ductwork was before the cleaning and why you decided to have it cleaned in the first place. When was it last professionally cleaned? Was there a noticeable amount of dust, pet hair or debris in the system? Were you dealing with an odour? Did you recently complete renovations? Or were you simply having the ducts cleaned as part of maintaining your overall HVAC system?

If you're having your ducts cleaned because of an odour coming from the duct system, you may notice an improvement depending on the source of the smell and whether that source can actually be removed. However, some odours can be extremely difficult to eliminate completely.

Cigarette smoke is a good example. Years of cigarette smoke can leave residue and odours throughout a home, including on surfaces inside the HVAC system. Professional duct cleaning can remove accumulated dust and debris that may be carrying some of that odour, but I would never promise a customer that duct cleaning alone will completely eliminate years of cigarette-smoke smell.

If your ductwork contains a significant amount of dust, pet hair, construction debris or other accumulated material, you're more likely to notice a difference after having that material professionally removed. This can be especially true in homes where the ducts haven't been cleaned in many years or after major renovations.

But here's another way I like to look at it:

Your HVAC system may benefit from the cleaning even if you don't immediately notice a dramatic difference yourself.

Think about regular maintenance on your car. After an ordinary oil change, you probably don't get behind the wheel and think you're driving a completely different vehicle. That doesn't mean changing the oil wasn't worthwhile.

The same principle can apply to HVAC maintenance.

If you've kept your furnace, filter and duct system reasonably well maintained, you may not notice a dramatic before-and-after difference because the system wasn't severely neglected to begin with. On the other hand, if your ductwork hasn't been cleaned in many years and contains a substantial amount of accumulated debris, the difference may be much more noticeable.

At the end of the day, whether you immediately notice a difference isn't necessarily the best way to determine whether a duct cleaning was performed properly or provided value.

Your ductwork is part of your home's forced-air HVAC system. The return ducts provide a pathway for air travelling back toward your furnace, filter and blower, while the supply ducts distribute air throughout your home. Removing accumulated dust, hair and debris from that pathway means you're starting with a cleaner duct system for your HVAC equipment to move air through.

That's something I consider worthwhile, even when the homeowner doesn't walk into the house afterward and immediately say, “Wow, I can feel the difference.”

Yes. We stand behind our work. SDG Duct Cleaning provides a 30-day workmanship guarantee on our professional duct cleaning service. If you have a concern about the work we performed, contact us within 30 days and we'll work with you to address it. Our guarantee applies to the quality of our duct cleaning work and does not guarantee that your home will remain dust-free or that unrelated HVAC, airflow or indoor air quality issues will be resolved by duct cleaning.

Yes. While SDG Duct Cleaning is primarily an air duct cleaning company, we're not just duct cleaners—we're HVAC technicians.

We have years of hands-on experience servicing, diagnosing and repairing residential furnaces, and we carry that HVAC experience into the services we provide through SDG Duct Cleaning.

If you're having a problem with your furnace, you may be experiencing something like:

• Furnace not turning on
• Furnace stopped working
• No heat in the house
• Furnace running but no heat
• Furnace blowing cold air
• Furnace won't ignite
• Furnace keeps shutting off
• Furnace turns on and then shuts off
• Thermostat is on but the furnace won't start
• Furnace fan works but there's no heat
• Furnace making unusual noises
• Furnace flashing a red light or error code

These are just some of the ways homeowners describe furnace problems to us. You don't need to know what's wrong with your furnace before contacting an HVAC technician. That's what we're there to determine.

Most homeowners don't think much about the furnace in their basement until one cold morning when suddenly it isn't keeping the house warm. When that happens, the important question isn't whether you know the difference between an igniter, pressure switch, gas valve or blower motor. It's simply:

“My furnace isn't working. Who do I call?”

If your furnace isn't working or you're experiencing no heat in your home, contact SDG Duct Cleaning. In addition to professional duct cleaning and HVAC maintenance, we provide residential furnace repair in Cornwall and surrounding SDG communities.

We're HVAC technicians—not just duct cleaners.

NADCA stands for the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. NADCA offers training and certification specifically related to HVAC system cleaning, including the Air Systems Cleaning Specialist (ASCS) certification.

Many professional duct cleaning companies that take the industry seriously choose to pursue NADCA certification. A question many customers have, however, is whether NADCA certification is actually a licence recognized or required by the Province of Ontario.

That is what I want to address here.

First, do I think NADCA certification is irrelevant? No. I think NADCA is very relevant to the duct cleaning industry.

Is SDG Duct Cleaning currently NADCA certified? No.

So, if we believe NADCA is relevant, why don't we currently hold the certification?

To answer that question, we need to address the elephant in the room.

There Is No Provincial Licence for Duct Cleaners in Ontario

The fact is that there is currently no provincial trade licence specifically required to perform duct cleaning in Ontario.

Do I think there should be licensing for duct cleaners? On one level, I would say no. On another level, I can see a good argument for it.

Why no?

In practice, duct cleaning isn't brain surgery. At its core, we're cleaning accumulated dust and debris from a home's duct system. However, that doesn't mean someone cleaning an HVAC system shouldn't have a basic understanding of HVAC equipment, airflow and proper cleaning procedures.

This is one area where NADCA certification has value. It provides education on proper HVAC system cleaning procedures, standards and equipment. For someone entering the duct cleaning industry without previous HVAC or duct cleaning experience, that education can be very valuable.

The Problem of Duct Cleaning Scams

On the other hand, some form of provincially recognized certification or licensing could potentially help address the reputation for scams that the duct cleaning industry has suffered from over the years.

Any legitimate duct cleaning company in Ontario that takes its work seriously is frustrated by scam duct cleaning operations.

If you think homeowners hate duct cleaning scams, I can almost guarantee you that legitimate duct cleaning companies hate them even more.

Scam operators have damaged the reputation of the industry. Homeowners have become understandably suspicious of extremely cheap offers, aggressive sales tactics and companies that aren't clear about who they are or what they're actually going to do.

Some form of provincially regulated standard could potentially help separate legitimate professional companies from these types of operations.

Until that happens—if it ever does—legitimate companies have to find other ways to demonstrate their experience and professionalism. NADCA certification can certainly be one of those ways.

What About HVAC Licensing?

So why doesn't SDG Duct Cleaning currently have NADCA certification?

One of the main reasons is that our technicians already come from the HVAC trade and hold Ontario-recognized HVAC qualifications. That doesn't mean we won't pursue NADCA certification in the future—we very well may—but currently we rely heavily on our HVAC training, licensing and years of hands-on experience.

Gas and refrigeration/air-conditioning trade qualifications are different from NADCA certification. Neither is specifically a duct cleaning certification.

However, HVAC training involves understanding equipment operation, airflow, static pressure, blowers, furnaces, air conditioners, evaporator coils, ventilation and how the different components of an HVAC system work together.

That knowledge transfers very well into duct cleaning because we understand the system that the ductwork is connected to.

It also gives us a realistic understanding of what duct cleaning can and cannot accomplish.

NADCA training, by comparison, focuses specifically on HVAC system cleaning standards, procedures, cleaning methods and equipment. The two types of training are different, and each has value.

Should a Duct Cleaning Company Without HVAC Qualifications Have NADCA Certification?

If a duct cleaning company doesn't have an experienced HVAC technician on staff, I would strongly recommend pursuing NADCA certification.

It provides a recognized standard for learning proper HVAC system cleaning procedures and helps demonstrate that the company has invested in professional training rather than simply purchasing duct cleaning equipment and starting a business.

SDG Duct Cleaning's Experience

SDG Duct Cleaning brings experience from both the duct cleaning and HVAC industries.

Our lead technician, Matt, has been working in the HVAC industry for nearly 20 years, with experience in heating, air conditioning, HVAC maintenance and professional duct cleaning.

While SDG Duct Cleaning is not currently NADCA certified, our technicians hold HVAC qualifications and have extensive hands-on experience working with the systems we're cleaning.

It is very possible that we will pursue NADCA certification in the future as another way of continuing our education and demonstrating our commitment to professional duct cleaning.

In the meantime, we believe NADCA's approach to proper HVAC system cleaning provides valuable guidance for the industry, and many of the cleaning principles and practices we follow are consistent with NADCA's recommended approach.

For homeowners, our advice is simple: don't judge a duct cleaning company by one logo or certification alone. Look at its training, experience, cleaning process, equipment, reputation and whether the people working in your home understand the HVAC system they're cleaning.