Angie Gives her Opinion on “$99 Whole House” Portland Oregon Air Duct Cleaning Scams
Here’s a copy & paste of a great article I found off of Angie’s List regarding low ball Portland Oregon Air Duct Cleaning scams!
My advice is simple: avoid those low-ball offers. Companies offering a super low price on air duct cleaning might do more harm and no good. The fact of the matter is this: the average air duct cleaning for most homes costs between $300 and $500, with factors like the size of the home, the number of ducts and their configuration affecting the price.
Here’s the problem with those $99 specials (we’ve actually seen them advertised for as low as $49 for Portland Oregon Air Duct Cleaning): What typically happens in those scenarios is the company offers this great price, usually in the form of a coupon, in order to get in the door. Once inside, they almost immediately find other problems –black mold is a common scare tactic used by unscrupulous contractors – or they try to upsell the homeowner on additional services. Those who fall prey to these ploys often pay upwards of $600, even into the thousands.
I’ve talked to many homeowners who have been victimized by these Portland Oregon air duct cleaning scams. Even the ones who don’t succumb to the high-pressure techniques are still frequently wronged, as these low-ball companies often use inadequate tools and equipment – like handheld vacuums and drills – to do the work. They quickly go through the house, vacuuming out a few vents, and are gone in less than 30 minutes. A legitimate air duct cleaning should take three to four hours to complete, according to reputable duct cleaning companies that I’ve spoken to.
A duct cleaner who uses inferior equipment can actually cause more harm by agitating and releasing more dust into your home, or worse, damaging your ductwork. Not only are these air duct cleaning scams ripping off your wallet, they could be causing even more harm!
If a company tells you that you have mold in your air ducts, that could be a red flag. I recommend sending that company on its way before any work is done and having a qualified mold testing firm out to your home to verify if in fact mold is present. If so, the tester can provide that information – and a protocol for removing the mold – to a separate mold remediation firm.
Unfortunately, the air duct cleaning industry doesn’t have many regulations. Most states don’t have licensing requirements for air duct cleaners – Pennsylvania doesn’t – so it’s important to do your research and hire a company with a good reputation. Check online reviews and ask for referrals when researching Portland Air Duct Cleaning companies. Ask potential Portland air duct cleaning companies to provide you with a written checklist of exactly what they will do, and if you hire them, ask them to verify each task as they complete it
At J&M, we’ve dealt with our fair share of air duct cleaning scams, and not much out there is more upsetting to us. Please do your research before hiring any service!
Read more on our website jandmservices.us
Feel free to give us a call at 503-680-0195 or 360-263-5600
