There are many carpet cleaners that offer air duct cleaning as an additional service. However, for the most part they lack both the proper equipment and training to do a thorough job. Be wary and ask the questions you need to ensure you ventilation system is properly cleaned.
What Is The Difference Between Carpet Cleaners and Air Duct Cleaners?
The first major difference is the equipment. A carpet cleaning truck mounted system can pull between 400 and 650 cubic feet of airflow per minute. That is a great system for carpet cleaning.
While it sounds good that they have a truck mounted unit, it is completely inadequate for the purpose of cleaning a ventilation system. The carpet cleaning machine was a two-inch diameter hose through which it pulls the 650 max CFM (cubic feet per minute) of airflow.
A professional air duct cleaning vacuum truck will pull between 13,000 and 16,000 CFM through an 8 or 10-inch diameter hose. In terms of airflow and lift, there is no real comparison. The air duct vacuum truck is designed ventilation systems and the carpet cleaning machine is not.
Why Do Carpet Cleaners Offer Air Duct Cleaning?
Carpet cleaners want to be able to offer more services and the cost of the cheap add on system for their truck is about $800.00 It comes with a cd for them to watch and BAM, suddenly they can offer another service.
A professional duct cleaning vacuum truck, brand new can be $70,000 to $150,000 or more plus the cost of tools and supplies. Professional duct cleaners also attend conferences and training classes to become educated and certified by NADCA, (The National Air Duct Cleaners Association).
So, the real question is who do think will do the job the right way? Is it a guy with an $800 accessory with a CD for training or a certified Ventilation Maintenance Technician with industry training and the strongest vacuum system? Clearly, we see the second major difference is the training of the technician.
How Long Does It Take To Clean Air Ducts?
A proper ventilation system cleaning will take a minimum 3 hours to complete. I tell clients to expect us to take between 3-5 hours depending on the size of the system. Larger homes with multiple furnaces will take even longer. If your carpet cleaner says they cleaned your ducts and they were done in 45 minutes, you should be very concerned.
What Is There to be Concerned About Beside Price?
My biggest concern is that with cheap tools and inadequate suction, the carpet cleaner may have had enough power to dislodge the grime in the duct. Without adequate suction however the debris would still be in ducts and free to float around the home and into the client’s lungs. Without proper equipment and training it is possible to make your clients sick. This a serious concern for those who have allergies, asthma, COPD or a suppressed immune system.
I understand the concern for the cost and being able to afford a proper air duct cleaning. If money is a barrier to obtaining the service, I would rather the client wait until it is financially possible. It would be better to wait for the right service than to make the situation worse by hiring an amateur. We can work with our clients as needed to create a payment plan or option that will meet their needs. We are not the cheapest, of course, because we do the job right. We also are not the most expensive because we have invested in success rather than cheap business practices.
How Do You Know All of This?
I know the difference in the duct cleaning systems because while I own Planet Duct Air Duct Cleaning, I am also the owner of Colorado Springs best carpet cleaning company. My company, Hydro Clean Carpet Cleaning, has 6 truck mounted carpet cleaning systems and 3 portable carpet cleaning system. I am an IICRC certified Master Textile Cleaner, a Journeyman Fire and Smoke Restoration Technician and a Journeyman Water Damage Restoration Technician.
For years, my clients have asked if I do air duct cleaning. Until now, I had to say no. I did not want to offer the service unless I had the very best equipment and training available. I wanted to make sure that I offered my clients the very best service with no shortcuts or gimmicks. Now we are offering professional air duct cleaning with our company, Planet Duct. We have our first air duct vacuum truck and training from the best ventilation system trainers in the country. We are continuing with ongoing education and we are shooting a series of training videos that will be used for supplemental training of new staff.
I would never use a carpet cleaning truck mount to clean air ducts. I recognize that they are designed for carpet cleaning, not ventilation systems. To offer sub-standard service is just not in our DNA and I could not do that with a clear conscience.
Why Hire Planet Duct
Planet Duct was created from the need for professional, comprehensive air duct cleaning services in Colorado Springs, Peyton, Black Forest, and greater El Paso county. We have invested in education, training, and superior tools to ensure our neighbors receive the best services possible. Fill out our easy, online form for a free estimate, learn more, or contact us today.
