3 minutes reading time
(510 words)
Air Duct Cleaning Scams.
The question is "Can your A/C air ducts really be efficiently cleaned?"
Many disreputable Air Conditioning companies offer cheap duct cleaning. They run specials for $49.95 and claim to be able to clean the air in your home. They will scare you with warnings that you have filthy moldy ducts and the health of your family could be in danger.
One company even uses this line " The average single-family home will have gallons of dust collecting on the walls of air ducts..." They offer to clean your vents for $15.00 each. Funny enough - their ad looks like they are holding a vacuum up to an air vent. That must be one powerful vacuum to suck gallons of dust from hundreds of feet of ducts.
There have been horror stories about people spending thousands of dollars just to have an A/C company do nothing more than spray cans of Lysol into the vents while the AC is running and then claim the ducts have been sanitized.
Some companies use special brushes at the end of long poles and claim they can remove the dust, mold, and etc, that way.
So what is the truth about duct cleaning?
The truth is that most residential A/C Air Ducts cannot be properly cleaned.
If you have Flexible Ducts the act of stuffing a brush through them will rip the material and create holes in the ductwork. The result: Not only are your ducts not clean - but now you are losing cold air into your attic as well as letting more contaminants (and maybe a few little critters) into your home.
If your ducts are made of fiberglass board - not only can they not be properly cleaned, but the act of trying to clean them will most likely result in filling your ducts, and your home with tiny little fiberglass particles. Some fiberglass ducts have a coating that will reduce the amount of fiberglass particles created - but there will still be more than 50% of the "dust" left remaining.
Unfortunately the only type of ducts designed to be cleaned are usually for commercial applications.
Let us repeat: Very few residential duct systems can be effectively cleaned without dismantling or replacement.
So how about sanitizing ductwork?
One of the most efficient and acceptable ways to sanitize ductwork is by using a type of fog machine that will mist a chemical that can sometimes kill mold growing in ducts. Usually you will have to completely vacate the premises for up to 6 hours while this is going on. Even then, you can only expect a 40% success rate.
Bottom line - beware of duct cleaning scams. Usually the unscrupulous contractor will use this as a means to gain access to your home and intentionally mislead the homeowner into paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for additional work.
At Sean McCutcheon's Air Conditioning and Heating - we want you to you be informed, and we want you to know the facts. Feel free to call or email us anytime you have a question.
Stay Informed
When you subscribe to the blog, we will send you an e-mail when there are new updates on the site so you wouldn't miss them.
About the author
23 April 2025
Summer is almost here, and with it comes sweltering temperatures, longer days, and air conditioners working overtime to keep our homes comfortable. While you’re enjoying that refreshing blast of cool air, there’s something important happening behind ...
02 April 2025
If your ductwork is over 20-30 years old, it might be time to start thinking about a replacement. While it’s easy to overlook, aging or damaged ducts can cause major issues—especially during the summer heat when your AC is working its hardest. One of...
02 April 2025
Living in a condo often comes with the benefit of less exterior maintenance. However, many homeowners don’t realize that some maintenance issues are beyond their direct control—especially when it comes to air conditioning. In many condominiums, AC dr...
24 March 2025
You’ve probably seen advertisements for HVAC maintenance specials as low as $29. While this might seem like a great deal, it’s important to ask yourself—what are you really getting for that price? The reality is that no reputable company can send a q...
14 March 2025
Your home’s return vents play a crucial role in keeping your air conditioning system running efficiently. These vents pull air back into your system, allowing it to properly regulate temperature and airflow. However, if they’re blocked by furniture o...
22 November 2016
High quality Air Filters can reduce the energy consumption of your Air Conditioning system by up to 16%. Quality filters may cost more in the short run, but they pay for themselves with lower energy b...
04 December 2019
Don't touch that EM switch! With all this cold (by Florida standards) weather we’ve been having, you might be tempted to switch on that “Em Heat” or “Aux Heat” setting on your thermostat, but read thi...
Comments 29
I really like the way this article is written. It's very correct on the case as well. We rarely think about what kind of air we breathe, even though it is a fundamental part of our lives. We only understand it when we are deprived of good air. I think it's very important to find specialists who can help make the air in the house breathable.
This is very useful information. Thanks for taking the time to write this!
We have to maintain the cleanlines of our air duct because dust are all around the house.
We have to maintain the cleanlines of our air duct because dust are all around the house.
Nice post.
Thanks for sharing details with us. There is certainly a lot to find out about this topic.
For proper maintenance of temperature at your home, it is important to have a proper cleaning of air ducts. There's a lot of dirt and other unwanted material in them. You can easily get rid of them through hiring professional duct cleaners who clean air ducts in a professional way and make you feel comfortable at home.
Thanks for sharing details with us. I'll definitely look after this.
Thanks for sharing this. This information regarding air duct cleaning scams id extremely useful for people who are new to this.
A professional agency never let you down and offers best services possible in any situation.
Thanks admin for writing such a great post on a very serious topic like this and helping newbies like me understand about this in a very clear manner.
Great Blog!
A very useful article for me, because I used to really think the A/C vent duct cannot be cleaned, Thanks for sharing such a useful article. I am looking forward your next article.
A very useful article for me, because I used to really think the A/C vent duct cannot be cleaned Thanks for sharing such a useful article.I am looking forward your next article.
You mentioned mold and dust but there’s also animal hair and other things the previous owners might have had in the house.
There have been horror stories about people spending thousands of dollars just to have an A/C company do nothing more than spray cans of Lysol into the vents while the AC is running and then claim the ducts have been sanitized.
I think There have been horror stories about people spending thousands of dollars just to have an A/C company do nothing more than spray cans of Lysol into the vents while the AC is running and then claim the ducts have been sanitized.
There have been horror stories about people spending thousands of dollars just to have an A/C company do nothing more than spray cans of Lysol into the vents while the AC is running and then claim the ducts have been sanitized.
I hear wonderful feedback from your company. Your staff are experts at and you always provide great results. I am hoping to hire your services. Do you offer services in Florida?
I find it amazing that there are businesses that do nothing but clean the air conditioning vents with vacuuming and spinning brushes. Is there any benefit at all from these companies?