There are a few things you should know before you clean your air ducts. The first thing to do is to decide if it's really necessary. You should know that while it's commonly assumed that there are health benefits, nothing has been conclusively proven. It will however, help with allergies, and other air born illnesses.

When trying to find an air duct cleaning service, make sure they can be trusted. The EPA has no legal requirements about air duct cleaning. If an inspector tells you otherwise, you should collect his information and contact the EPA. Another sign of a dishonest service is if they tell you of the potential health benefits. If an inspector says that cleaning a duct will improve the quality of the air, they're lying. All claims to this are unfounded, and like stated above, there is no evidence to prove this. There are a few resources that you can use to check if a company is reliable. You can start with the BBB, to make sure the complaints against this company are at a minimal. You could also search the internet for reviews about this particular person or company.

When analyzing the job the service person did, always make sure there is no visible dust or particles. The spots you can see should be absolutely spotless. If there is anything left over, you should consider discussing it with the service person. Don't be afraid to ask for photographic proof that the job was done.

Some service persons might try and push you to use chemicals on your ducts. There is however a few things you should consider before approving their request. There are currently no long term studies done with these chemicals. Some side effects could occur depending on the person. However, all chemicals are EPA certified for use in homes and businesses, and at the moment are considered safe. If an air duct cleaner tries to use a chemical that isn't certified for the EPA, don't allow them to do so. It is a federal crime for them to use an unapproved chemical. Air Duct Cleaning Washington DC