I chose this company because I saw in Youtube that it received an award for Top Duct Cleaning and it also advertised $99 for 10 ducts cleaned. The technicians who performed the air duct cleaning were friendly and answered my questions. Total charges reached $320.68 which I believe is too much [$99 for 10 ducts and $12 for every additional duct, $39 for the A/C, $59 for the Benefect disinfectant, waste handling for $14.79 and taxes]. I did not expect that the job would total to $320+. The technicians however gave me a free new filter good for 2 months use since my old one needed to be replaced. When the technicians were putting away their tools, I inspected the wall vents since they did not return the covers. One wall vent was not cleaned, so I cleaned the visible and accessible part myself. The technician told me the A/C was working so I checked the floor registers close to me [about 3 of them] and noticed mildly cold air coming out. Then technician showed me how to turn off the A/C on the wall thermostat. After almost a month when the season became warm, I turned on the A/C again and noticed the same mildly cold air at the start but slowing down and not getting cold after more than 15 minutes. I checked the compressor and found out that it was not running. I believe that the technician run the A/C without turning on the compressor because I'm sure nobody from my family touched the compressor. Then I checked all the floor registers and found one with almost no air coming out. When I went to see the ducting, there was air leaking on joint which needed fixing and duct tape.
Recommendations to customers: 1. Run the A/C for at least 30 minutes with the duct cleaning company to detect any possible problems; 2. Check all floor register and other vents and make sure that they are all clean and working; 3. Make sure the technicians return the covers of the wall vents and walk through with the technicians to inspect all floor registers and wall vents. The charge of $59 for the Benefect was just too high.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $320.00
- Company Response
Hi Jan
I'm sorry to hear that your experience with our company wasn't entirely positive. Since we have won the Top Choice Award for the past five years, it is concerning to us when we hear that a client feels that they have not received the best possible service.
From what you've said, it seems that the technicians failed to complete a thorough post inspection of their work which is an integral part of our protocol to insure that nothing is missed and that the system is in proper working order. I will be sure to reiterate the importance of a full post inspection each and every time to our technicians.
I appreciate your suggestions to other homeowners and I am sure many will find them helpful.
As far as the price for your service is concerned, we believe that we offer excellent value for the services and products we provide. Our pricing is extremely competitive for a company that follows NADCA cleaning standards, maintains proper insurance and WS&IB coverage, pays taxes and is environmentally responsible. When additional, optional service are purchased beyond the duct and furnace cleaning itself, the price will increase. It's been our experience that companies who offer a much lower price for sanitizing (or offer it for free) cut corners in other ways by not sanitizing the entire system, supplying a product that is simply a masking agent or by diluting the product so much that it is ineffective.
At Prestige, every home gets a follow up quality check within two days of the completion of the service so that if there are any concerns, they can be addressed right away. Since the issue with the A/C compressor wasn't noticed until much later, I extend an invitation for you to contact me directly to see what we can do to earn your business in the future. We sincerely appreciate your feedback as we strive to continually improve our service.
Kind Regards,
Nancy Carter
Marketing & Corporate Standards
nancy@prestigecleaning.ca