Duct Cleaning -- and then the upsell

[DrRod]

So I get this coupon in the mail for duct cleaning for $34 -- sounds good. For $4 more they'll clean the dryer vent - still a bargain. For $15 more they will clean the three bathroom fans/vents -- still more than fair.

So once under way, they note that I have bacteria in my ducts and furnace, and mold could be coming next [none now]. Along with the additional cleaning, they need $370 for chemical treatment -- total extra is $1,100.

I guess this is why they can send three guys for an hour for $34 -- its their way of getting the camel's nose in the tent. Fair enough I guess. But the question is: does anyone think this is critical, worthwhile, reasonable, etc.?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[kcflhrc]

I think it is all a bunch of BS. I went through the same thing, the whole up sell process. Was going to cost me around $900. I told the guy to leave and never come back. The guy told me, oh, I see your ducts have never been cleaned before. No ***** sherlock that's why you are here. It's a racket, kinda like Radon I'm beginning to think.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have electric baseboard heat, but if I have time, I like to lead them on when and if they call. Play stupid and waste a ton of their time, like going downstairs and looking for the furnace. What does it look like? Hold on.

I have tactics like this for all the telemarketers, and the funny thing is, I now rarely ever get a call.

 

[jerrybob]

Kinda like the old door to door vacuum cleaner salesman.......they'd throw a bag of dirt on the floor when the wife opened the door then sell her a $500 Kirby with all the attachments. When the old man got home.......he'd hit the roof but by then......the salesman was in the next county. My father did that in Ohio as a young man after the war......he had some pretty funny stories.

 

[Dutch445]

I recently went thru a "sales pitch" for a new vacuum similar to the rainbow, because my son was training to do the sales job.
his mentor came in and did all the old school vacuum tricks, dumped the baking soda on the carpet, used the black
felt over the intake hose to show how much dirt it sucked up, even did the mattress cleaning trick. all for "dollars
a day". i made the mistake of asking how much to buy it outright, which prompted his call to the "boss" for the amount,
they said $2500. so when i said no, i wasn't buying it, i got the hard close: you don't care about your health?
how about your family? can't you see the value of this product, it will reduce your medical costs and increase your
health............... blah blah blah. i think the poor kid actually thought i was interested in it when i asked how much,
since most people would finance it at 21% interest!
needless to say, my son never go that far to go out on his own before he realized this wasn't so easy as they made
it sound when he interviewed!

 

[oosik]

Interesting - - the only "sales folks" I've ever had in the 34 years here were two elderly ladies from the Watchtower. It was early evening and I was in my favorite chair, with just underwear on(recognize I'm VERY remote with a mile long gravel driveway), drinking a brew & watching a baseball game. I went to the door and - SHOCK - on both side of the threshold. All I could think of at that spur of the moment was to reach out and ask - "would you like a beer?"

I have NEVER been visited again.

 

[dadster4]

I was in HVAC for 30 years. One shop I worked for started the duct cleaning thing, it kept the new guys busy until they actually learned something. I would say that 90% of the time, duct cleaning is not necessary, the dirt in ducts isn't going anywhere...that's why it's laying on the bottom of the ductwork! I have seen a few 40+ year old homes that did need a cleaning, a 12 x 8 duct only had a 4" hole left for airflow. One of the worst things for indoor air quality is burning candles, not to mention that they are the leading cause of home fires also. Take a peek inside your ducts, if dirt builds up more than 1/4" and moisture is present, mold and bacteria can become a problem and then you may have a reason to have them cleaned.

 

[turnkey4099]

Kinda like the old door to door vacuum cleaner salesman.......they'd throw a bag of dirt on the floor when the wife opened the door then sell her a $500 Kirby with all the attachments. When the old man got home.......he'd hit the roof but by then......the salesman was in the next county. My father did that in Ohio as a young man after the war......he had some pretty funny stories.

I have had only one of those come. Started with the demonstration then the selling. Asking price would have bought 10 regular vacs. Time he finally gave up he was down around 1/4 of his first price.

Harry K

 

[GPintheMitten]

Bacteria is everywhere. I say change furnace filters frequently and get the ducts cleaned occasionAly but skip the bacteria treatment. Mold is a different case in my mind. Mold is a problem I want to avoid

 

[CobyRupert]

I have electric baseboard heat, but if I have time, I like to lead them on when and if they call. Play stupid and waste a ton of their time, like going downstairs and looking for the furnace. What does it look like? Hold on.

I have tactics like this for all the telemarketers, and the funny thing is, I now rarely ever get a call.

:thumbsup:
- I've always said: If EVERYBODY did their part & kept a telemarketer on the phone for 1/2 hour, they could only make 16 calls a (8-hour) day. Let's assume that 1/200 people is a sucker, if so at 16 calls a day, they'd only be successful once every 12.5 days. The whole telemarketing industry would collapse within 3 weeks. The world would rejoice!!