Highlights:
- AG John Suthers announces actions against air duct cleaning companies.
- Principals and companies banned from even advertising in Colorado.
- Separately, the EPA says most homes do not need to have ducts cleaned.
A Denver District Court Judge has permanently barred two men and their companies from advertising or performing air-duct cleaning servics in Colrado, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced on Tuesday.
The ruling impacts Andre Shatyko, 28, Alexander Kurdyukov, 27, and their companies, Seabreeze Air, LLC; Seabreeze Air; Quality Air; Quality Air “LLC”; and Fresh Air, LLC.
Using Groupon, LivingSocial and ValPak, Seabreeze offered services at low prices with no intention of honoring the advertised rate, Suthers said.
The ruling brings to close a civil lawsuit filed last November by the Consumer Protection Section of the Attorney General’s Office.
“Consumers let us know there was a problem with this Seabreeze and after we investigated, it was clear that this company lied about its rates and capabilities,” Suthers said.
“Air-duct cleaning must be done correctly or dust and debris can be left or stirred up that can create a health hazard for homeowners,” explained Suthers.
Shatyko and Kurdyukov were ordered to pay the state $916,000 for charging more than they advertised and performing services that were often of little or no value.
Under the agreed-upon order, it the state timely receives $150,000, the remainder of the $916,000 will be forgiven.
The lawsuit is the result of the Attorney General’s ongoing efforts to combat air duct cleaning companies that misrepresent their prices and perform incomplete, unprofessional work that has the potential to cause damage to homes and incur health issues for residents.
With the change in seasons, the Colorado Attorney General’s Office warns the public to be wary of air-duct cleaning companies whose promises seem too good to be true.
If a scam is suspected, the public is encouraged to file complaints with the Office’s Consumer Protection Section by calling 800-222-4444 or clicking: www.coloradoattorneygeneral.gov/complaints.
Separately, the Environmental Protection Agency said that most homeowners probably do not need to have the ducts in their homes cleaned.
“Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems,” according to the EPA.
“Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts,” the EPA continued.
The EPA explained that much of the dirt in air ducts adheres to duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter the living space.It is important to keep in mind that dirty air ducts are only one of many possible sources of particles that are present in homes,” according to the EPA.
“Pollutants that enter the home both from outdoors and indoor activities such as cooking, cleaning, smoking, or just moving around can cause greater exposure to contaminants than dirty air ducts. Moreover, there is no evidence that a light amount of household dust or other particulate matter in air ducts poses any risk to your health.”
The EPA said there are certain situations in which it may make sense to consider having the air ducts in your home cleaned.
They include:
- There is substantial visible mold growth inside hard surface (e.g., sheet metal) ducts or on other components of your heating and cooling system;
- Ducts are infested with vermin, e.g. (rodents or insects);
- And Ducts are clogged with excessive amounts of dust and debris and/or particles are actually released into the home from your supply registers.
However, if you suspect mold in your air ducts, the EPA offers this advice:
- Many sections of your heating and cooling system may not be accessible for a visible inspection, so ask the service provider to show you any mold they say exists;
- You should be aware that although a substance may look like mold, a positive determination of whether it is mold or not can be made only by an expert and may require laboratory analysis for final confirmation. For about $50, some microbiology; laboratories can tell you whether a sample sent to them on a clear strip of sticky household tape is mold or simply a substance that resembles it.
- If you have insulated air ducts and the insulation gets wet or moldy it cannot be effectively cleaned and should be removed and replaced;
- And if the conditions causing the mold growth in the first place are not corrected, mold growth will recur.
Last year, the Better Business Bureau of Denver/Boulder completed a comprehensive analysis about the local air duct cleaning industry’s advertising practices. After looking at 62 air duct cleaning companies, the BBB requested that 21 of them change and/or substantiate advertising claims based on BBB Code of Advertising guidelines. Most advertisers complied, and the few that did not were then given “F” ratings from the BBB.
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