Why a NADCA Contractor is Important?

The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) was formed in 1989 by a group of enterprising ventilation cleaning contractors who were concerned about the rapid growth and lack of regulation in the industry. At that time, there were no industry standards, no credentialing programs, and no system for education for HVAC cleaners. The founding members of NADCA made it their goal to add professionalism to the industry. Those gathered agreed that the number one goal of the organization should be educating the HVAC cleaning industry, as well as consumers, that source removal was the best method of cleaning. 

The need for industry standards was addressed in 1992 when the association adopted NADCA Standard.  This performance-based standard defines minimum job qualifications, and most importantly, answers the question of "how clean is clean." The standard defines precisely how much debris can remain within a ventilation system after cleaning has been completed. The standard also provides qualitative and quantitative methods to measure duct debris, allowing consumers to conclusively determine the success of a HVAC cleaning project. Since its release, the NADCA standard has been widely accepted within the engineering and industrial hygiene communities. Most recently, the standard was adopted by Japan and several European nations as the official ventilation cleaning standard. 

Membership in NADCA is restricted to companies that can meet rigorous pre-qualification criteria.

How to Select a Qualified Residential Contractor

Checklist

1.    Can the company show proof of NADCA membership and certification?  (www.nadca.com)  

2.    How long has the contractor been in the residential HVAC system cleaning business?  

3.    Can the contractor provide you with evidence of the current Worker’s Compensation and General Liability Insurance coverage? (Ask for Certificate of Insurance) 

4.    Does the contractor posses the proper Licenses that are required by your city or province to perform the work they are proposing? (Not all cities or provinces require licenses)  

5.    Will the contractor provide you with 3 to 5 customer references with phone numbers for which they provided service in the last 30 days?  

6.    Will the contractor conduct a thorough inspection of your system PRIOR to performing any work and alert you to any problems?  This is required by the current NADCA Assessment, Cleaning & Restoration of HVAC Systems (ACR) Standard.  

7.    Will the contractor provide you with a means to conduct a visual inspection at any time during the cleaning? (Mirror and flashlight, camera or other remote visual systems.) 

8.    Will the contractor be cleaning the complete system, including coils and fans? 

9.    Will the contracting company actually do the work? (Some companies subcontract the work to independent contractors. You will want to apply these guidelines for subcontractors as well.) 

Is the contractor giving you a guaranteed price before the inspection?  This may expose you to extra costs. Finding mold in the system, damaged fiberglass insulation, cleaning or treating cooling coils may become add-on costs.

Why a NADCA certified company?

Why should you, the consumer, choose a NADCA Certified Company to clean your HVAC system over a non-certified company? There are several reasons. 

Each NADCA Certified company works in accordance with NADCA's Code of Ethics. In essence, the Code of Ethics verifies that each NADCA Certified company maintains a high level of ethical behavior and professional performance. 

Every NADCA Certified company must adhere to NADCA's Standards. NADCA continuously develops and researches the HVAC hygiene industry, resulting in the production of industry-wide standards. Since NADCA Certified companies adhere to NADCA Standards, they are staying abreast of new equipment, technology, and the most cutting-edge cleaning procedures.

Each and every NADCA Certified company has at least one Air System Cleaning Specialist (ASCS) on staff. For an individual to earn the ASCS distinction, an exam must be passed. To remain an ASCS, the certified individual must earn 12 Continuing Education Credits (CEC's) over two years. Thus, the individual is constantly remaining up-to-date on developments within the HVAC hygiene industry.

Perhaps the most important reason that you should choose a NADCA Certified company to perform your HVAC cleaning is that NADCA members only apply source removal methods. NADCA Certified companies do not perform, suggest, or recommend "encapsulation" as a HVAC cleaning method. (Encapsulation is a process where a glue-like substance is used to make contaminants adhere to the HVAC system.) Source removal is the most effective and thorough HVAC cleaning method.