Duct Cleaning Behind the Scenes, Then and Now: Part 2

Hi Tech Duct Cleaning, Inc. is a business that has been on the cutting edge of duct cleaning for a very long time. In last month’s blog post (part 1 of this series), we interviewed Hi Tech’s founder and original owner, Steve Wladysh. Steve walked us through what it was like starting the company, what compelled him to do it, and some of the early issues facing the industry.

Steve Wladysh retired in 2015, and his son-in-law, Aaron Cain, took over the business. Aaron has now been running the business for almost 5 years and is ushering it into a new season of success and service while navigating a whole new set of industry issues.

In this blog article, part 2 of the series, we talk with Aaron Cain to find out what the future for Hi Tech and the duct cleaning industry looks like.  

 

Question: Were you involved with Hi Tech or with duct cleaning before you took over the company?

Aaron’s Answer:
No, I was not in the industry before coming to Hi Tech. I started at the bottom as an assistant and worked my way up to being a crew leader over the course of a decade. When it came time to take over the company, I had all the experience doing the duct cleaning in homes and businesses and I had spent several years working with Steve (the original founder) to understand the business side of things. I was ready.

 

Question: What made you decide to step in as CEO rather than continuing as a tech or even leaving the industry altogether?

Aaron’s Answer:
After the years I spent as a tech, I felt I knew the ins and outs of the job itself. I’ve always enjoyed challenging myself and I like to think I’m a pretty capable person so I was excited to see what makes the company work and to move it into the future.

 

Question: What do you see happening in the industry now that’s different than what Steve faced in the early days? Or are you facing a lot of the same concerns?

Aaron’s Answer:

Many of the concerns are the same. There has been a greater volume of customers as the years go by, and so sometimes that just magnifies the issues you encounter. But I also believe that as time goes by, more people are starting to see the benefits of

having a clean environment to live in whether that be in homes or in businesses.

The biggest concern is always dealing with companies that are either scamming people or not doing quality work. They give honest companies such as ourselves, and the entire industry, a bad name. People shy away at times from the industry because they feel that it is dishonest and you can understand how they came to that conclusion. I just keep doing the best I can to serve my customers and do quality work and I trust that most people see that difference.

 

Question: What are the biggest challenges you see to the duct cleaning industry today?

Aaron’s Answer:

The biggest challenge for me is trying to educate our customers. Unfortunately, there are a lot of companies out there that try to entice people with low prices in an attempt scam people. It is a constant challenge to steer people in the right direction (even if they are not our customers). People need the information and knowledge of what to watch out for so they can make informed decisions.

 

Question: Do you still offer the same services and quality that Steve did in the beginning?

Aaron’s Answer:
Same services and same quality. This is our family business and we have and always will continue to offer honest and quality work to our customers and vendors. That will not change. Our reputation has been built off of this over the years and that will continue into the future.

 

 

Question: Where do you see the company going in the years ahead? What would you like to do?

Aaron’s Answer:

Obviously we want to continue to grow. Through this growth I would like to see us among the leaders of our industry by offering training and education not only to air duct cleaners around the country, but to homeowners and businesses as well.

 

Question: Why do you think duct cleaning matters?

Aaron’s Answer:

Duct cleaning matters because it helps people live a cleaner, healthier life. There are a lot of benefits to air duct cleaning. There are many people that suffer from allergies (especially in our area).  Many times we encounter patients who are dealing with illnesses such as cancer who need a clean environment to come home from the hospital to, otherwise they could have serious complications. Contaminants such as mold can grow in HVAC systems and cause health problems or reactions that would otherwise not arise.

The HVAC system acts as the lungs of a house and can distribute any kind of contaminant throughout the entire building. If you have allergies, a health condition, or are even just concerned about the cleanliness of your home, then it makes sense to pay attention to what you’re breathing.

 

 

Question: If you could tell homeowners anything about ductwork, home health issues, or even hiring home service companies, what would you tell them?

Aaron’s Answer:

No one is going to come to your home for $49.99 or even $69.99 to clean your ductwork. It appears nice on the surface, but you will get what you pay for. Do your research, call multiple companies, find out beforehand what the services include, how the work is performed, and how much it is going to cost. That way you are not caught off-guard or fall victim to a scam.

 

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That’s a wrap, folks. This ends our 2-part series on Hi Tech Duct Cleaning, then and now. You’ve heard from both the original founder and the current owner with their perspectives on the industry, their approach to quality work, and why duct cleaning matters. We hope you’ve learned a lot and you have a happy and healthy summer!