According to the Environmental Protection Agency, duct cleaning doesn’t make a difference in air quality for most homes. That doesn’t mean it’s a scam. It is a valid home improvement service. And when it’s merited, it’s quite important to have it done.

But for the majority of your customers, clean ducts don’t affect air quality one way or another. Some even think ductwork cleaning might increase dust and other air pollutants.

Here’s what some of the authorities on the subject have to say about it.

A thorough duct cleaning service involves vacuums, blowers and scrubbing brushes that reach deep inside the system’s network. Particles are loosened up and then blown or vacuumed out.

In an average home, duct cleaning involves the ducts, registers and covers, return air vents plus parts of the HVAC appliances. Fans, motors, housings, cooling coils and air handlers get the treatment, too, says Danny Lipford of Today’s Homeowner.

While cleaning always sounds like a good idea, there’s no data to back up any benefit for the average homeowner. And in some cases, there’s the possibility of creating a problem. The EPA says duct cleaning “has never been shown to actually prevent health problems.” They go on to explain that no authoritative studies exist that show dirty ducts lead to a dusty home.

The reason for these findings lies inside the ducts. Particles stick to the walls of the ductwork. Forensic Applications Consulting Technologies, Inc. says cleaning can create a problem where none exists. When the ducts are squeaky clean, fewer particles are likely to stay inside the ductwork and more of them can blow out into the room.

With all of that said, sometimes ductwork cleaning isn’t just a good idea, it’s important for air quality and the health of people and pets living in the house. Mold is one of the first issues that the EPA brings up. If there’s a buildup inside the HVAC system or ductwork, there’s a sound reason to have them cleaned.

Duct cleaning is also important if vermin have gained access. Bacteria from droppings might be airborne when the HVAC system switches on. Excessive dirt and debris are more reasons for cleaning. And if the house has been renovated, hazards such as asbestos might lie in wait. So cleaning is a good idea after major work, too.

The experts agree that ductwork cleaning is a valuable service. It’s just not important for most homeowners. For the average home, duct cleaning can stir up problems that weren’t there before.

Recommendations for duct cleaning shouldn’t be commonplace. But for homes that have a serious issue with mold, asbestos, renovation debris, vermin infestation and other major contaminants, it can help your customers enjoy healthier air.

Home inspections cover plumbing and fireplaces, but in-depth scans can reveal more elusive problems. They’re typically carried out by specialists in those areas. You can train to become a sewer expert and chimney sweep and expand your business. Or you can recommend experts to your clients. Either way, no home inspection is really complete until some of the most expensive and dangerous problems in vulnerable systems are either spotted or ruled out.

Here are three reasons why you should always recommend these scans to your clients.

Where there’s a sewer line, chances are sooner or later there’ll be a tree root. That’s the nature of how roots grow. They’re attracted to moisture, and many sewer lines have at least a tiny leak. That’s all it takes to send roots on a direct and destructive path to the line.

Instead of growing around a sewer line obstacle, tree roots often work their way into seams or create brand new breaks on their own. While a tree root doesn’t necessarily mean that the whole line needs replacement, ignoring the problem often leads to that end. It can be remedied, at least in many cases, if it’s caught early. If not, the homeowner will eventually face a major, costly repair.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends a chimney scan every time a house changes ownership. Where a break in a sewer line is an expensive problem to repair, chimney defects can put your home and family at risk.

A level 2 chimney inspection susses out degraded mortar, creosote buildup, damaged brick, a damaged chimney liner and more. It’s recommended for every type of solid fuel burning appliance, says Structure Tech inspections in Minnesota. Recommend that your clients use a “certified chimney sweep” to ensure they’re getting an expert’s assessment.

The older the home, the more likely it is to have a major blockage or break in the sewer line. And the same applies to a chimney. Time and continued use over the years often lead to a breakdown in the fabrication and materials of both types of systems. But what some homeowners don’t realize is that a new home isn’t immune.

Some brand new sewer lines and chimneys are built with defects. Sometimes the materials are faulty or the whole system falls prey to an outside force. For example, a tree root that’s nearby might make its way into a brand new sewer line over the course of a year. And the longer the line exists, the more time there is for infiltration. New is safer, but no system is too new to have damage.

Many homeowners enter into a home inspection with the belief that once it’s done, every defect will be accounted for. But you know the limitations of your work and can help educate consumers about important additional measures.

As part of the Home Inspection Report software, you get a pre-inspection agreement. That’s one way to inform clients about what to expect from a home inspection. Take the additional step and recommend sewer and chimney scans, and your clients will have a better overall picture of their risk and the condition of the property.

Of course, home inspectors inspect what’s visible and accessible. And some crawlspaces are unsafe for anyone besides a mouse. But what’s lurking inside could cause the customer problems down the road.

Older homes might have a low crawl space that’s so shallow you can’t fit inside. Some might have obstacles that block access. And some might have clear issues, such as flooding, that you’re not required to brave.

Chances are, you’ll one day encounter a tiny crawl space that you can’t inspect as you normally would. But you still have a duty of care to report as best you can. Here’s how to handle those cases and what you might find if you try a different route.

The main access to the crawlspace might be so small that you can’t fit through. The homeowner might have inadvertently closed off or locked the access. Or maybe heavy rains have created a swimming pool under the house. Regardless of why you can’t access the space, you might still find ways to take a look and report back to the customer.

One type of access is the foundation vent. In some homes, ventilation points are wide enough to shine a flashlight through. If the flashlight isn’t enough, maybe a camera will help. Most digital cameras have a zoom feature that lets you see deeper into the space. And that could let you check for (and photograph) at least some defects.

The key is trying to inspect the crawl space. Although you’re not required to attempt shimmying through a 14-inch access, you should make a reasonable attempt to inspect from the outside. ASHI Reporter says inspectors who don’t try alternative measures could, at least in some cases, be liable for report omissions.

If a defect is possible in a wide-open crawl space, it’s possible in one that you can’t inspect up close. The area might be tiny, but it’s not safe to assume that doesn’t have the usual home systems running through it. Here’s what can hide between joists and behind pillars:

The list could go on. Just remember if it’s possible in a full crawl space, it’s possible in a tiny one. And for every system that you can’t inspect up close, there’s the possibility of a defect.

If there’s no way to gain entry and no way to look inside, customers should be alerted to the situation. That way, you’ll cover your liability bases and they can consider hiring a specialist with tools such as a mini remote-controlled rover with a camera or a long camera scope.

Like it or not, the crawl space is part of a complete home inspection. At least if it’s accessible and doesn’t pose any obvious hazards. But if there’s no way to gain access, most inspectors still try to have a look, even if it’s through a foundation vent at a distance. When you go the extra mile, your customers get an inspection report that’s as complete as possible.

Every home inspector needs insurance, but you might not have all that you need. General Liability doesn’t cover everything. In fact, it specifically doesn’t cover some of the most serious claims. That’s why you also need Errors and Omissions insurance.

If you’ve considered working without Errors and Omissions insurance, it’s a good idea to rethink that approach. It’s available and affordable. And the combination of both insurance policies could protect your business from substantial loss.

General Liability Insurance Protects Against Certain Damages

Imagine that you’re inspecting a house. You’ve moved a step ladder to reach a fixture, but the ladder tips into an expensive mirror that’s mounted on the wall. Who’s going to clean up the mess? More important, who will pay for it?

Liability insurance covers you against accidental damage and bodily injury that you’re responsible for. If you accidentally track mud into a white rug, scratch a painted wall or cause other damage in or around a house, this insurance ensures you don’t have to come out of pocket to reimburse the homeowner.

GL Insurance Considerations

Accidents, by definition, aren’t predictable. The safest and most conscientious inspector in America could make a misstep and find himself holding the bill.

Claims against GL insurance are usually moderate, according to ASHI Reporter. But bear in mind that GL policies usually contain a “professional liability” exclusion. Read the fine print. And don’t be afraid to shop around. As ASHI explains, what one insurer covers, another one might not.

Errors and Omissions Insurance Gives Broader Protection

Errors and Omissions, more commonly called E&O insurance, covers problems with your work. What if you overlook a defect that turns out to be costly for the buyer? Or what if you make a mistake with the scope of a defect and inadvertently influence the sale? That’s where E&O steps in. And it’s a good thing, too.

Everyone is capable of an oversight, and anyone can misinterpret a home defect. But instead of a clear and defined repair cost like you’d have from visible damage, the scope of what E&O covers is much broader. It’s an unpleasant topic, but it’s also an important one. E&O insurance could one day save your business from the sweeping effects of a lawsuit.

E&O Insurance Considerations

Most of the costly insurance claims fall under E&O, says ASHI. That’s because the scope of potential damage is broad and difficult to calculate. While GL insurance covers bodily injury in your scope of work, E&O covers bodily injury as a result of your work. For example, if you drop a tool and hit the homeowner’s toe, that’s a GL claim. But if you advise that a staircase is safe and it later collapses underfoot, that could be a claim against your E&O.

The potential for an E&O claim is throughout every home that you inspect. That’s why GL insurance isn’t enough. An oversight could be as simple as a defective appliance or as frightening as a severe injury. And the financial ramifications without E&O could be at least as damaging to you as the injury or omission is to the homeowner.

GL and E&O insurance make up the well-rounded home inspector’s coverage. While it’s possible to work with only GL, at least in some markets, it’s not a good idea. Home inspector attorney Joe Ferry says going without E&O puts everything that you own at risk. All that it takes is one oversight or accident to create a snowball effect that causes loss to the homeowner and ultimately to you.

Insurance can be expensive, but it’s worthwhile. Just remember, the investment that you make now could save your business and even your home if the worst should ever happen. GL and E&O work together to keep your business and finances safe.

The home inspector’s job is to find what’s hiding and bring it to justice. In this case, justice is an inspection report. You never know what will emerge on any day. Maybe you’ll find the cause of a mysterious creaking floor or identify pipes that go bump in the night. Whatever happens, your work uncovers the truth, regardless of what that truth might be.

Home inspectors only have one customer at a time, and they’re usually buyers. Many, if not most, lenders require a pre-sale inspection. And when they don’t, buyers still often prefer to know what they’re getting into.

It all makes perfect sense. You wouldn’t agree to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars without knowing what you’d get in exchange. A super-sleuth inspector brings hidden problems out into the light and paints an accurate picture of the home’s condition at that moment. And that makes for an informed consumer.

But what about the seller? Sometimes they need a home inspection, too. Before listing a house for sale, knowledge about its true condition can empower the seller to either list it at a more appropriate price or invest in repairs to support a higher value. An inspection keeps the element of surprise far away from a home sale.

One might wonder why an owner would need an inspection at all. Living in the house should be information enough about its condition. Unfortunately, that’s not always true.

Some issues, such as roof leaks dripping into an attic, are never seen until the house hits the market. And sometimes a known problem is misdiagnosed as something else. For example, that water in the attic might not be a leak at all, but a condensation problem.

Some homeowners get home inspections without thinking about selling the house. A good demographic to market to might be retirees and pre-retirees. Getting a report and then whipping a home into good shape before settling too far into retirement could save big repair costs later on.

Just as Sherlock Holmes always seemed to make at least one enemy, home inspectors aren’t always welcomed with open arms. That’s because inspectors speak the truth as a rule. To do otherwise would negate the whole inspection.

That’s why inspectors such as Spencer Wright of BBI Home Inspections says he always works for the customer. No exceptions. That probably sounds simplistic. But when you consider how much might be on the line with an inspection, you can begin to see who might have a little more influence.

Both sellers and real estate agents might get their feathers ruffled when an inspector finds defects. That’s because defects serve to make the house look a little less enticing, which could risk or even kill the sale. Nevermind, says Wright. Always work for the customer and always report the whole truth and you’ll have a reputation as a straight shooter.

The real estate world has a lot of elements, from agents to attorneys to lenders. But the home inspector has a special sort of job. Unlike anyone else, inspectors only work for the benefit of one customer. And the goal is always the truth.