A homeowner just moved into a 1990s house and the first night they run the heat, the place smells musty and dust starts collecting on the vents. They don’t open Google and scroll for 20 minutes anymore. A growing number will type something like: “Who’s a trustworthy air duct cleaning company near me that won’t upsell?” If your business isn’t mentioned when they ask ChatGPT, you may never even get a chance to quote the job.
The good news: showing up in ChatGPT isn’t luck. It’s the result of consistent “proof” across the web—proof that you’re real, local, qualified, and known for the exact services people are asking about (duct cleaning, dryer vent cleaning, HVAC coil cleaning, sanitizing/deodorizing).
What “recommended by ChatGPT” actually depends on
ChatGPT doesn’t have a single master list of air duct cleaning technicians. When it gives local suggestions, it’s typically synthesizing information from sources it can verify and cross-check, such as:
- Your Google Business Profile (categories, services, service area, photos, reviews)
- Major directories and maps (Apple Maps, Bing Places, Yelp, industry/local directories)
- Your website content (service pages, FAQs, location info, credibility signals)
- Mentions of your company across the web (local lists, chamber sites, neighborhood forums)
- Consistent business identity details (name/address/phone and matching branding)
So the real question isn’t “How do I get into ChatGPT?” It’s:
How do I make it easy for AI to confidently describe and recommend my air duct cleaning company?
If you want the broader landscape of how the different AI results work (and why they don’t all pull from the same places), read: ChatGPT vs AI Overviews vs Grok vs Perplexity: What's the Deal?.
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Win the trust battle in a market full of bait-and-switch
Air duct cleaning has a unique problem: homeowners have been burned. They’ve seen $99 coupons that turn into $799 “mold treatment” the moment a tech walks in. That reputation problem affects how people search—and what they ask AI.
To increase your odds of being recommended, make your positioning crystal clear everywhere AI can read it:
- Flat-rate pricing (or clear pricing ranges) with what’s included
- NADCA certification (if you have it) shown prominently
- Before/after photos and video inspection content
- No bait-and-switch language (avoid gimmicky pricing on your site and listings)
When AI sees consistent claims (and customers repeat those claims in reviews), you become the “safe choice,” not just another option.
Your Google Business Profile: the fastest lever to pull
If you only fix one thing this month, make it your Google Business Profile (GBP). It’s one of the most machine-readable sources about your business.
Here’s what an air duct cleaning technician should tighten up:
Get the category and services right
- Primary category should reflect your core offering (typically “Air Duct Cleaning Service” if available in your region).
- Add relevant services you actually perform: duct cleaning, dryer vent cleaning, HVAC coil cleaning, sanitizing and deodorizing.
Service area clarity matters If you travel across multiple suburbs, list the cities you truly serve. Don’t add a metro area you rarely work in—AI recommendations often come down to “fit” between the user’s location and your service footprint.
Use photos that prove competence, not just existence Upload images that show:
- Your negative air machine / vacuum setup
- Register and return cleaning in progress
- Dryer vent line and termination before/after
- Coil cleaning results (when appropriate)
- Your truck branding and uniformed techs
Stock photos don’t help trust. Real job photos do—and they also align with what homeowners want to see before letting someone into their home.
Add posts that match seasonal demand GBP posts are underrated. Use them to align with real triggers:
- “Spring allergy season: duct cleaning + deodorizing options”
- “Move-in deep clean specials (no upsells, flat rate)”
- “Post-construction dust: what duct cleaning can and can’t fix”
Reviews that make AI (and homeowners) believe you
For air duct cleaning, reviews do more than boost rankings—they address fear. People want to know you won’t pressure them, that you’ll show evidence, and that you’ll improve airflow/odor/dust.
What makes reviews especially valuable for AI visibility:
Recent volume beats old volume A steady stream of new reviews signals an active business. If two companies have similar totals, the one with fresh reviews often gets described as the safer current choice.
Specificity wins A vague review (“Great service!”) helps less than a review that says:
- the exact service: “dryer vent cleaning” or “full duct cleaning”
- the outcome: “musty smell went away,” “less dust,” “airflow improved”
- the trust factor: “flat-rate matched the quote,” “showed video inspection”
- the location: city/neighborhood
When you request a review, don’t script it—just guide it. A simple text message prompt works:
“If you can, mention what we cleaned (ducts or dryer vent) and what you noticed after—airflow, dust, odors—and your city.”
Respond like a real local company Your replies become additional text that AI can read. Keep it natural, and reinforce the service performed:
“Thanks, Jenna—glad the dryer vent cleaning in Maple Grove helped shorten dry times. Appreciate you trusting us.”
That one sentence includes the service + location + benefit without sounding robotic.
Build a website that answers the questions people actually ask
A lot of air duct cleaning sites look fine visually but don’t explain enough. AI systems—and homeowners—want clarity on what’s included, what’s optional, and how you prove results.
Pages that tend to move the needle for duct cleaners
1) Separate pages for your core revenue services Instead of bundling everything under one “Services” page, create focused pages like:
- Air duct cleaning
- Dryer vent cleaning
- HVAC coil cleaning
- Sanitizing and deodorizing (with clear disclaimers and what products you use, if applicable)
On each page, include:
- Symptoms that lead to the service (dust, allergies, musty odors, weak airflow, high energy bills)
- A step-by-step overview (inspection → setup → agitation/collection → verification)
- What’s included in your flat rate (number of vents/returns, main trunk lines, etc., as appropriate)
- When you recommend add-ons (and when you don’t)
- Proof elements: NADCA certification, insurance, before/after photos, video inspection
2) Location pages that don’t feel copy-pasted If you serve multiple towns, write pages that reflect real housing and common situations:
- Older homes with decades of settled dust
- New builds with construction debris in returns
- Neighborhoods with lots of pets (dander + odor concerns)
- Areas with high pollen counts during spring
3) An FAQ section that matches “AI-style” questions People talk to ChatGPT in full sentences. Your site should answer those same questions clearly, for example:
- “How often should air ducts be cleaned?”
- “Can duct cleaning help with allergies and dust?”
- “Why does my house smell musty when the HVAC turns on?”
- “Is dryer vent cleaning included or separate?”
- “How much does air duct cleaning cost in [City]?”
- “Do you provide before and after photos or video inspection?”
Also, don’t be afraid to include real, confidence-building facts in plain language:
- The EPA notes indoor air can be 2–5x more polluted than outdoor air.
- The average home can generate around 40 pounds of dust per year.
- Many homes benefit from duct cleaning every 3–5 years (more often after renovations, move-ins, or if there are respiratory sensitivities).
You’re not trying to scare people—you’re helping them make sense of why they feel the problem in the first place.
Get your business “corroborated” across the web
AI is skeptical in a healthy way. If your business information appears in multiple reputable places—and matches everywhere—it’s easier for systems to connect the dots.
Focus on two things: accuracy and breadth.
Accuracy: your NAP should match NAP = name, address, phone. Make sure it’s identical across:
- Your website header/footer and contact page
- Google Business Profile
- Major directories
Even small formatting differences can create duplicate listings or confusion, especially if you’ve rebranded or changed phone numbers.
Breadth: prioritize listings that homeowners actually use Claim and clean up the major sources:
- Google Business Profile
- Apple Maps
- Bing Places
- Yelp
Then add “local trust” sources:
- Chamber of commerce directory
- Local home services association sites
- Sponsor pages (youth sports, community events)
- Partnerships (HVAC contractors or restoration companies that list trusted vendors)
A handful of solid, consistent mentions usually beats a blast of low-quality directories that create bad data.
Test what AI says about you (and correct the story)
Most owners never check how AI tools describe them until they lose a job. Make it a simple routine.
Once a week, run 8–10 prompts and record what comes back:
- “Best air duct cleaning company near [City]”
- “Who does NADCA certified duct cleaning in [City]?”
- “Air duct cleaning flat rate pricing [City]”
- “Dryer vent cleaning near me—who’s trustworthy?”
- “Company that provides video inspection for duct cleaning [City]”
Look for gaps:
- Are you mentioned at all?
- Is your phone number correct?
- Does it confuse you with another company?
- Does it describe you as “cheap” when you’re positioned as “transparent and thorough”?
- Are competitors being recommended because they have more reviews, clearer service pages, or better listing coverage?
If you want a tool that helps monitor and improve your visibility across AI answers without guessing, Pantora is built for that.
A 7-day action plan for air duct cleaning technicians
This is a realistic checklist you can do between jobs (or assign to your office manager).
- Fix GBP essentials
- Correct category, services, hours, service area, and website link.
- Upload proof photos
- Add 15–25 real job photos (include before/after and equipment shots).
- Add “trust-first” copy to GBP and your homepage
- Mention flat-rate pricing, NADCA certification, and video inspection if you offer them.
- Request 5 reviews from recent happy customers
- Prioritize allergy relief, odor removal, airflow improvement, and “no upsell” experiences.
- Reply to your last 10 reviews
- Naturally include the service and city in your response.
- Publish or upgrade one money page
- Start with either “Air Duct Cleaning” or “Dryer Vent Cleaning” (both are common $300–$700 jobs).
- Clean up 3 listings
- Apple Maps, Bing Places, Yelp—ensure NAP matches your website.
If you’re not getting calls right now and you suspect the issue is trust or visibility (not your workmanship), this can help you diagnose it: 5 Reasons Homeowners Aren't Calling (and How to Fix It).
When you still don’t show up: the usual culprits
If you do the basics and AI still isn’t mentioning you, it’s almost always one (or more) of these:
- You’re missing credibility signals that matter in this industry (NADCA certification, inspection evidence, before/after documentation).
- Your reviews don’t describe outcomes, so AI can’t connect you to “allergies,” “musty smell,” or “airflow issues.”
- Your service area is vague, so the model can’t confidently match you to the user’s city.
- Your website is too thin on specific services (dryer vent cleaning and coil cleaning often get forgotten).
- Bad data is floating around from old listings, old phone numbers, or duplicate profiles.
Fixing those isn’t glamorous, but it’s exactly how you become the company that gets recommended.
The practical next step
In air duct cleaning, the companies that win AI recommendations are the ones that look the most verifiable: clear services, consistent listings, specific reviews, and proof-heavy content. When a homeowner asks ChatGPT for someone trustworthy—especially during spring allergy season or a move-in deep clean—you want the machine to find enough evidence to say your name with confidence.