Pure Kleen Investigation

Our NewsChannel 9 investigative team is taking aim at an out-of-town company that offers to clean your heating and cooling system's ductwork, for what seems like a bargain.  But once the workers come in, the real problem begins.  Our investigation has turned up numerous complaints involving thousands of dollars paid for promises made yet promises not kept.

Full-page ads for Quality Air Solutions, also known as Pure Kleen, proclaim $79, $89, or $99 for air duct cleaning and mold removal.  One homeowner saw the ad, telling NewsChannel 9, "It sounded unbelievable to have something like that done, to check the house and things like that."

He wished to have his identity protected for reasons which became clear later. 

He said the Quality Air-Pure Kleen men came from under his house after about a ten minute inspections and told him he had a mold problem they could clean up. 

"They told me that it would be in the thousands of dollars," he said. 

The total bill came to $2,200.

"When did they tell you they were going to do the work?" I asked. 

"About a week later," he replied. 

When that week came and went, the homeowner called Pure Kleen in Alabama to speak to owner Kenneth Payer, and was told there was never any information turned in about his home.  He'd been waiting for a promised refund from Payer.

The homeowner asked to remain anonymous because, "I feel that there might be some revenge on his behalf by me contacting you."

We wanted to know why he would think that, so we investigated Mr. Payer and Pure Kleen. We located various mugshots of Kenneth James Payer mugshots from the Pittsburgh, Pa. Police Department, the Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania police department, and the sheriff's department in Marshall County, Tennessee.  We discovered charges ranging from a drug arrest, to driving on a revoked license, to driving drunk, to theft..

Wendy Halloran of WHNT-TV in Huntsville approached Payer two weeks ago as he arrived at his business, to ask questions about his business practices.  After refusing to speak with her, Payer got back into his vehicle, backed up and almost ran over her, as he screeched his tires away.

However after that Payer came to NewsChannel 9 to tell us he has settled all of his criminal charges and none of them have to do with Pure Kleen. We found no active warrants against Payer, although according to a detective, Payer is being investigated by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department.

Payer told us he has now closed his business, and says he is now being targeted by disgruntled employees out to damage his credibility. 

He said offering duct cleaning deals, and then discovering mold costing thousands of dollars to remove, is not a "bait and switch" tactic.

"It sounds a whole lot like 'bait and switch," I said to Better Business Bureau President Jim Winsett. 

"I totally agree with that," replied Winsett, saying his agency has been following Payer, his associates and his business of air duct cleaning and mold removal for several months now.  The bureau has a total of 6 complaints on duct cleaning businesses owned by Ken Payer. 

"If you have a legitimate need for that type service," he says, "you need to do your research."

A sentiment echoed by the homeowner who contacted NewsChannel 9's investigative team. 

"I just failed to do the proper job of research on this particular company," he told us.

The homeowner did however, get a $2,200 refund from the company one week after filing a theft report with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department.

Mr. Winsett wants to send out a warning about those ads that often seem too good to be true.

"Out-of-town companies roll into town, take out full-page ads in the newspapers that make a lot of promises, then leave town before you can complain about the product or service," said Winsett.

Learn more at the Better Business Bureau web site.