Provider profile
Duraclean Services
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Central Maryland homeowners dealing with water emergencies who want a family-owned restoration company with 40 years in Harford County and a 2-year warranty on all restoration work.
Best for
- Harford County and Central Maryland homeowners who need emergency water damage response with same-day service and insurance coordination.
- Homeowners who want one company to handle everything from water extraction through flooring replacement and rebuild, avoiding the hassle of coordinating multiple contractors.
- Property owners dealing with fire or smoke damage who need a restoration company that also handles mold remediation and structural repairs.
- Commercial properties in the Baltimore-Harford County corridor that need 24/7 emergency restoration with a documented track record.
About this company
Duraclean Services is a family-owned restoration company based in Forest Hill, Maryland, serving Central Maryland since 1985. Owner Tim Criss -- a former 5-time PBA bowling champion -- runs the operation out of Harford County with a team that handles water, fire, and mold damage under one roof. They also do carpet cleaning, air duct cleaning, and flooring sales and installation.
What stands out here is the scope. They handle the full cycle from emergency water extraction through rebuild, including flooring replacement, drywall repair, and painting. They offer free mold and water inspections, a 2-year warranty on restoration work, and claim emergency response within 4 hours. They work directly with insurance companies on claims. The mold remediation page lists IICRC certification. Contractor Connection has ranked them in the top 5% of restoration contractors nationally, and Nationwide Insurance named them Best Contractor in the Northeast Region.
The company has been in business for over four decades. Tim Criss grew up in Harford County and transitioned from his bowling career into running the business. The contact email on their site goes directly to Tim. They offer military and veteran discounts.
At 4.2 stars on Google with 47 reviews, the rating is serviceable but not standout. Most of the recent reviews are strongly positive, with multiple customers praising fast emergency response and friendly staff. The negative reviews are thin on detail, and one appears to be attached to the wrong company entirely.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Forest Hill, Maryland (Harford County). Serves Central Maryland including Bel Air, Jarrettsville, Fallston, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Cecil County, and surrounding communities. Project photos show work in Towson, Catonsville, Dundalk, Elkton, Parkton, and as far as Wilmington, Delaware and Red Lion, Pennsylvania.
Review consensus
Jenn is the most frequently named employee, appearing in at least five reviews for her fast communication and coordination -- one reviewer noted she called within 30 minutes of filing an insurance claim. Kevin shows up in three reviews for efficient on-site mitigation work. Josh is praised for going above and beyond, including one story about missing his child's baseball game to respond to an emergency. Multiple reviewers highlight the speed of emergency response (same day or next morning), help with insurance claims, and daily check-ins during active jobs. Bob gets mentions for carpet cleaning work. Several customers specifically praise the friendliness of the entire staff.
3 found across 47 total reviews at 4.2★. Of the three 1-star reviews, one (Ty T) called the company "weird and unprofessional" with no specifics -- this is a single-review account and the owner asked for more detail. Another (Kim Brown, a Local Guide with 23 reviews) complained about laminate installed over concrete with no vapor barrier, but the owner responded that this reviewer appears to be in Michigan, not Maryland -- a plausible case of a review attached to the wrong business. The third (T. Shizzle) left no text at all. The most substantive negative is Natalie M Shelton's 3-star review (a Local Guide with 27 reviews), which described subcontractors who left belongings piled on televisions, used the wrong paint, damaged baseboards, and let her dog escape. She later updated the review after owner Tim Criss visited her home and addressed every concern in person.
The owner responds to most negatives with personalized messages that engage with specifics rather than using template language. Tim Criss personally visited a dissatisfied customer's home to review concerns one by one, which led to an updated review. The Natalie Shelton complaint points to a structural issue: the company uses subcontractors for some trades, and quality control on subcontractor work is harder to maintain than with in-house crews. The owner's 60% response rate on recent negatives is decent, and the responses are substantive when they come.
Jenn (mitigation coordinator/field staff -- consistently positive, named in 5+ reviews for fast communication and coordination). Kevin (mitigation technician -- positive, named in 3 reviews for efficient work). Josh (field staff -- positive, praised for going above and beyond). Jay (field staff -- positive, one review). Nick P. (field staff -- positive, one review for being polite and helpful). Bob (carpet cleaning -- positive, praised in 2 reviews for quality carpet work). Tina (phone/hotline staff -- positive, one review for late-night scheduling). Tim Criss (owner -- positive, personally visited a dissatisfied customer to resolve concerns).
Ask for Jenn to coordinate your project -- she is the most consistently praised employee for communication and responsiveness. If your job involves drywall, painting, or flooring, ask whether Duraclean's own crew or subcontractors will do the work, and what oversight looks like. The company's willingness to have the owner personally address complaints is a good sign, but the subcontractor quality issue is worth watching for on bigger jobs.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. That creates a conflict of interest -- the company finding the mold is the same one getting paid to remove it. Consider getting an independent mold inspection before committing to their remediation services.
- Their restoration work uses subcontractors for some trades like drywall and flooring. One detailed review described subcontractors who left belongings uncovered, used wrong paint colors, and damaged baseboards. The owner personally visited to address the issues, but ask who will do the actual work on your project.
- The 4.2-star Google rating across 47 reviews is below the 4.5 threshold where you can assume consistently good experiences. The low volume means individual reviews carry more weight.
- Their service area claims are broad -- Central Maryland including Baltimore, Harford County, Cecil County, and into Delaware and Pennsylvania based on project photos. Confirm response times for locations outside Harford County.