Cleaning your AC vents should be a regular thing in your home. It promotes great air quality and airflow. In fact, regularly cleaning your air vents ensures that your home is free from dust.
Another great benefit of cleaning your air vents is that it increases the lifespan of your AC. Therefore, it is to your advantage to learn how to clean the vents.
There are so many particles in your home. These include spider webs, pollen, hair, and other allergens. And these particles can negatively affect your vents if they are not taken care of.
Eventually, they will affect how your entire HVAC system operates. This guide shows you exactly how to clean air vents in practically any home. If you don’t feel comfortable cleaning your own air vents, you can contact the pros at Anderson Air for assistance.
How to Prepare for the Vent Cleaning Process
It is important to prepare for the process prior to the cleaning day. Spend the day before your air vent cleaning appointment clearing the spaces around your HVAC system. This includes transferring your furniture temporarily before starting the cleaning process.
Ensure that any young children and pets are in a separate room when the technician arrives for the exercise. Small children or pets may get into the way of the technician during the task or touch tools that are dangerous.
Finally, ensure that you stay out of the way too. The job will be smoother if you give the technician ample space.
The cleaning process depends on the size of your house. Averagely, it takes about four hours to clean the air vents. And if you can do it yourself, it will certainly save you some dollars.
Best Steps on How to Clean Air Conditioner Vents of an AC
- Assemble the Right Tools
The first crucial step in how to clean air vents in home ACs is ensuring you have the right tools. Understand that cleaning your air vents is a daunting task. And it becomes more difficult if you do not have the necessary tools.
The tools needed for this task include:
- Brush: a dusting brush that has a long handle is one of the best tools for cleaning your vents.
- Screwdriver: you need to disconnect the vents prior to cleaning them. Therefore, a standard screwdriver will help in this process.
- Vacuum cleaner: a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner will help you reach all of the tight corners of your vent system.
- A cleaning cloth: this is a necessary tool for dusting your air vents. It will clear the air vents of debris and clean all the dusty surfaces. Paper towels or microfiber cloths will work perfectly.
- A new filter: dirty ducts and vent cleaning can cause filter blockages. Once you are done cleaning, you will be required to replace your old air filter. Note that it should have a compatible size with your air conditioner system.
Once you gather all these necessary tools, you are ready to begin the real task. If you cannot get these tools, you can contact a technician at Anderson Air. Our technicians are armed with all these tools and will ensure that the cleaning process is done perfectly.
- Cover All of the Necessary Supply Registers Before Cleaning
The last thing you want is to make a huge mess in your house as you clean. So, use a clean cloth to cover the supply registers.
The supply registers are openings that allow heated or cooled air to flow around your home. Covering them will block dust from reaching all areas of your house.
To cover them properly, lift the grill, wrap them with a cloth and finally replace them. The supply registers should also be cleaned depending on the amount of dust in your vents.
- Switch On the Fan
Once you have covered the supply registers properly, switch on the fan before cleaning your vents. It helps with loosening dust particles and debris.
Let the fan run for a few minutes before you start cleaning. Also, ensure you set your thermostat to “fan on” and switch off the “cool/heat” mode. This is to ensure that it is only your fan running.
- Switch Off the Power
The fourth crucial step on how to clean your air conditioner vents is to switch off the power of your AC unit. Leaving the power on when cleaning your vents poses a big risk.
- Unscrew Vent Covers
Mostly, air vent covers are fastened with screws. Using your screwdriver, open the grills and covers. Clean the grills with a clean cloth to remove dirt and dust. Additionally, use water and soap to clean the grills properly.
- Clean the Air Vents
This is actually where the real work begins. Get all your tools ready for deep cleaning. Vacuum out your air vents thoroughly and ensure that you have covered every corner and surface.
If there are difficult spots, you can use a long handled brush to scrub them off. Pay close attention to any signs of mildew, mold and other serious issues.
Use the cleaning cloth to wipe out all the surfaces that you can access. Additionally, do not forget to clean the blower compartment before switching on your AC. Ensure that you have cleaned it thoroughly.
Take all the necessary precautions when around the furnace to avoid damaging it and hurting yourself.
- Replace the Filter
Lastly, restore your air filter. Do this once you are done with cleaning your grills and vents and have replaced all the air vents fasteners.
Purchasing a new filter will reduce the amount of dust in your home. Note that a dirty filter interferes with the airflow to your fan.
The Importance of Cleaning the Air Vents of Your AC
There are many reasons why you should learn how to clean air vents. For starters, clean air vents mean a healthy environment for people with asthma and allergies. It also adds life to your AC unit.
The good news is that you can do the cleaning process on your own and save some money. That’s if you have some expertise in this field.
In some instances, you may be unable to reach all the surfaces and corners of your air vent. And in this case, there is no harm in looking for help. Reach out to an experienced technician who will ensure that they have offered you 100% results.
Remember that a clean air vent is beneficial not only to your HVAC system but also to the health of your entire family.