How to Productively Clean an Air Duct
The quality of the air inside your home can be directly affected by the cleanliness of the air ducts in your HVAC system. Hair, pollen, dust and dirt can get trapped in the HVAC system and distributed to every part of the house through the air ducts. Although there are many companies that offer air duct cleaning services, it is possible to productively clean your air ducts as long as you have the right tools available. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Clean and clear the areas surrounding the vents. Sweep the area around the vents located on the ground and remove any furniture that may be obstructing the air flow. Wipe the area around the vents that are located on the wall with a damp cloth.
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2
Unscrew the return-air grill plates or the air duct covers with a screw driver. Remove the screws and pull the cover off. Dust the covers off with a clean cloth and then wipe them down thoroughly with a sponge and household cleaner.
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Clean the inside of the duct walls with a brush and a clean cloth. If applicable remove any filters from the duct so they are not damaged. Brush the dust out of the duct and then wipe down the walls with the cloth.
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4
Vacuum the inside of the air duct. Attach the hose accessory to the vacuum cleaner and insert it as far as possible into the duct. Turn the vacuum on and slowly pass the vacuum over the entire surface area of the walls. Replace the filters if you have them in your air ducts when you are finished vacuuming.
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Replace the air duct covers and return-air grill plates. Screw the covers back onto the air ducts. Vacuum the covers to remove any extra dust that may have gotten trapped or stirred up by the original vacuuming.
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Tips & Warnings
Secure your vacuum hose with tape to ensure it does not inadvertently slip too far into the duct.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit air conditioner vent image by Tammy Mobley from Fotolia.com
