How to Clean Dusty Ducts in a Few Easy Steps

You may have state-of-the-art air conditioning and impressive ventilation. But what good will those be if they aren’t maintained? This is why in order to maintain the performance and cleanliness of your HVAC systems, regular air duct cleaning is necessary. If you’re in Miami, you can also seek help from an air duct cleaning in Miami for this. Luckily, you don’t have to worry too much as we’ll be going through steps to help clean those dusty ducts on your own.

Benefits Of Cleaning Ducts
So as not to get discouraged by elbow grease, let us discuss how cleaning ducts can greatly benefit you. First of all, you will be saving money. Why? Your AC can operate under normal conditions, and you will receive optimum results. So, when summer comes, you won’t need to overwork your AC that much.

Second, you will be safe from unwanted particles. These include not only dirt, but also allergens, molds, and other hazardous microorganisms. You won’t be worrying much about getting a cold from someone who just sneezed at the far side of the room.

Lastly, you will feel secure. Dirty ducts are not only sources of diseases, but they can be fire and smoke hazards too. Who knows what flammable residues are lurking in there? Furthermore, if somehow a fire starts, obstructions in your vents can prevent the smoke from being expelled into the atmosphere. Just imagine what chain of disasters can happen.

To get all these benefits, it is highly recommended to have a fixed schedule for maintenance. You can clean the ducts and ventilation at least twice a year. If you’re busy, you can always contact a reliable local HVAC company.

DIY Duct Cleaning
Now that you understand the importance of having your air ducts cleaned, it’s time for the actual cleaning. If you are planning to do the chore by yourself, here are the tools you need and the procedures you have to follow.

Tools Needed:
● PPE (personal protective equipment) – These include a dust mask, gloves, and goggles. The purpose is to protect you from catching dirt directly and prevent any contact with pathogens as much as possible.
● Vacuum cleaner – This vacuum cleaner must have a particularly long hose so that it can fit into the air ducts.
● Screwdriver – This can be either the handheld one or the one used with a power drill. It will depend on how your ventilation cover is being screwed. Also, you have to take note of the type of screwdriver used.
● Brush – Although there can be several attachments for the vacuum cleaner that can be handy, a simple brush can sometimes be useful in situations where the vacuum is not. You can use a brush that is meant for painting walls or an old toothbrush, depending on how deep or accessible your air ducts are.
● Cleaning cloth – Aside from vacuuming dirt, there can be stains or worrisome formations where wiping is the only way of cleaning them up.
● Paper towels – These are usually used in order to dry up the wet traces from the cleaning cloth.
● Ladder/step stool – This can make your cleaning way easier. You can be able to reach further and clean more in one go.
● New filters – After finishing the cleanup, you have to replace your old filters with new ones.

Procedures:
1. Remove the screws on the covers of the air ducts.
2. Wash the vent covers with warm and soapy water. After cleaning, dry them well.
3. With the use of paper towels, cover up the supply vents. This is so you’re able to use the thermostat and adjust the setting to “fan” mode only. In this way, the stubborn dust particles will start to loosen.
4. After using the fan mode for a couple of minutes, use the brush to loosen up the dust and debris. If you have Mylar flex ducts, use the brush more carefully. At this point, the fan mode should still be running.
5. Next, use the vacuum cleaner and point its hose towards the register. Once you turn on the vacuum, it will suck all the loose dirt and debris that is being forwarded by the fan. Sweep the hose in order to increase coverage.
6. Using a damp cleaning cloth, wipe the interior of the ducts as far as you can. If you have a special cleaning fluid, you can use it. Otherwise, you can just soak the cleaning cloth in water.
7. If there is no dirt or debris left inside, turn off the thermostat. If the interior of the ducts is still wet, wipe it dry with paper towels.
8. Now, go further by cleaning the blower compartment and the exchange air boot. Open the panels of the furnace first. Then, use the vacuum cleaner and the necessary attachment to clean them up.
9. After that, replace all the filters in your HVAC system.
10. Clean the surrounding area like the walls, ceiling, and floors.
11. Return all the covers and properly screw them in place.
12. Lastly, turn on the thermostat and run the “fan” mode again for a good 30 minutes. This can help in removing any dirt or debris left.

When to Seek Professional Help
If you can’t find the time to clean your ducts yourself, you can always ask professionals to deal with your dirty ducts. But even if you have the time, be careful to choose your battles wisely.
If you notice that your air ducts have pests or even worse, are infested with bees or wasps, don’t bother trying to do the cleaning on your own. It is better to call the appropriate personnel in order to manage all the problems properly.

Conclusion
Cleaning air ducts and ventilation is not as easy as it may sound. It is a laborious activity and you need multiple cleaning tools just to remove all of the unwanted things there. Having scheduled maintenance is important but make sure you stick to it in order to reap more of the benefits of a good HVAC system.
You can also seek an air duct cleaning service to get the job done for you.