How to Clean Central Air Ducts

The clean air ducts in your central ventilation system allow the entire system to work more smoothly and provide the home owners with a cleaner and safer environment. But many people neglect the annual duct cleaning and pay attention to the problem mostly when it’s already too late. But if you decide to add the duct cleaning to your list of regular chores, you will notice how everything around your home will start changing – less dust, clean air, less sneezing and allergies and many other positive effects. And you can easily achieve all that by yourself. Here are some tips on how to clean central air ducts which will help you.

Instruments.

• Gloves
• Dust mask
• Vacuum cleaner
• A rag
• A brush
• A screwdriver
• A new air filter
• Some tape
• Paper towels

Instructions:

1. The first step towards fixing the problem is realizing that you have it. Look around your house and look for signs that your ducts are clogged. Some of these signs might be visible mould growth on your walls and ceiling or unexplained insect and pest infestations. Sometimes the signs that your ducts need cleaning can be even more obvious, like a system clogged by dust, which spills small clouds of dust every time you turn it on. This is why it’s recommended to clean the ducts on an annual basis.
2. Prepare all the mentioned tools you’ll need for the cleaning, put on the gloves and the dust mask, and make sure you will be able to breathe freely under the mask. Some people even put on special glasses in order to protect their eyes from the excessive dust.
3. Once you’re prepared, you should pick up the screwdriver and remove the vent covers with it. Then get the air filters and remove them, if there are any in your ventilation system (there should be). These filters are replaceable, so you won’t have to clean the old ones, just throw them away. Then wash the inside of the air duct and the ceiling or the wall where it connects to the rest of the system. You can use a cloth or a hose, it’s your choice. This is done because you can’t vacuum this space efficiently, and the strong vacuum cleaner can damage the wall if not used properly.
4. Now you can pick up the vacuum cleaner and vacuum the inside of the air ducts as far as you can reach. But before you put the hose with the attachment inside the duct, you should pick up the tape and use it to keep the attachment and the hose of the vacuum cleaner together. This is done to prevent you from losing the attachment inside the ductwork while you’re cleaning. It may sound silly, but it happens very often.
5. Once you’ve wiped, washed and vacuumed the inside of your central air ducts, it’s time to attach the new air filter and put the vent covers back in their place. Before you actually attach the vent covers, you should vacuum them in order to remove all the dust caught in there. And if you want to keep your ducts clean for longer, you should consider changing the air filters about once a month. This will help you maintain a better living environment.

Hi everyone! My name is Jane Wilson and I am a freelance blogger. My hobbies are home improvements and gardening. I like different Diy projects and making beautiful things from scrap.