What is an air duct?
An air duct is a system that transfers air throughout the house. It couples your HVAC system with air vents. So an air duct system is defined as a system that provides hot or cool air to the rooms of your house.
Now the question is, is air duct cleaning necessary?
Is air duct cleaning necessary?
Yes, it is essential to do air duct cleaning at least once a year. If you have an air duct system installed in your house, do not forget to clean cooling & heating coils, air filters, and other parts.
How to clean house air ducts?
As a house owner, definitely, you do not want dirty air moving around your rooms. Over time, it happens that dust and pollution get stucks in the air duct system. Therefore, it is necessary to clean house air ducts so that it can work properly. However, no study has yet been done to confirm that air duct cleaners prevent health issues. But as nobody knows the exact situation, so it is better to clean air ducts and vents to avoid any kind of health risks.
Here is another thing you should keep in mind that if you or anyone of your family members is suffering from allergies, then it might be due to the dust and pollution present in air ducts. For that reason, cleaning air ducts is essential to avoid health problems.
So here is the step-by-step guide on how to clean house air ducts with your own efforts. But before I get started, first take a look at the things you need to clean your air ducts.
Air duct cleaning equipment
Here are some essential air duct cleaning tools you need
Furnace filter
You need a furnace filter because it’s manufactured to grab dust, dirt, and debris. You will need this by the end of the air duct cleaning process. Therefore, it is a must to buy the best furnace filter.
Gloves, mask, and goggles
You must have heavy-duty gloves for air duct cleaning. Apart from this, you will also need a mask and goggles to avoid dirt.
Commercial vacuum for duct cleaning
Keep in mind that a domestic vacuum won’t work for this procedure. You will need a commercial vacuum for this purpose. You can rent a commercial vacuum at affordable rates.
Long handle brush for cleaning
A long handle brush you will need to clean your air duct system. Remember, a small brush will not work for this procedure.
Screwdriver or Power drill
In air duct cleaning, you will need to remove the screws from different parts of the air duct. Therefore having a screwdriver or power drill is a must. Don’t forget that a power drill is always a better option as it eases your work.
Disposable handkerchief & cleaning cloth
For cleaning air ducts, you will need a microfiber cleaning cloth and several disposable handkerchiefs. Remember that these kinds of things will make your work easy.
DIY air duct cleaning – Start the process
Here is the step-by-step guide on how to clean the air duct.
Remover the covers
Start the best duct cleaning process by removing the covers. You will need to remove the screws, therefore use a power drill for this.
Cover the heat and air vents
Use disposable handkerchiefs and cover the supplies that provide heat or air to your rooms. In order to stop the dust going in and out in the supplies, cover them properly with disposable handkerchiefs. Once you have done this, clean the other parts. Uplift the supply vents and use the disposable handkerchiefs and place them between the vent cover and wall.
Turn off heat and cool mode
Change the setting of the thermostat and set it to the only ‘fan on’ option. This will help in removing the dust left during the cleaning process.
Remove the dust that sticks insides the duct
You might find this a little difficult but you can use the long handle of the brush to remove the dust that sticks inside the duct. For removing this kind of dust use the long handle of your brush and start tapping lightly. By doing this you can easily clean the air duct.
Clean the supply register
Now you need to clean the supply register. Again this is a tricky step so watch a video on YouTube to get a clear idea of how to clean the supply register.
Clean the return registers
Use the long handle brush and clean the register cavity completely.
Switch-off fan and furnace
Now turn off the fan at the thermostat and furnace via the service switch.
Clean the blower compartment
Now use the commercial vacuum and clean the blower compartment and return the air boot. This is the point where you will find most of the dust. Therefore, clean it properly and do not forget to clean the furnace fan as well.
Change the furnace filter
You have done all the hard work so now it’s time to change the furnace filter. Do not compromise on cheaper or low-quality furnace filters. Keep in mind that a good-quality furnace filter will provide clean air and it also increases the lifespan of the motors.
So now you know the all-important methods of how to clean air ducts with your own efforts. Still, if you need any kind of help ask in the comment section below.