Air conditioning and heating units are designed to work efficiently within a sealed off building in order to save energy while providing comfort to the people who live and work in a building. However, over time pollutants can build up within air ducts that can include household chemicals, dust mites and mold. These pollutants can significantly decrease indoor air quality which can lead to increased problems with asthma, allergies and other types of illnesses. For this reason, it is recommended to have your air ducts cleaned regularly in order to eliminate the accumulated pollutants. While it is always best to have air conditioning air ducts professionally cleaned, it is possible to do it yourself in a pinch by following a few simple steps.

Gather Your Materials

In order to clean the ducts yourself, you will first need to gather a few simple materials that most people already have around their homes. First, you will need to gather a screwdriver and some gloves. Then, you will need a few cleaning items such as rags or paper towels, trash bags and a vacuum cleaner that has an extension high enough to reach the vents. Depending upon where your ducts are located, you will also likely need a ladder. Once your materials have been gathered, you are ready to begin cleaning your ducts.

Clean Around and Remove the Vent

You will first want to clean around the vent by wiping down the outside of the grille and the surrounding ceiling or walls. If it has been awhile since you have had your air ducts cleaned, then there may be a large amount of dust accumulation to contend with before removing the vent. If the vent is in the floor, then you will want to sweep the area around the vent to ensure that more dust and dirt does not fall in once the vent has been removed. In order to remove the grille, you will need to use the screwdriver to unscrew the screws that hold it in place. Once it has been removed, then it will need to be wiped down and placed in a safe place along with any hardware pieces.

Cleaning Inside the Air Ducts

In order to clean inside the air ducts, you will want to make sure you are wearing gloves as this is where mold and bacteria tend to grow. You will then reach inside the duct and wipe down the sides of the walls with a rag or a paper towel. Once you have done this, then you will use your vacuum to reach as far inside of the air duct as you can and remove any additional dirt and debris. For a thorough cleaning, a professional service can use a disinfectant spray throughout the air duct system, but if you are doing it yourself, then you might use some household cleaners just around the outside of the vent.

Putting It All Back Together

After the inside of the air ducts have been cleaned, all that is left to do is to place the grille back on by replacing the screws to hold it back in place. A final cleaning of the outside of the vent, walls and ceiling, or floor will help to ensure that any additional dirt or dust particles are removed. Congratulations on cleaning your air ducts for the first time, and remember to make this a regular part of your home maintenance program in order to ensure that your home continues to have the best air quality for optimum health.

Written by Northern’s One Hour air conditioning in Ramsey offers quality air duct cleaning for the residents in and around the Minneapolis area.