Clean vents will have you breathing easy
Your air vent covers are your point of contact with the air blowing out of your ductwork. If you notice the covers are starting to look a lot like Pig-Pen, it means that you’re likely breathing in the dust that you see. Thankfully, learning how to clean air vent covers in your house is easy, and the process doesn’t take long. Along with cleaning tips, we’ll cover some of the causes of dirty air vent covers so you can keep your vents cleaner for longer.
Since your air vent covers connect your home to your HVAC ductwork, there could be several culprits at play, such as:
A clogged air filter: When an air filter is full of dust and other particles, it won’t be able to trap as much debris cycling through. It means your ductwork and air vents will become dirtier quicker.
Moisture imbalance: Bad insulation or closing vents in unused rooms can lead to a moisture imbalance. This can, in turn, increase dirt production and condensation and make your vents look very dirty.
Inefficient system: Older systems, or AC units that are the improper size for your space, might also contribute to dust buildup on your air vents.
There are two main methods for how to clean air vent covers in your home: spot cleaning and deep cleaning.
When you notice your air vents acquiring dust, there are several ways to clean them. Let’s start with spot cleaning the outside.
Place an old sheet under the vent to catch dust and other things that might fall off during cleaning. Next, turn off your HVAC. Doing this ensures you won’t have dusty air blowing into your face as you clean.
You’ll also want to don a stylish pair of safety glasses. They’ll protect your eyes from dust and other particles that might float into the air. Lastly, set up your ladder to easily access the air vent. Ideally, have someone spot you and make sure the ladder is stable before climbing with items.
You can use a handheld vacuum or a brush attachment to remove particles on the wall vent cover. Make sure to also trace the vacuum over the crevices and corners where particles like to hide. If you don’t want to use a vacuum, you can replace it with a damp microfiber cloth. Similarly, run the cloth over the air vent and its crevices.
Run a dry microfiber cloth over the air vent, as this will remove other particles that were freed upon cleaning. After doing a visual inspection and determining it’s clean, you can climb down, gather your old sheet for disposal, and turn on your HVAC system.
If it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned your air vents and covers, chances are they’ll require a more thorough cleaning. Start by turning off your HVAC system and staging the area as mentioned above. From here, you’ll want to do the following:
Climb your ladder and wipe off the front of the vent covers with a dry microfiber cloth. Armed with a screwdriver, remove the screws and place them in a small plastic bag. Free the wall or ceiling vents and take them down to soak in a bucket of warm, soapy water for 30 minutes.
Use a microfiber cloth to clean around the outside edges of the air vents, paying close attention to all the crevices where dust hides. Next, take a dry cloth to remove any smaller particles. Be careful not to clean deeply into your ductwork, as this is a risky process for a DIYer that could result in damage to your ductwork.
Climb back up the ladder, fish the screws out of your bag, and screw the air vents back into place. Repeat for all of your vents. Once you’re done cleaning all of them, you can turn your HVAC unit back on.
You can spot clean your air vents and covers once every month or two. It’s always ideal to inspect them regularly for dust buildup. For deeper cleans, you’ll want to do them once or twice per year, depending on how often your system is dirty.
If you want your ductwork cleaned along with your air vents, then hiring an HVAC pro might be a smart way to go. The average air duct cleaning costs $380, depending on the size of your home, the type of ductwork installed, and how much your local air duct cleaner charges. That said, if you only want to clean the air vent covers, it makes more financial sense to do them yourself if you’re able to since it isn’t a big time or effort investment.
Proper HVAC maintenance ensures that your system operates efficiently and that you’re breathing cleaner air. On this front, here are some things you can do to keep your unit in peak condition:
Replace air filters: You’ll need to replace your HVAC air filters as directed. Typically, this is once every month to once every three months, depending on the manufacturer and conditions in your home.
Conduct tuneups: Having tuneups done annually on your furnace and air conditioner ensures they operate as intended, resulting in improved airflow that’s cleaner.
Install new ductwork: While not financially practical in all situations, your ductwork lasts around 15 years. This means that you’ll eventually need to replace it. Air duct replacement costs $3,500 on average.
