Duct cleaning is part of maintaining your HVAC system for better air quality indoors. Clean air vents create clean air, and air duct cleaning will ensure that dust and debris won't fly into the room. Cleaning your AC vents will improve air quality around the house, and ensure your vent system is well-maintained.
In this article, we'll tackle the step-by-step process on cleaning the air vents. There are two types of vents referred to in this article: the HVAC vents that are often connected to the ductwork that loops around the home, and the air conditioning vents that are often located on the indoor unit of a cooling system.
Effects of Unmaintained Air Vents
- Dirty indoor air;
- Malfunctioning HVAC system;
- Damage to the air conditioner;
- Musty odors.
How to Clean AC Vents: A Step-by-step Guide
Step 1: Dislodge the Vents from Your Air Conditioning System
Remove the air vent covers from the air ducts. To do this, you may need to unscrew the covers. Some vent covers are not screwed into the wall, and can be easily removed from its position. If you're cleaning the air vents on your air conditioning unit, then follow the manufacturer's instructions on opening the front panel of your indoor unit.
Step 2: Wash with Soapy Water
Create a soapy water solution with dish soap and warm water. This is your cleaning solution that you can use to safely clean air vents, and remove oils, dirt, and grime. Wash the vent covers with soapy water. Do the same for air conditioning vents. Most vent covers can be submerged into the water as they have no electric or mechanical components.
If you have an HVAC system, chances are you're working with ducted air vents, or even ceiling vents. You can use the soapy water solution to clean air ducts as well by using a cleaning brush to apply the solution, and using a soft cloth to wipe the air duct dry.
Step 3: Scrub Out the Grime
Scrub out the grime using a brush, scrubbing between the vents. Use a small brush, such as a toothbrush, to get into the nooks and crannies as these hard-to-reach areas are where dirt tends to accumulate the most.
Step 4: Vacuum the Air Ducts
If you're cleaning the air vents, then it is a good idea to vacuum up any grime from the air ducts. To do this, take a long-handled brush, and gently scrub out the grime from the walls of the air ducts to loosen them. Shake off the loosened grime by tapping the air duct walls, then use your heavy duty vacuum cleaner to suction the dust and debris.
Step 5: Clean the Air Filters
Clean the air filter. If you have a reusable and washable air filter, then clean this with regular soap and water, scrubbing out the grime from the mesh with a brush. If you have a disposable filter, then check whether you need to replace the filter, or use a vacuum cleaner to remove dirt from the air filter mesh.
Step 6: Rinse and Dry
Rinse the air conditioner vents to remove as much of the cleaning solution as possible. Let the vent cover air dry until they are completely dry, before placing them back into position. Don't forget to place the air filters back into position as well as your clean vents.
Tips to Maintain Your Air Ducts
HVAC systems often have air intake vents, and return vents. These can get particularly dusty as grime settles on the surface. Cleaning them will prevent dust and debris from entering the unit, and damaging the components of your HVAC system.
Let our technicians at Luce handle the cleaning for you! Our technicians will make sure your AC unit is kept clean, maintained, and in tip-top condition with routine inspection and cleaning. We can handle AC units of all types, across all brands and models in Singapore.
Give us a call today to schedule your next AC unit maintenance!
