How to Clean Air Vent Covers
Why Should You Clean Air Vent Covers?
Clean air vent covers are an integral part of maintaining a healthy home. They are hotspots for dust accumulation from inside your HVAC system, and those
dust particles can easily contain any number of harmful particles. Clean air vent covers help prevent some of those particles from being pushed into the home and can go a long way toward stamping out allergens. You should clean air vent covers at regular intervals in order to keep the home clean and allergy free, and below are some of the best ways to achieve that goal.
What's The Big Deal About Cleaning Air Vents From Dust?
As said, dust can be harmful to those with allergy problems, especially to dust mites or pollen. These particles are being tracked into the home on your shoes and maybe by your pets, and are finding their way into your HVAC system. When they are settled inside your duct work and you turn on the heat or A/C, that dust is being pushed out into the home and landing, most notably, on the vent covers of the duct work. Clean air vent covers can help protect you and your family during allergy season, and even year round.
Call AdvantaClean for Clean Air Ducts Today!
Is Your Home Making You Sick?
Create a healthy environment for your family. Request your service appointment today!
What Are The Monthly Steps To Clean Air Vent Covers?
- Before you begin to clean air vent covers in the home, you want to make sure the heat or A/C is turned off. This helps to protect you from sudden bursts of dust being pushed into your face.
- To clean air vent covers on the floor and the larger intake vents on your wall, Health.com recommends using a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter that can filter out 99.7% of small particles. They can be on the pricier side, but investing in a HEPA filtered vacuum is a must for families who suffer from allergies or even asthma. When you use a 'normal' vacuum, the majority of what you think you're sucking up is actually being re-dispersed into the air and eventually settling once more into the home. Using a brush attachment on the HEPA vacuum, you simply need to run the head down all of the crevices of each vent.
- To clean air vent covers on the ceiling, you'll want to spread out an old sheet over the floor or furnishings below the vent. You may also wish to wear a ball cap or even eye protection to save yourself from a face full of dust. Then, using a step ladder if needed, you can either use the same HEPA vacuum if it'll reach that high, or you can invest in a cobweb duster on a retractable pole. Amazon sells several varieties like the Ettore Professional Cobweb Duster (amazon.com for $14.52 with Prime shipping). Running the brush over the vents will create a downfall of dust, but that is where your old sheet comes in handy. When you've cleaned all the ceiling vents, carefully ball up the sheet and throw it into the wash.
What Should You Do To Deeply Clean Air Vent Covers?
About twice a year you may also wish to take off the vent grills and give them a more thorough cleaning. To clean air vent covers in the sink, simply unscrew them from the floor or ceiling they are attached to and let them soak in hot, soapy water. You don't want to add too much soap as this may affect the paint. For scrubbing off the stubborn dust, you can use a microfiber cloth or even a small sponge paintbrush. Both will allow you to get into all of the crevices without being overly abrasive on the paint.
To deep clean the intake air vents, you can follow the same process as the other vents, but you may need to soak them in the bathtub due to their larger size. The intake air vents are the large grills on the wall where the air returns to the HVAC system. It is also important to change out the filter inside the intake vent about once a month. A great way to remember when to change them out is to set a monthly alert in the calendar on your phone.
How Does An Air Duct Cleaning Relate To Clean Air Vent Covers?
To truly have clean air vent covers, you'll want to schedule an air duct cleaning once every five to seven years. An air duct cleaning done by a reputable company ensures that the dust in the home is at a minimum. Always use a company that follows the National Air Duct Cleaners Association's (NADCA) preferred process of cleaning, meaning they will clean every last inch of your duct work. A clean HVAC system coupled with proper techniques to clean air vent covers creates a healthier environment for your family and keeps harmful particulates at bay.
Call 877-800-2382 to schedule an appointment with an AdvantaClean air duct cleaning specialist today!
