The average home produces and collects nearly 40 pounds of dust every year.

That dust consists of things like dead skin cells, pet dander, and even mold. If you aren’t prioritizing duct cleaning and duct maintenance, then these things can linger in your air.

Even though making sure you have clean ducts is so important, it’s something that’s often overlooked. And if you’ve never paid much attention to your duct system it can be hard to know where to start.

In this post, we’ll provide 5 tips to help you with duct cleaning so you can improve your air quality.

Keep reading to learn more.

1. Make Sure You Have the Right Supplies

Your first step when preparing for duct cleaning should be to make sure you have all of the necessary supplies before you begin. You don’t want to start the project only to realize you don’t have the tools you need.

Be sure to have protective gear for yourself such as a face mask and gloves, paper towels to clean up any messes, the correct filter replacements, and a screwdriver or drill for removing vent covers. 

2. Loosen the Dust First

If you can see and access your air ducts, then you should use that access to loosen up the dust and dirt before cleaning. Use the handle of your cleaning brush to tap gently against the ductwork. This should knock the dust loose, making it easier to clean up.

After knocking on the ductwork, turn your AC’s fan on to move that loose dirt closer to the registers where you’ll be able to reach it when cleaning. After running the fan for a while you’ll want to turn off the power to the unit before cleaning.

3. Wash Your Vent Grates

Although they’re easy to overlook, you’ll want to wash your vent grates as well. Even if they don’t look dirty at first, you’ll be amazed by the difference cleaning them makes.

You can put plastic or metal covers in your dishwasher (top rack for plastic), and handwash wooden grates in the sink. Before reattaching them make sure they’re completely dry so they don’t warp.

4. Clean Regularly

One of the most important things you can do to improve your indoor air quality is to clean regularly. While cleaning every once in a while is better than not cleaning at all, having a regular cleaning schedule is far more beneficial.

Keeping up to date on cleaning will not only make it less labor-intensive when you do clean but will also help keep your AC working better for longer.

5. Hire a Professional

While you can do a decent job of cleaning and maintaining your air duct system on your own, you should hire a professional to come and clean it periodically. 

Professionals are trained in how to clean each component, how to access areas that you can’t, and how to spot any potential issues while doing so. 

Improve Your Air Quality Through Duct Cleaning

Keeping the air in your home clean is an important part of trying to improve your health. Follow these tips to make duct cleaning as painless and effective as possible.

If you’re in the Louisville, KY area and are in need of heating and cooling services, we can help! Get in touch today.