There are many reasons to clean the air ducts in your house. When ducts are tidy, the heating unit lasts longer (since there is less dirt wearing out its components), we dust less typically, and the air we breathe in your home is cleaner. For those of us with allergies, this should be a welcome enhancement.
Most likely you don't own a high-powered, truck-mounted vacuum system with 150 foot-hoses; perhaps you can't manage the expense of such service. However I am going to tell you how you can clean duct yourself. Sure, you will not be able to reach every nook and cranny, but you can still remove approximately 85% of the dust in your system without spending any more than the expense of your brand-new heating system filter.
There are many different styles of duct systems, such as attic systems and underground systems, but the theory of cleaning these systems is the same. You might not have the ability to access all parts of these systems (for instance, underground ducts), however you can make a difference in your air quality by cleaning the parts of the system that you can reach.
Prior to we get going, have a look at this video of what one of those high-powered, truck-mounted vacuum systems appears like at work on a quite overlooked duct system.
2. Turn on fan. You desire the fan running while you are cleaning up, to move the dust along that you are going to loosen with your banging and brushing. Set the thermostat to "fan on," and turned off the "heat/cool" mode so that just the fan is running. If you do not have a fan-only choice, you can run the heat, or you might take this chance to set up a newer thermostat with this helpful alternative.
3. Inspect filter. Make sure your old heater filter remains in place, so that the dust you knock loose doesn't wind up getting pulled into the fan motor.
4. Loosen dust in ducts. Knock loose any buildup of dust in the duct. Just take the handle of your brush and start tapping on any available duct work you have in the basement. This will assist separate any deposits of dampened dust that may have adhered to the within the duct.
5. Clean supply registers. Now you can begin sweeping out the dust in your supply registers. With the vacuum running and completion of the hose pipe near the register, lift the register. Utilize the hose pipe to catch any dust that is being pressed out by the fan, and proceed to sweep as far into the register's piping as your hose can reach. Utilize your brush to scuff loose any developed up dust in the register.
As you go through your house purging the supply registers, you can remove and get rid of the paper towels you've put in place. 6. Tidy return air registers. Purge your return air signs up. These will likely be fastened with a screw and need your tool to remove them. Again, brush and sweep as far back into the register piping or cavity as you can. 7. Shut down fan and heating system. Shut the fan off at the thermostat and the power off to the furnace by means of the service switch or breaker panel. Do not just shut down the thermostat, since that doesn't switch off the power to the unit.
8. Clear out blower compartment and return air boot. With the power off, you can get rid of the panels on the front of the furnace and gain access to the blower compartment and the return air boot. Utilize your vacuum to sweep up the dust built up in the blower compartment and return air boot. This is where the excellent Additional info bulk of your dust will be. Because you're in here, you must clean the heater fan also.
Take a look at the in-depth article (with images) I wrote, How to Clean a Furnace Fan for a guide on doing this. 9. Change furnace filter. Purchasing a better filter will definitely reduce the dust in your home. However the better the filter, the more frequently you must change it; a filthy filter restricts the air flow to the fan, which results in the blower motor running hotter and lowering its life expectancy. How often you must change your filter depends upon your home, your family pets, and your place.