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How to Prevent Buildup In Vents
Are you beginning to notice a constant buildup of dirt in your vents? This is a nasty occurrence and you are probably wondering how to prevent it. Many reasons could lead to a dirty vent, but, mostly it is a sign of some neglected HVAC maintenance. Once your vents are dirty, you can have them cleaned with the help of a professional HVAC contractor. Nonetheless, you can still incorporate some at-home maintenance tips to help prevent or slow down this build-up. Here, we get to look at some of them.
Regular Replacement of Air Filters
The first step to maintaining clean vents is to ensure that you diligently change your dirty air filters with clean ones. This should be done every 3 months, but, it depends on the situation in your home and the type of filter. This is a simple HVAC maintenance task that will help improve the performance of the system and also plays a key role in controlling the buildup of dust on the vents.
Air filters usually trap the dirt in the air flowing into the unit ensuring that the air that gets into the ducts is clean. With a dirty filter, dirty air gets to reach the ducts and eventually the vents leaving some of the dirt behind.
Constant Cleaning Using Dryer Sheets
Needless to say, regular cleaning of the vents will reduce the rate at which dirt gets to build upon them. You may perform routine cleaning on the areas around the vents and the duct inlets that you can access easily. Using a regular cloth may not be so effective and may attract more dust due to the static charges it will leave behind.
Therefore, the best way to do this is by using a dryer sheet to rub on the vents and registers. This is an effective way to get rid of dust. Also, the anti-static property of the dryer sheets discourages the settling and buildup of dust leaving your vents clean for longer periods.
Cleaning Around the Room
The accumulation of dirt and dust in the rooms where vents are located can also contribute to the buildup of dirt on these vents. When this dirt becomes airborne, it may get stuck to the vents. It is therefore important that you constantly clean and dust around these rooms. This is more required if you have children or pets. Brushing your pets outside will also help to keep the insides of your house free of fur.
Vacuuming of the Vents and Ductwork
Vacuuming is another way through which you can clear up the vents from any buildup. As you wipe the outside part of the vent, you should also make a point of unscrewing it from the wall so that you can access the backside. Vacuum this side to give the vent a thorough cleaning and free it from dirt that may have gotten stuck.
A dusty vent can also be an indicator of dirty ductwork. If so, the dirt in the ducts will continue to be blown to the vents even after you have cleaned them. Some HVAC duct cleaning is therefore necessary. Before calling in a professional to do this for you, you can try vacuuming to remove some of the dirt.
Get an Air Purifier
Investing in an air purifier for your home can help you minimize the buildup on vents. To improve the quality of air, they remove contaminants such as dust, hair, and fur among others from the air. By doing so, it prevents this airborne dirt from gathering on or around the vents. For the best results, ensure that you get a high-quality filter and also regularly change it.
Get Professional Cleaning
If the dirt build-up on your vents is too much for you to handle on your own, then you may turn to professional HVAC duct cleaning services to help you out with this. Following this, you should then apply the above tips to help you manage the buildup of dirt on these vents. Note that these steps will help you reduce the dirt but you may still need to call in for professional HVAC duct cleaning every once in a while to remove residual dirt.
A dirty vent can be a sore sight. Even worse, this dirt can contaminate the air around the house making it a health risk for you and your family. Dirt build-up will also encourage mold, pests, and bacteria that can make you sick as well. The efficiency of your HVAC unit is also likely to be affected. Taking steps to prevent buildup on vents will help you avoid all these.
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