As warmer weather arrives with spring and summer, you may be getting your AC ready to keep your home cooler. Maybe you scheduled AC maintenance with your HVAC technician. Perhaps you are installing a new high-efficiency AC? Have you given your AC ducts any thought? What follows is your guide on how to clean AC ducts so your entire system is ready to keep your Peachtree City home comfortable.

How to Clean AC Ducts: Why Clean Ducts?

It’s hard to believe that some people debate whether ducts need to be cleaned or not. AC ducts get dirty, and they need to be cleaned to function more efficiently and to help boost indoor air quality. It’s as simple as that.  Your ducts accumulate pollen, dust, pet dander and other things from your supply and returns.  If you have dirty ducts, you’re going to have dirty air.

How to Clean AC Ducts: Preparation

The first thing to know about how to clean AC ducts yourself is preparation. Make sure you have all the basic tools and safety wear you’re going to need. You’ll probably need a screwdriver to unfasten the air vent covers. A long, stiff-bristled brush will be needed to reach inside ducts to loosen debris. A shop-vac will be handy for vacuuming all the debris out.

You’re going to encounter a substantial amount of dust and debris that you’ll need to protect yourself and the area around the vent from.  For safety wear, it’s suggested to wear eye goggles, a respirator, and gloves.  You can also layout a drop cloth around the work area to catch additional dust or debris.

How to Clean AC Ducts: Cleaning 101

Learning how to clean AC ducts and actually cleaning the air ducts are two very different things. It’s suggested that you hire an HVAC contractor to do the job efficiently, safely, and thoroughly.  However, you can DIY the ducts around the grills yourself if you are not ready for a FULL system cleaning.

Firstly, unfasten the vent covers to the ducts. You can clean vent covers with a damp cloth. Look inside the ducts. If debris is thick, you’ll need to loosen it with a brush before you vacuum it up with the shop-vac. Repeat this process for each accessible air duct.

If you need help or advice on how to clean AC ducts, or if you want to schedule professional service, contact the pros at Powers Heating & Air today.