Ducts work at its best when they are kept clean. While most of the people hire cleaning experts to clean the ductwork systems, it is also important to learn the basics of cleaning the ducts on your own because this would not just save time and effort but, a lot of money as well. Let us quickly check the important steps that are involved in cleaning the ductwork systems.
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Gather all the supplies
The first and foremost thing that you must do when you decide to clean the ductwork systems by yourself is to choose the right kind of cleaning materials and agents. You must make sure to gather all the supplies in one place and then start cleaning.
Without these, the cleaning process needs to be stopped midway, and this can become extremely troublesome. Some of the important items that you need when you are cleaning the ducts are cloth, screwdrivers, vacuum, brushes, hex-drivers, and last but not the least paper towels.
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Make sure to cover everything
There would be a lot of dust accumulated inside the duct, and keeping the registers covered during the cleaning process becomes extremely important. You must make sure to cover all these things with the help of paper towels, and this would prevent the dust particles from falling inside the room during the cleaning process. The paper towels are to be wrapped thoroughly around the registers and then replace them to avoid the dust.
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Make sure to switch the fan on
You must always ensure to turn the fan “ON” when you are cleaning because as you start brushing the dust away from the duct, the dust particles need to move freely, and this would happen only when the fan is turned ON. Remember to shut the other modes like the heat/cold off to avoid any problems. After the fan is turned on, it is time to check for the filters.
The dust particles should not get accumulated in the filters. These furnace filters are to be checked in order to make sure that the fan motor is intact else, the dust particles might get absorbed into the motor, and this can again result in the breakdown of the ductwork systems.
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Make sure to dust the ducts separately
You might now want to use the handle of the brush to bang the surface of the ductwork systems so that the accumulated dust gets loosened up easily. The dust gets easily accumulated in the ducts, and when this happens, the air that comes out of it would get contaminated. Hence, this is one of the key areas of cleaning. The wet dust would be slightly difficult to remove, but it can be cleaned thoroughly when you start tapping them.
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Registers have to be cleaned
Both the clean supply registers and the clean return air registers are to be cleaned well. Use a vacuum cleaner at the end of the register of the clean supply registers and remove the dust particles from that. You could also choose to sweep off the dust, and you must make sure to collect them properly using a hose.
Also, the brush can be of great help when you are cleaning the registers because it can be effectively used for collecting dust microbial particles. The clean return air registers would generally be tightened with screws; you may have to remove them and clean them and replace them quickly. Well, after all these, the fans and the furnace filters are to be cleaned and replaced if need be.
Only when you have clean ductwork systems would you be breathing the fresh air. Hence, follow all these steps judiciously to clean the ducts on your own.
