There are lots of reasons to clean the duct in your house. When ducts are tidy, the heating unit lasts longer (because there is less dirt wearing out its components), we dust less typically, and the air we breathe in your home is cleaner. For those people with allergies, this should be a welcome enhancement.
Most likely you do not own a high-powered, truck-mounted vacuum system with 150 foot-hoses; possibly you can't afford the expense of such service. However I am going to inform you how you can clean air ducts yourself. Sure, you will not have the ability to reach every nook and cranny, but you can still eliminate roughly 85% of the dust in your system without investing anymore than the cost of your new heater filter.
There are lots of various designs of duct systems, such as attic systems and underground systems, but the theory of cleaning up these systems is the exact same. You may not be able to gain access to all parts of these systems (for instance, underground ducts), but you can make a difference in your air quality by cleaning up 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 shut off the "heat/cool" mode so that just the fan is running. If you do not have a fan-only option, you can run the heat, or you might take this chance to install 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 up dust in ducts. Knock loose any buildup of dust in the duct. Just take the deal with of your brush and begin tapping on any available duct work you have in the basement. This will help separate any deposits of dampened dust that might have stuck to the within the duct.
5. Tidy supply registers. Now you can start purging the dust in your supply registers. With the vacuum running and the end of the tube near the register, raise the register. Use the tube to capture any dust that is being pushed out by the fan, and continue to sweep as far into the register's piping as your pipe can reach. Use your brush to scuff loose any built up dust in the register.
As you go through the home sweeping out the supply registers, you can get rid of and deal with the paper towels you've put in location. 6. Clean return air registers. Sweep out your return air signs up. These will likely be secured with a screw and require your tool to eliminate 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 heating system via the service switch or breaker panel. Do not simply shut off the thermostat, since that does not turn off the power to the system.
8. Clear out blower compartment and return air boot. With the power off, you can remove the panels on the front of the heater and access the blower compartment and the return air boot. Use your vacuum to sweep up the dust constructed up in the blower compartment and return air boot. This is where the fantastic bulk of your dust will be. Since you remain in here, you ought to clean up the heating system fan as well.
Take a look at the comprehensive article (with images) I wrote, How to Clean a Heater Fan for a guide on doing this. 9. Change furnace filter. Purchasing a better filter will absolutely reduce the dust in your home. However the better the filter, the more frequently you must change it; an unclean filter Click here for more restricts the air flow to the fan, which leads to the blower motor running hotter and reducing its life-span. How often you need to change your filter depends on your house, your pets, and your area.