Washington Homeowners: How To Clean Your Ducts And Vents

It’s winter here in Washington state and not only are you spending more time indoors, you’re also heating your home more than at any other time of the year. This is why you want to be sure your HVAC system is working efficiently by making sure that ducts and vents are clean.

But with so many other homeowner projects to plan and find time for, cleaning ducts and vents often falls to the bottom of the list. In fact, you may not remember the last time you had them cleaned and serviced. Here’s why you don’t want to ignore furnace and vent cleaning:

• Reduce allergens and other irritants.
• Extend the life of your HVAC system.
• Improve indoor air quality.

High efficiency sealing around doors and windows means that air flow between the exterior and interior of your home is reduced. While this may be good for lowering your energy bill, it also means that there’s very little ventilation. Cleaning out ducts and vents can improve the quality of air flow.

For better indoor air quality get ducts cleaned by a HomeAdvisor pro in Washington state.

How to Clean Ducts and Vents

To get the job done right, it’s best to hire a professional to clean ducts and vents. There are two methods used by contractors:

• Pressure cleaning – A high-pressure hose is attached to the duct system. Suction is applied, which forces dirt and dust to be pushed through and removed.
• Vacuum cleaning – Using a specialized machine, a vacuum hose is connected to the duct work. A brush designed for cleaning is pushed through the duct and vent system, removing debris, dirt, and dust.

When servicing your furnace system, a contractor will clean inside ducts and vents, as well as the registers. The furnace fan should also be cleaned at least once a year, along with the coils inside the air conditioning and heating system. Once ducts and vents are clean, a disinfectant is fogged through the system to sanitize and treat bacteria, dust mites, mildew, and mold.

After hiring a qualified contractor, you can expect furnace cleaning to take anywhere from three to five hours. Cost will range from $90 to $125 per hour depending on the size of your home. If you’re offered a lower price, be sure to find out what the cleaning includes.

Tips to Keep Vents Clean

After getting your vents cleaned, there are some things you can do to keep them clean:

• Vacuum vents – To remove dirt and dust, regularly run a vacuum over the vent intake.
• Wipe down vents – Get rid of interior dirt by removing intake vents and wiping down with a wet cloth.
• Clean vent blades – Remove hard to reach dust and dirt by using warm water, soap, and a cloth to clean between vent blades.

When it’s time to clean out your ducts and vents, hire the services of a HomeAdvisor contractor in Washington state.

This Patch article is sponsored by HomeAdvisor.