No one wants a bunch of crud in their air duct. Of course, you cannot completely restrict your air vents from getting dirty because air flows through it. If something can enter it, things you don’t want can get in there. So what do you do to limit the amount of flotsam and jetsam that gets into your ventilation system?

Strategically Cover Vents

There are several times where your vents are like a red carpet for debris. The most obvious moment that calls for vents to be covered are during construction projects. If you have ever sanded or done any wood work, you can see all the debris this creates.

Anything done indoors that creates an excess of particulate matter creates an immediate need for vent closure in the immediate vicinity. That means the room and adjacent hallways should have the vents tapped closed (not just shut) until the area can be cleaned with a vacuum.

Regularly Scheduled Cleaning

As we have already gone over, there is no way to keep everything out of your vents and have your vents move air through the home. So that means that there is going to be junk that ends up in your vents. Hopefully, not large items, but certainly a fair bit of dust, dirt, and grime.

So be sure to use an air duct cleaning service at least once a year to make sure that you are pulling out all of the unavoidable detritus. You don’t want this accumulation to get too large, or you will start seeing more dust end up in the home, experience more allergy symptoms, and generally decrease your air quality.

AntiMicrobials 

Fungus can enter a ventilation system through many avenues, but the microscopic particles ride air currents very easily. Everything eventually ends up at your coils, which is the last part of the ventilation system, before air is recycled through your ducts.

This is to say, the most likely place for fungus to grow is right at the point where the air is returning into your home. Terrible news, I know. But the good news is that you know where to place your antimicrobial spray or UV light filter.

A spray or UV light helps fend off the growth of all the nastiest things that can dirty up your ducts. UV light is perhaps the longest lasting and most thorough, as sunlight is only the best disinfectant because of its ultraviolet light.

Closing Advice

By covering your vents at key moments, you will reduce what ends up floating around in your vents. With regular cleaning, you will keep dirty accumulation to a minimum and stay abreast of what your vents are facing. And antimicrobial methods of care will stop the problems you can’t always see.

Mitigation is key to keeping your air ducts clean. You will not be able to keep everything out of your vents, but you can reduce what ends up there. And when there is a problem, don’t hesitate to take action by calling for duct cleaning. Duct cleaning can also be preventive, so be sure to schedule a regular cleaning appointment.