How to Prevent Dust Buildup on Air Vents

Tired of cleaning dust buildup on the air vents throughout your home? More than unsightly, dust can make your HVAC system less efficient and be indicative of maintenance issues left unaddressed.

How to Prevent Dust Buildup on Air Vents

Before you waste your energy cleaning air vents, you must first identify and address the source of dust.

• Neglected Air Filter Maintenance
  On many systems, issues with excess dust occur when air filter maintenance is ignored. To keep your system running efficiently, your HVAC air filter should be changed every 3-months, at a minimum. Homes with children and pets should perform a filter swap monthly. Without a clean filter, your system is forced to work harder to distribute conditioned air, robbing its lifespan, and spreading dust buildup to vents and other home surfaces.
• Leaky Ducts
  If you change your filter regularly, excess dust in your home could be the result of leaky ducts pulling-in dirt or dust-laden air from your crawlspace or attic. Aside from spreading debris throughout your home, leaky ducts destroy efficiency, inflating your electric bills, and putting a strain on your system as conditioned air is lost to uninsulated areas of your home.
• Dirty Ductwork
  Dust-laden air vents could also be hiding a serious secret: Dirty ductwork in need of a thorough cleaning. Dirt, dust, and debris buildup in ductwork can effect air quality, worsening allergies and causing health issues. How can you tell if your dusty air vents are due to ductwork in need of a through duct cleaning? To avoid expensive damage to ducts, turn to a pro to determine cleaning needs. A professional HVAC tech can safely check hidden areas of your ductwork for…
  • Dust and dirt buildup, witnessed by you or an HVAC tech, indicate ductwork in definite need of a cleaning.
  • Visible mould growth, a sign your ducts need rapid attention.
  • Insect or rodent infestation, whose droppings and debris could pose a serious health risk for your family.

Tips for Cleaning Air Vents

Once your air filter is changed and leaks and dirty ductwork have been addressed, it’s time to clean air vents. The easiest way to accomplish this is by rubbing your vent registers with a dryer sheet. Rubbing air vents with a dryer sheet is an effective way to tackle dust. As an added bonus, the anti-static nature of dryer sheets aids in dust buildup prevention. Now, with a fresh filter, clean ducts, and a bit of anti-static aid from dryer sheets, your dust issues should be taken care of.

Still Have Dust?

Inexpensive, washable vent filters may offer an improvement. However, stubborn dust issues may benefit from the addition of a HEPA air filter. This involves more than a simple swap out. To prevent damage to your HVAC system, talk to your local HVAC professional about adjusting your system’s operational specs to accommodate a more tightly-woven HEPA filter. Adding a HEPA filter will require a boost in airflow to move conditioned air. Without the right adjustments and proper air filter selection, your system could become damaged. Properly selected and installed, however, your dust (and allergy problems) are sure to be history!

Ready to leave performance problems in the dust? Look to the expert advice of your friendly neighborhood Aire Serv® technician today.