Air Duct Cleaning Utah: A Complete Guide

Did you know that indoor air pollution is actually worse than outdoor air pollution here in Utah? Dirt, pollen, dust, pet dander, and even cleaning chemicals all contribute to making our air quality poor. This can have all kinds of repercussions for our health and comfort, which is why here at Crystal Clean Vents, we are passionate about air duct cleaning Utah homes!

Maintaining the HVAC system - including your air ducts - is a huge part of responsible homeownership. Get your air ducts cleaned once a year to make sure that your system will last as long as possible. We would love to help you with that - our high-power vacuums will clean out your vents like nothing else - but if you are wondering about air duct cleaning Utah home yourself, we’ve put together a perfect guide

What You Need for Air Duct Cleaning Utah:

There’s nothing worse than being halfway through a home project and realizing that you’re missing some crucial tool or piece of equipment. But don’t worry: we’ve put together a comprehensive list of everything you need to assemble before you embark on your air duct cleaning in Utah.

A Vacuum Cleaner

Professionals (like us!) have heavy-duty, industrial vacuums to clean your ducts, but to clean air ducts routinely, a household vacuum cleaner will do the job. Make sure you have a long hose attachment - you’ll need this later to reach into the ducts.

A Stiff-Bristled Cleaning Brush

You can use a new toilet brush, a stiff-bristled dusting brush, or even a mini broom.

Water and a Mild Soap

There will be smaller parts of the air ducts that you need to hand-wash in the course of air duct cleaning Utah vents, so be ready to use your sink or, if you prefer, a bucket of soap and water to do that. For larger parts of the machinery, like the fan element in the furnace, it is often easier to spray it down with a hose.

A Drill (or a Screwdriver)

You are going to need to unscrew some of the HVAC registers and the cover on your furnace, so make sure you have what you need. It’s worth checking that you have the right bits to fit the screws before you start.

A New Filter

If you are cleaning your air ducts, you will probably want to replace your furnace air filter so that your whole HVAC system can start fresh!

Plastic Sheeting

When you unscrew the grilles on your vents they will be dusty, so laying down some plastic sheeting is a great way to preserve your floors.

Cleaning Cloths and Paper Towels

Your vacuum and brushes will do some of the work, but when it comes to air duct cleaning Utah houses, a lot of it comes down to elbow grease! Make sure you have a good supply of microfiber cleaning cloths and paper towels to clean the grilles, vents, and fan.

Optional: Mask, Goggles, and Gloves

You don’t absolutely need any of these protective measures, but you may want them as a precaution. If you have sensitive allergies or breathing conditions like asthma, or if you are working with air ducts that haven’t been cleaned for a long time, a mask and other protective gear may be a good idea to keep you from being covered in or breathing in the dust!

Before You Start:

Before you begin air duct cleaning Utah home, there are a few key things to do.

Turn off the Power

Switch off and unplug the furnace. Turn off heating and cooling at your thermostat, but leave the fan on for cleaning the vents and the ducts. Make sure you turn it off before you start cleaning the furnace and AC unit, though.

Identify and block your supply vents

There are two different vents in your home HVAC system: supply vents, which channel air from the system into your home and return vents, which cycle air from your home back into the air ducts to be heated or cooled.

A key step in air duct cleaning Utah vents is to find the supply vents and cover them while you are cleaning. This prevents dust and dirt that you dislodge in the process of cleaning one vent from being sucked into your home through another vent.

Put a cloth or a few paper towels between the vent and grille while you work to keep things tidy.

Air Duct Cleaning Utah: Vents and Grilles

The most visible part of your ductwork, the grilles covering your vents are the place to start for air duct cleaning.

#1 - Unscrew the Grille

Make sure you have some sheeting down - this will be dusty.

#2 - Scrub the Grille

Use your brush to give the inside of the grille a rough scrubbing to dislodge dirt.

#3 - Wash the Grille

Use the brush to really get between the spaces in the grille, and clean it in the sink if it is particularly grimy.

#4 - Screw the Grille Back on

When you screw the grille back on, remember to cover it back up as you continue to clean to stop the inside of the register from getting covered in more dust from the other vents.

Air Duct Cleaning Utah: Ductwork

You may clean your grilles as far as you want to go, but if you want to take your air duct cleaning Utah HVAC system a step further, clean inside the vent and down into the duct while the grille is unscrewed.

#1 - Unscrew the Grille

This is covered above.

#2 - Scrub with the Brush

Give the inside of the vent a quick pass with the brush to dislodge dirt and make it easier for the vacuum to pick up extra debris.

#3 - Vacuum Cleaner

A household vacuum won’t be able to pick up as much as one the ones used by air duct cleaning Utah experts, but it is still a crucial step. Use the hose attachment to reach as far into the air duct as you can, picking up as much dust and dirt as possible.

#4 - Dust Out with a Cloth

Go after the dust your vacuum hasn’t picked up with a clean cloth or paper towel, as far as you can reach.

Air Duct Cleaning Utah: Filters

A final step in air duct cleaning Utah ductwork is to replace the filters. You should be doing this regularly - check here to see how often you should change your filters. You will need to open or unscrew the cover and take out the filter: if it is disposable then replace it, and if it is washable then wash your filter, making sure that it is fully dry before you slot it back into place.

Air Duct Cleaning Utah: Final Thoughts

When it comes to air duct cleaning in Utah homes, the next step to get a completely squeaky-clean HVAC system is to clean your furnace. For more in-depth guidance on this, check out our blog on the subject.

And if you decide that you want to leave this to the air duct cleaning Utah professionals, get in touch with us to set up your totally free assessment!