Cleaning Your HVAC System

Cleaning Your HVAC System

When you consider air pollution, it’s likely that you conjure the image of a car on the highway. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that indoor air quality can be two to five times more polluted than the air we breathe outside. With the average American spending 90% of their time indoors and the numerous health effects associated with indoor air pollutants, it’s important to consider the quality of the air being circulated through our facilities. 

Cleaning your HVAC system and ensuring an adequate air exchange rate can not only reduce allergens and reduce sickness but also enhance the durability of your commercial HVAC system and reduce energy costs. If you can’t remember the last time your HVAC system was serviced, it’s likely in need of cleaning. 

How to Clean Your Air Ducts and Vents

Step one in this process is to cover the grilles or registers throughout the building. When cleaning, dust will naturally fall and be pushed through the ventilation and the goal is to stop it from being circulated throughout the entire facility. Once you do this, you can turn on the fan (without the air conditioning or heat) to help break up dust and begin cleaning each of the supply registers – these are the openings that provide and push air out to the rest of the facility. This can be done with a vacuum with a long-handled, stiff-bristled brush and the hose attachment. Following the supply registers, the return air registers can be cleaned similarly once the cover is removed via a screwdriver. As the name suggests, the return registers are the larger vents that pull air in to be re-circulated. 

After these first few steps, it’s time to turn off the power to your HVAC system as it is dangerous to work with a unit that is still running and can result in electric shock. Next, unscrew and clean the air duct covers. These grates can accumulate grime and gunk that are typically best cleaned with soap and water. While the covers are removed, vacuum out the ducts and then wipe them with your cleaning cloth or paper towel. You can now replace the air duct grates and continue to the blower compartment. In your furnace, you can access the blower compartment via the panels on the front. Use your vacuum cleaner (and extra precaution to not damage the fan) to remove dust and debris buildup. Finally, it’s time to replace the furnace filter with a new one and your system is ready to run! 

Ongoing Maintenance

After cleaning your HVAC system, you’ll want to prevent future buildup. This can be done easily, with proactive maintenance. Keeping dirt and debris from entering your system is as easy as: using the highest efficiency air filter for your system, changing the filters every three months, periodically checking and emptying cooling coils and drain pans, and regularly dusting furniture and appliances.

Give us a Call

Now that you know the ins and outs of cleaning your HVAC system, you can add it to your routine maintenance to ensure your staff and customers are feeling their best in your facility. And, for any questions about servicing your HVAC or reworking your cleaning routine, give Lawton Brothers a call! After 75 years in the industry, we’ve been through it all. Give us a call today at: 800.432.0813.