Your home’s air ducts carry air from your heating and cooling systems throughout the house, and the vents allow the air in and out of this system. When they’re blocked, the lack of airflow can make it difficult to keep your home’s temperature comfortable. When they’re dirty, dust and particulates fill the air that travels through the system, lowering your air quality. Follow these HVAC maintenance tips to keep clean, comfortable air flowing.

How to Care for Your Home’s Ventilation

1. Keep Vent Areas Clear

Homeowners sometimes block airflow accidentally with furniture and other belongings. Look through your home to identify the intake vents where air enters the HVAC system, and the registers where air exits the ducts in each room. Make sure the vents are clean, open, and not blocked by furniture. Remove any obstacles as soon as you see them.

2. Change Your Air Filters

Your central air system has a filter designed to remove particles from the air before it enters the heating and cooling system. This minimizes the amount of dust that gets inside. If a filter gets clogged it can block airflow and become less efficient at removing particles, so change the filter every one to three months. 

You can tell it’s time for a change when you hold the filter up to the sun or a strong light bulb and no light comes through. Also, consider getting more advanced filters if you’re worried about cleanliness and air quality. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters remove even smaller particles than other types, so the air that flows through them is even cleaner.

3. Schedule Duct Cleaning

Even with effective filtration, dust builds up in your air ducts over time. Having them cleaned regularly prevents that dust from circulating back into the home’s air. It also gives a professional a chance to inspect your ducts for any holes where air might escape, lowering your HVAC system’s efficiency. Schedule cleaning every three to five years.

For help with your HVAC maintenance, cleanings, and inspections, choose ABLE Heat & Cool, LLC, in Troy, MO. Serving Lincoln County for over 30 years, this family-owned and -operated HVAC contractor provides a range of options to improve your indoor air quality, including air purifiers. Call (636) 528-4794 or visit their website to get started.