One of the best ways to ensure that the air in your home is clean is to clean your air vents. The air ducts in your house contain millions of particles of dust, hair, dirt, pollen, spider webs and other allergens [source: Alpine Air Duct]. Cleaning your air vents will also save you money on heating and air conditioning. So read the tips listed below and learn about how you can clean the air vents in your house. How to Clean a Water Softener Resin Tank How to Clean Lime from Windows and Other Surfaces 5 Dirtiest Spots in Your House and How to Clean Them Stainless Steel Cleaning Dos and Don'ts How to Clean Vinyl Windows Turn off the power connected to the heating and air conditioning system [source: Reliable Remodeler].Vacuum the ducts as much as possible. Consider renting a heavy duty vacuum for this purpose. The standard household vacuum isn't powerful enough to clean deep into the crevices of the ducts. Make sure that the vacuum you rent has a long hose to reach deep into the ducts.

This is important, as there may be mold and mildew growing inside the air ducts [source: Repair Home]. If you want the ducts to be cleaned more thoroughly, consider hiring a professional to do the job.Published There are plenty of reasons to clean out your car’s air conditioner. One potential reason is that you notice a foul odor coming from your air conditioning vents. An even greater reason is to improve fuel efficiency. This might surprise you, but cleaning dust and debris out of your air conditioner actually helps it to function more smoothly. This, in turn, helps your vehicle use gas more efficiently.But do you clean out the ? If you’ve never done it before, it may seem daunting and for some, it’s a task best left to professional mechanics. If a DIY air conditioning clean-up is something you want to attempt, it’s actually not as complicated as you might think. We’ll break the process into just five basic steps.The first step is to effectively dismantle your air conditioner, giving you greater access to the vehicle’s inner workings and allowing you to flush out whatever dirt and debris have accumulated.

Take out hoses, evaporators, condensers or any air conditioning parts you happen to spot.Next, flush out debris by using an aerosol air conditioning flush. Flush out each individual piece of the system, allowing dirt and debris to come out one end, then wipe each of them down with a clean cloth.The next step is to investigate the ducts, which should look like large tubes that stem from the zig-zag tubes of your evaporator. What you’re looking for here are leaks. best air purifier without ozoneIf you spot any holes, use duct tape to patch things up. home air purifiers smokeYou don’t want any air leaking out if you can help it.do air purifiers work for cat hairThe accumulator will be shaped like a coffee can. Its role in the engine is to sift out debris and condensation from the air as it prepares to enter your vehicle.

But this filtration system gets bogged down over time and is likely the cause of all the dust and debris build-up, so it will need to be replaced. Next, you’ll want to purchase a brand new, clean accumulator. You can find one at any auto parts store, but make sure you have the one that matches your vehicle make and model. Installation should be fairly easy: Bolt it just like the old one was bolted, and then re-attach all the hoses and other connecting parts.Remember that this kind of DIY project may not be for everyone and if you have doubts about it, it’s best to simply take your car in for professional servicing.Cleaning your vehicle’s air conditioner is certainly not something to neglect. It can be a great way to protect your engine, maximize fuel efficiency and remove foul odors if needed! Keep these things in mind and consider adding this to your vehicle maintenance to-do list.Keep your air-conditioner (AC) maintained and you’ll not only save money on energy, but you’ll also extend its lifespan, saving money on costly early replacement.

Dave Moody, HVAC pro from Service Experts, says, “An AC needs regular attention to be sure it’s operating at the highest efficiency.” The best time to use these tips is just before each cooling season begins. Your Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning system (HVAC) will consist of either a furnace and AC or a heat pump, which both heats and cools. Both types will have an interior unit (evaporator and blower) and an exterior unit (condenser coil and compressor). These instructions apply to a whole-home air-conditioning or heat pump unit. Due to the dangers of working around electricity and the air-conditioner’s moving parts, it’s essential to completely turn off power to the unit. On the exterior condenser/compressor, look for an exterior shut-off box near the unit. Indoors, also turn the power off at the breaker box. On the exterior condenser/compressor, remove the fan cage. Using a screwdriver or wrench, remove the fasteners and lift the cage or fan grill away from the top of the unit.

By hand, or with a wet/dry vacuum, clean leaves and other debris from the interior. With a strong stream from a garden hose, spray through the fins from the inside out to blast any built up dirt or debris from between them. Never use a pressure washer, since the pressure can damage the fins. If the fins are particularly dirty, use a commercially available fin cleaning spray (available at home improvement centers; read and follow manufacturer directions). Since any reduction in air-flow through the fins can reduce efficiency, carefully straighten bent fins using a butter knife or commercially available fin-straightening tool. Be gentle so that the tubing embedded within the fins is not damaged. Once finished with the cleaning, replace the fan cage. Rake back leaves and debris outside the condenser and cut back branches and vegetation at least 2 feet in all directions to ensure proper airflow around the unit. During winter months when the condenser is not in use, it’s good to cover the top of the unit with a piece of plywood or plastic to keep debris from falling in.

However, don’t completely cover the unit’s sides, since moisture can build up inside and cause corrosion. Also, a completely covered unit encourages vermin to build nests inside. Remove any cover when the unit is operating. Over time, the pad upon which the condenser unit sits can begin to tip as the soil settles beneath it. An out-of-level condenser unit can cause the compressor within to fail early. Check the condenser for level and use rot-resistant shims to bring it back to level. Service Experts’ Moody adds this exception: “If you have a heat pump system, it’s okay for the pad to be slightly sloped away from the home’s foundation to allow for defrost run-off during the winter.” Now it’s time to move inside. On the inside blower/furnace unit, find the evaporator coil door. You may need to remove some foil duct tape and take out a few screws or bolts. Inside, use a soft brush to dust off the coil, then spray the coil with commercially available no-rinse coil cleaner (available at home improvement stores).

The spray will foam up and then drip into the drain pan. Clean out the drain pan with soap, hot water, and a little bleach. Then, pour a cup of 50% bleach/50% water down the drain. To keep the drain clear longer-term, place a commercially available drain pan tablet in the pan. This will inhibit future algae growth. If the bleach solution drains easily, skip the next step. If not, move on to next step. Replace the evaporator coil door and use foil duct tape to re-seal, if necessary. On the interior, warm, humid air from your home’s interior is blown through the evaporator coil. The cold coil absorbs heat from the air, cooling it, before the air is circulated back into your home. The humidity in the air condenses on the cool surface of the evaporator coil as liquid water, dripping into a pan below. From the pan, the water flows into a drain tube which is typically routed into a basement floor drain, utility sink, or outdoors. Over time, algae and mold can build up and potentially plug the drain, so if the drain is either not flowing or flowing very slowly, it will need to be unplugged.

A plugged drain can either cause damage by flooding onto the floor or, if the system is equipped with a drain float, cause the system to stop cooling in order to avoid flooding. First, find the drain line where it leaves the evaporator coil enclosure. The drain is usually a one-inch PVC pipe (white, grey, or black). Follow it to the end where it drains. Often the line drains outside near the condenser unit, but it can also drain into a utility sink or basement floor drain or, in the case of attic units, down an outside wall. Once located, use a wet/dry vacuum to clear the drain. It’s best to remove the paper filter from the wet/dry vacuum so as not to ruin the filter. Hold the hose of the wet/dry vacuum to the end of the drain line. You can use duct tape or simply hold a rag around the gap. Turn on the vacuum for 2-3 minutes then turn off. This will clear the drain of any growing biological matter. The filter in your HVAC system should be changed at least twice a year – once just before the heating season begins and once before the cooling season begins.

If you live in a particularly dusty area, you may want to change it more often. Always replace the filter with a new filter that has the same airflow rating. Again, Moody cautions, “Be careful with ‘air purifying’ or HEPA filters,” he says, “because they can dramatically reduce airflow in your system. That can cause the indoor coil to freeze because of the reduced airflow.” Locate the filter enclosure on the indoor furnace/AC where the large fresh air return duct enters the unit. You may need a screwdriver to turn the latch to open the door to the filter enclosure. Remove the old filter and install the new filter, matching the air-flow direction arrows on the filter to the arrows on the unit. Close and latch the door. While these steps will help to keep your AC system in top shape, be aware that there are maintenance items that only a trained HVAC technician will be able to do. For example, a slow refrigerant leak in your AC system can lead to expensive compressor failure, but a homeowner doesn’t have the tools or skills necessary to check refrigerant levels.