3 Vacuum Tricks for Cleaning Seasonal Vents In many parts of the country the temperatures have started to drop and with that comes a new slew of cleaning routines that need to be tackled as the house is shut up for the coming seasons ahead. One of my least favorite tasks is vacuuming out air vents, but there are a few tried and true tricks to making it suck a little less. Plus, you kind of get to feel like McGyver and that's always awesome. Unless you don't like McGyver and then we can't be friends. In our home we only run the air conditioning (if ever) for a very short period of time, so the down time between our vents being used is rather great. First and foremost you should be changing your air filters frequently (though you can extend their life by vacuuming them) to get the best air quality. That said, there are two additional things you can do to help clean your vents without feeling the need to call a professional. 1. Save Your Paper Towel Tubes: Even if your vacuum has amazing sucking power (snicker) and a great crevice tool (double snicker), that doesn't mean you can reach the ball, dog treat or stray M&M that rolled down your vent a few months back.

To make sure things are extra clean, add a paper towel tube to the end of your crevice tool to give you a few more inches (seriously we have to stop giggling here, this is serious) to ensure things are really, really clean.air purifier changed my life 2. Clean Your Grates: The covers that make our rooms more aesthetically pleasing tend to collect some serious dust bunnies behind them. cd lens cleaner ps3When you remove them, place them in a plastic bag. uv air cleaner bulbsUse the upholstery attachment (bristles are your friend) to clean the backside of each one. The bag will help keep it contained and your floors clean. Even if your ducts are clean, if the surface the air is blowing through isn't, then you're still breathing yucky air. 3. Vacuum Your Dusters: On occasion a long duster (the ones intended for use under your refrigerator work well) can do wonders for cleaning hard to reach vents, but then they're all dusty.

While your vacuum is out, just vacuum them off and keep the dust where it belongs — in the trash! Do you have any tips on keeping your vents clean? Image: Sarah Rae TroverApartment & Condo Services We pride our full range of services to apartment and condominium property owners.Please contact us for more info on duct cleaning for apartment and condominium property owners How often should I have my ducts cleaned? Why should I have my dryer vent cleaned? Why is it important to clean your ducts? Rated Best Duct Cleaning Company in South Western Ontario For 3 Years In a Row!

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Mold and its associated health risks are a concern for renters everywhere. Tenants and landlords share responsibility for controlling mold to ensure healthy living conditions. Renters expect landlords to provide homes free of mold caused by leaky roofs and windows, faulty water pipes and contaminated heating and air-conditioning ducts.

Landlords, in turn, count on renters to maintain their units free of spills and to keep their kitchen and bathroom surfaces clean and dry. Types of Mold Molds reproduce through spores that are invisible to the naked eye. They float in the air and land on damp surfaces, where they begin to grow. California’s natural humid climate is ideal for molds to grow on walls, fabrics, furniture, cardboard boxes and paper products. Mold can be black, white, green or gray and is known by its various scientific names: stachybotrys, penicillum, aspergilus, paecilomyces and fusarium. Many molds can be seen while others grow undetected in attics, basements, behind walls, air ducts and in other hidden areas. Health Risks While many people aren’t adversely affected by molds, you may not be so lucky if you’re elderly or a high-risk individual with asthma or a compromised immune system. After breathing in or touching the mold’s mycotoxins, or toxic substances, you could experience any number of allergic reactions, including sneezing, a runny nose, red eyes, dermatitis, asthma attacks or possibly something more serious.

Tenant Responsibilities During humid summer months, run your air conditioner to lower the indoor humidity that would otherwise help mold grow. Also check the air conditioner’s condensation pipe, which is known to spill its condensate onto the basement floor, where mold can also grow. Prevent mold from establishing itself in your kitchen and your bathrooms by regularly wiping surface areas with a weak bleach solution or with an anti-fungal product. If you fail to remove any mold that is caused by your neglect, you risk being held financially responsible for any damage caused by the mold. Landlord Responsibilities Landlords must legally maintain their rentals in habitable conditions. This includes repairing leaky roofs, windows and pipes, for example, as well as waterproofing basements and crawlspaces where mold can grow. A landlord’s failure to remove mold can cause him legal difficulties, including condemnation of the property if it tests positive for unhealthy mold levels. California Law Although there aren’t any federal statutes that specify permissible exposure limits to mold, a number of states have enacted legislation to address the matter.

California was the first state to pass toxic mold legislation in 2001, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2002. The Toxic Mold Protection Act (TMPA) was codified under the California Health and Safety Code 26100-26156 and the California Civil Code 1102.6. It authorized the state Department of Health Services to set permissible exposure limits for toxic molds and determine remediation standards for those molds. It also requires landlords who know that mold is growing in their rentals to notify their tenants accordingly. Tenants’ Options If mold is the landlord’s responsibility, send her a registered letter explaining the problem. If after a reasonable amount of time she’s failed to respond and you’re concerned about your health, consider contacting the local health department. San Francisco housing officials look on mold as a legal nuisance on the same level as trash accumulation or vermin infestation. Your landlord can therefore be sued if she fails to clean up the mold. References Rent Law: Mold in California HousingCalifornia Tenant Law: General Tenant RightsNolo: Mold In Rentals: Landlord Liability, Clean Up, and PreventionInspect A Pedia: What To Do About A Moldy Rental Apartment Suggest a Correction