Keeping your air conditioning vents clean is an essential part of commercial building maintenance. Because your AC vents are not plainly visible, it’s easy to adopt an “out of sight, out of mind” attitude about them, and possibly forget they exist. However, having clean air conditioner vents is a crucial component of having good indoor air quality, ensuring the health of any occupants in your building. 

In this article, we’ll share our top tips for cleaning your commercial air conditioning vents, walk you through cleaning them step-by-step, and give our recommendation regarding how often to clean your vents. Please contact our team with any questions, we’ll be happy to help. 

Tips for Cleaning Your Air Conditioning Vents

  • Set a regular reminder so you don’t forget. The first part of having clean air vents is remembering to clean them in the first place. Depending on the size of your building and the type of HVAC system you have, we recommend starting with every four months. Consult your HVAC technician if you’re unsure about how frequently you should clean your vents. 
  • Wear gloves, a mask, and protective eyewear when cleaning your air vents. 
  • Get all your supplies ready ahead of time. You’ll need a vacuum, a screwdriver, a broom, and a cleaning brush. 
  • When in doubt, call a professional. If your HVAC vents are difficult to access or in a hard-to-reach location, call your HVAC technician and schedule regular cleaning and maintenance every 4 months unless instructed otherwise. 

How to Clean Air Vents

  • Power down your HVAC system. Because you need to turn your HVAC system entirely off to clean your air vents, we recommend cleaning them late at night when your HVAC system is already likely to be turned off. Cleaning them late at night is also an optimal time because it’s after working hours when occupants are no longer in the building. 
  • Use a screwdriver to unscrew the air vent covers. Once the covers are removed, use the cleaning brush to remove all dust and debris from them, and if they’re really dirty you might need to wash them with soap and warm water. 
  • Use a vacuum and clean as far as you can into the vents. If you find a household vacuum isn’t strong enough, you can actually rent an industrial-strength vacuum to really get a deep clean.
  • Clean the grills on the ceiling, you can also use the vacuum for this. Dust and other debris will likely fall, so be sure you’re wearing protective eyewear and a mask. 
  • Screw the vent covers back into place, and you can now turn your HVAC system back on. 

How Often Should Central Air Conditioning Ducts Be Cleaned?

Unfortunately, it can be a bit more challenging to clean your central air conditioning ducts than it is to clean your vents. We recommend having your air ducts cleaned by professionals either once or twice a year, but you may need more frequent cleanings if any occupants suffer from asthma or allergies. An experienced HVAC technician will be able to deep clean your air ducts, ensuring your air quality remains high while keeping your HVAC system in great condition. Investing in regular cleaning and maintenance is certainly worth it for the wellness of your occupants and/or tenants.

For more information about cleaning your air conditioner vents or ducts, please contact our team at Tri-Tech Energy today to schedule regular cleaning and maintenance. You could also visit our website at: https://www.tritechenergy.com/