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The return register of my new-to-me home looked a lot like that picture above. I had already invested in a hepa air filter for my bedroom, but I realized, I neglected to address the most likely cause of my irritated nasal passages: the air ducts.
I walked beneath the ceiling-mounted register every day for a month, looking up at it and telling myself, “I’ll clean that tomorrow.” The biggest issue is that we don’t have a ladder, so I would have to stand on top of a chair, that still isn’t tall enough. But I’d reached my limit of procrastination and finally reached up there yesterday. I removed the old filter, which looked like it was probably replaced before we moved in because it wasn’t all that bad. But the surround venting area? Horrific.
I’ve never seen such a thing, but one of the ceiling joists is crossing right across the duct work. Worse yet, the wood is not smooth, but frayed and splintering. It was covered in black dust. So was the frame of the register. So was the opening to the vent. I did my best to wipe it out with a wet microfiber cloth (at first) which dirtied so quickly, I grabbed the roll of paper towels.
I was able to get a decent amount of dust off, but what remains is still unacceptable. That’s when I searched for this article. I practically smacked myself on the forehead. Why didn’t I start with the shop vac? I know better! Well, in case you’re considering this kind of clean out, and unless you pay your HVAC people to do it twice a year I STRONGLY suggest that you do, here’s a step-by-step on how to make the job easy and as effective as possible:
How to Clean Air Ventilation Ducts Yourself | Dengarden
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