Put Your Building’s HVAC System on Your Spring Cleaning List

When you start giving thought to picnics, baseball, and vacations this spring, it’s also time to start working on some practical matters, such as getting your building’s HVAC system ready for service. Here are some spring cleaning suggestions for your air conditioner or heat pump that can get your cooling system ready for this cooling season.

Why Clean?

Doing spring cleaning on your building’s HVAC system isn’t just busywork. Cleaning your HVAC system has very real effects on indoor comfort and how well your cooling equipment works. Spring cleaning will provide benefits such as:

• Improved indoor air quality — If your HVAC system has been idle for any amount of time, dust and other debris could have accumulated somewhere in the system. A good spring cleaning removes this material before it can be blown out into your building’s interior and reduce indoor air quality.
• Improved performance — Clean components and equipment work better than those that are dirty. A good cleaning ensures that there is no debris in the system that could interfere with performance.
• Improved efficiency — Cleaning ensures that there isn’t any dirt or built-up material in the system that could reduce system efficiency. A clean HVAC system will operate at a lower cost and will be less likely to waste energy and money.

Spring Cleaning Points

• Clean the registers — Clean the supply registers where cool air exits the ductwork. Dirt, dust, pollen, fibers, and other material in these registers can easily be dislodged and blown into your indoor spaces when air starts flowing. Pay particular attention to registers in the floor since debris can more easily get into these registers. Wipe dust and other material off both sides of the registers. If needed, soak the vent cover in warm, soapy water and scrub it with a wire brush to remove rust or dirt. Take the registers off, and vacuum the areas immediately inside the ducts.
• Clean the return vents — The return vents provide an opening where expended indoor air can be brought back to your cooling system to be filtered, cooled, and recirculated. Dust, dirt, and other debris can also form on and near these vents. If this material is pulled back into your HVAC system, it can cause the air filters to get dirty sooner. Again, clean both sides of the registers and clean the area inside the ductwork. Return vents can also be soaked in warm, soapy water and scrubbed to remove stubborn dirt.
• Clean the ducts — If you believe that there dirt and debris deeper in the HVAC ductwork system, this is a good time to have a professional duct cleaning performed. A professional cleaning ensures that the interior of your ductwork is scoured from end to end to remove anything that can’t be reached from the supply vents and return registers. Ask your local trusted HVAC professional about duct cleaning and whether this procedure could be helpful.
• Clean the outdoor unit — Remove any accumulations of dirt, mud, leaves, grass, sticks, or other debris that have built up around the outdoor unit. Make sure there is none of this type of material in the vents around the unit. Clean the fins of the unit with a soft vacuum attachment or soft brush to prevent damage. Wipe down the outside of the unit with water and a mild detergent or with a commercial cleaner. Trim tree limbs, shrubs, grass, and other vegetation to allow plenty of open space around the unit.
• Clean the coil — Make sure the condenser coil is also cleaned to ensure HVAC system performance. If the coil is dirty, it can reduce the heat exchange process that is essential for proper cooling.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about Plumbing, HVACR, Fire Protection, and Alarm Systems in Mechanical, Commercial, and Residential settings. For more information on spring cleaning for your HVAC system, or to view projects we’ve worked on, visit our website!

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