If you find your home a bit on the dusty side, it may be time to check and clean your air return air vents.

While both the supply and return vents should be cleaned periodically, more dust on your floors, walls and furniture might mean dusty air return vents are partly to blame.

Read on for some fast, easy tips to get the job done.

What is the Difference Between a Supply and Return Vent?

Your HVAC system is set up with both air supply and return vents in order to keep either cool air or heat running properly and evenly throughout your home.

Supply Vents

A supply vent blows either cool air or heat out into the living spaces.

In many cases, supply vents are on the floor and it’s possible for all kinds of debris to fall into them. From pet hair to crumbs, your supply vent can get dirty from daily living.

However, while air or heat is running through your HVAC system, air is pushed out through supply vents, which tends to keep them cleaner than return vents.

Return Vents

Return vents recycle air through your HVAC system by pulling the stale air back and filtering through the system.

Because air is being pulled back into the vent, it’s the return vents that see a lot more dust and dirt settle in and on them.

Your HVAC system repeats this air in/air out process to keep air levels balanced and temperatures consistently comfortable.

Locating Return Vents

How do you know which of your vents are supply or return vents? Look for these clues:

  • Especially in newer homes, return vents are usually larger, sometimes much larger, than supply vents.
  • Return vents don’t have moveable parts, or louvers, that open or close to control air flow.
  • Return vents can be found in walls near ceilings, in hallways, or on floors. There can be more than one return vent in each room.
  • To know for sure, take a strip of ribbon or paper near a vent. If it gets sucked into the vent, it’s a return vent.

Benefits of Clean HVAC Return Vents

  • Clean return vents help reduce pollutants and allergens in the stale air as it goes back into the HVAC system for recycling.
  • Clean return vents also prolong the life of your air filter, keeping it cleaner and working at optimum efficiency to keep your air quality better.
  • Unblocked return vents work best. Things like furniture, drapes, and carpet should not obstruct the vent. Blocking vents results in reduced efficiency of your HVAC system by not allowing air to circulate properly. Blocked or dirty vents also negatively affect air pressure levels.

Cleaning Return Vents Like a Pro

  • Turn off the heat or air conditioning before cleaning.
  • If cleaning overhead return vents, cover furniture and appliances to prevent spreading dust around the room.
  • The first and best tool to use when cleaning your vents is a vacuum cleaner attachment used for cleaning crevices or the soft brush.
  • After vacuuming, follow up by going over vents by hand with a soft cloth duster.
  • Do not use spray cleaning products or water on vent covers because this tends to smear the grime around and make the dust and grime stick. Dusting and vacuuming are all you need to keep the vents clean and dust free on a monthly basis.

Once a year, you should do a more thorough cleaning by hand washing all the vent covers.

  • After turning off the HVAC system, remove all the vent covers.
  • Soak vent covers in a sink filled with hot, soapy water. You only need to soak them for a few minutes, then rub gently with a soft cloth to avoid damaging the paint finish.
  • For vents in the kitchen that may be dirty from smoke or grease, use a soft cloth and rub gently with alcohol. Alcohol works effectively to remove grease and smoke without damaging or removing the cover finish.
  • If your vent covers are large and unable to fit into the sink, wash them in the laundry tub, bathtub or take them outside. Take care to protect your sink or especially the bathtub from the metal covers which may scratch or damage the finishes of the sink or tub.
  • Before you put the vent covers back on, dry completely.

Keeping your return air vents clean is something you can do to help keep your HVAC system running more efficiently, prolong the life of your system and enjoy a cleaner home.

For regular maintenance checks and a more thorough cleaning of your HVAC system, contact the professionals at Dale HCS. We proudly serve our neighbors in the Santa Rosa, CA and surrounding Sonoma County areas.