3 Tips for a Spring Cleaning Checklist for Cleaner Air
As the seasons change and spring cleaning plans begin, now is the perfect opportunity to clean your home for better indoor air quality. Spring cleaning isn’t just about removing winter clutter and opening the windows. Spring cleaning is a chance to improve your home indoor air quality.
Our indoor air quality tips are easy to add to your Spring cleaning checklist. We cover everything from air ducts to chimney soot that could be circulating in your home. Reduce allergens, improve breathability, and enjoy your home with better breathing this spring.
Take a look at our 3 tips for better indoor air quality this Spring – number two is so simple, you won’t believe you didn’t think of it before. And save our Spring Cleaning Checklist below so you don’t forget anything this season!
Table of Contents
Why Indoor Air Quality Matters
Indoor air quality affects your overall health and well-being in your home. Poor indoor air quality can lead to respiratory issues, allergies, and other health concerns for all family members, especially children and the elderly.
By maintaining your indoor air quality and checking it each season, you can ensure a healthier living environment for you and your family year-round. Breathe better and feel healthier with 3 simple home indoor air quality tips and tricks.
#1 Air Duct Cleaning and Air Vent Dusting
One of the most overlooked aspects of spring cleaning for indoor air quality is air duct cleaning. Air ducts circulate the air throughout your home, providing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Over time, dust, debris, and allergens accumulate in the ductwork and get circulated back into your living spaces.
Without regular air duct cleaning, you are trapping allergens, pollen, dust, mold spores, smoke from candles and cooking, and other harmful particles. These continue to build and circulate throughout your home.
Many homeowners don’t realize their breathing is restricted due to an accumulation of dust that is hiding out of sight in air ducts and within air vents. This is why it is critical to add air duct cleaning to your spring cleaning checklist for better home indoor air quality and remove the spores that are damaging your lungs.
#2 Dryer Vent Cleaning for Better Air and Home Fire Protection
Many homeowners keep a reminder to clean their air ducts annually, but what about your dryer vents? Dryer vents remove hot, moist air from your dryer to the outdoors. When these vents become clogged with lint and debris, it restricts airflow, leading to inefficiency and potential fire hazards.
Most people aren’t aware that not cleaning your dryer vents annually not only leads to fire hazards but can also put damp, dusty air back into your home where it will circulate. This humid air can make it feel sticky or harder to breathe.
By adding dryer vent cleanings to your spring cleaning checklist 2024, you’ll improve your home air quality substantially.
#3 Don’t Forget Chimney Cleaning for Safety and Efficiency
If your home has a fireplace, chimney cleaning must be on your 2024 spring cleaning checklist. Chimneys play a crucial role in venting smoke and gases from fireplaces and wood-burning stoves out of your home.
Regular chimney cleaning removes creosote buildup, reducing the risk of chimney fires and ensuring optimal efficiency. Not only for safety, it can help remove debris that may circulate in your home.
Your chimney should be cleaned at least once a year – this is more often done right before or after winter, since that is when your fireplace likely sees the most use. Scheduling chimney cleaning as part of your spring cleaning can remove that build-up from winter use, helping to purify your air for the rest of the year. Plus, you’ll have a safer, ready-to-go fireplace when winter rolls around.
2024 Spring Cleaning Checklist for Indoor Air Quality
Now that we’ve covered why indoor air quality is so important, and how to best improve your indoor air quality this Spring, we can dive into our spring cleaning checklist. We’ve compiled some of the must-do items our cleaning experts recommend.
Save this, share it, or download it for reference so you can ensure optimal home indoor air quality this season and for the rest of the year. Easy and simple.
Spring Cleaning Checklist
Schedule an Air Duct Inspection & Cleaning: Contact a professional air duct cleaning company near you to inspect your air ducts for dust, mold, and other contaminants. This will help you assess what air duct cleaning services you may need and book a cleaning.
Clean Air Duct Air Filters: Replace or clean your home air filters to prevent the buildup of dust and allergens from circulating back into your air ducts.
Remove Obstructions Around Air Vents: Ensure that furniture and other objects are not blocking air vents, hindering airflow throughout your home. Take the time to dust your air vents and ensure they are free of other build-up.
Clean Dryer Lint Trap: Remove lint from the dryer’s lint trap after every use to prevent buildup and improve airflow. Do a deep thorough cleaning this spring around the lint trap and in the dryer its self.
Inspect Dryer Ventilation System: Check the dryer vent for blockages or damage, and clean or repair as needed. Make sure air can move freely throughout the vent system.
Schedule Professional Dryer Vent Cleaning: Consider hiring a professional dryer vent cleaning service for a thorough inspection and cleaning if you notice a lot of lint or blockages. This can also help reduce possible fire hazards when completed annually, in addition to improving your home indoor air quality.
Schedule a Chimney Inspection: Have your chimney inspected and cleaned by a certified chimney sweep at least once a year to remove harmful chemical build-up.
Check for Creosote Buildup: Creosote is a highly flammable substance that can accumulate in chimneys over time. Regular cleaning removes this buildup and reduces the risk of chimney fires. Check your records for when your last chimney cleaning was completed.
Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Protect your home and family by installing carbon monoxide detectors near your fireplace or wood-burning stove. This will alert you if something is wrong with your indoor air quality.
Invest in Home Spring Cleaning Today
By following our spring cleaning tips for better indoor air quality, you can ensure a breath of fresh air in your home throughout these warm months. Regular maintenance of air ducts, dryer vents, and chimneys is essential for maintaining indoor air quality and promoting a healthier living environment for you and your family.
In addition to your decluttering, vacuuming, and windexing, ensure you are focusing on home indoor air quality for better breathability year round. You, and your family, are worth it.
Spring Cleaning FAQs for Better Indoor Air Quality
Regular air duct cleaning is recommended every 3-5 years, or more frequently if you notice signs of mold, dust, or musty odors.
While you can clean the dryer lint trap yourself, it’s best to hire a professional for thorough dryer vent cleaning to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Chimney cleaning removes creosote buildup, reducing the risk of chimney fires and ensuring proper ventilation for fireplaces and wood-burning stoves.
Clean air ducts improve indoor air quality, reduce allergens and dust, and help HVAC systems operate more efficiently.
You can improve indoor air quality naturally by using air purifying plants, opening windows for ventilation, and minimizing the use of harsh cleaning chemicals.
Signs that your chimney needs cleaning include smoky odors, difficulty starting fires, and visible creosote buildup inside the chimney.
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