No matter what type of bugs are in your home, unless they’re your pets, you most likely want them out as soon as possible. Unfortunately, roaches and ants can crawl through every nook and cranny inside your house or apartment, so it isn’t easy to detect their points of entry.
However, have you ever thought about your home’s HVAC system? Here’s how to stop bugs from getting in through your vents.
Clean Your System and the Area Surrounding It Regularly
Besides presenting a major health hazard, bugs can cause significant damage to your HVAC system. Having bugs roaming throughout the vents in your home can reduce indoor air quality.
Routine maintenance on your system is an essential preventative step towards making sure bugs never appear. Not only does this keep your system clean, but it also allows you to stop any new infestations from spreading. You catch them before they can get out of hand.
Cleaning the area surrounding your AC unit is helpful as well. Start by collecting any dust inside the turning vanes, changing the air filter consistently, and disposing of any standing water outside the unit. With air filters, pleated AC filters work better than fiberglass ones for blocking small particles and insects.
Try Installing Screens for the Vents
A common way that insects get into your home and HVAC system is through the exterior air vents. Try putting a cover over the outdoor vent with a mesh screen if you have an outdoor vent that lets in pests.
Aluminum wire mesh is a durable material that can withstand the punishing weather of the four seasons. Nonetheless, many other materials can perform the job as well, such as stainless steel.
Make Sure to Seal Your Ducts Properly
The easiest way for bugs to get into your house is through the ducts. Any place that has a crack or loose cover is a fair-game location for bugs to enter. Luckily, sealing your ducts is a simple, affordable process.
Sealant is necessary for filling large holes, but foil tape will do the trick for less sizeable ones. However, going through an exhaustive overview of all your ductwork is a time-consuming endeavor, so don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional if you need help.
Overall, your HVAC system is one of the primary things in your home that provides comfort and maintains air quality. You shouldn’t let bugs ruin your air. Fortunately, now that you know how to stop bugs from getting in through your vents, this problem shouldn’t happen often.
