It's August, and here is your August to do list! This month we would like to focus on air circulation around your home. Cleaning vents and filters will provide clean air flow throughout your home and will not stress your fans and air conditioning units.
Photo: One of Kaplan Contruction's kitchen remodels in Long Beach, CA. You can find more photos of this kitchen remodel featured on This Old House magazine here.
Dust, dirt, debris, and other particles get trapped in air filters and vents, along with moisture, which allows mold, bacteria, and allergens to flow freely around your home. Here are some home maintenance tips to consider to prevent this from happening and to improve the air flow in your home.
1. Clean or replace air conditioner filter
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Regularly changing your air conditioning filters will prevent mold, bacterial, and allergens to circulate your home and can save about 5-15% on energy costs from your AC unit.
2. Clean air conditioner drain line
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Moisture drips from your evaporator coil and into your AC drain line. While moisture is collected at the drain line, dust, dirt, and other debris are collected as well. Cleaning the AC drain will prevent clogs and leaks from occurring.
3. Clean and maintain bathroom vent fan
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Bathroom vent fans collect dust and prevent moisture from staying in the bathroom, cleaning and maintaining the fans will prevent mold and other harmful bacteria from forming and will allow your fans to work efficiently.
4. Clean range and hood filter and fan
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Your range and hood remove grease, moisture, and smoke while cooking. Cleaning the range and hood filter and fan will provide better air ventilation and reduce the stress in your fan.
NOTE: Remember to UNPLUG your range and hood before cleaning it!
5. Clean refrigerator coils
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Coils collect dirt, dust, hair, and other particles. Cleaning refrigerator coils will increase the lifespan of your refrigerator. It will allow the coils to heat easily and efficiently and not stress your refrigerator's compressor.
NOTE: Remember to UNPLUG your refrigerator before cleaning it!
6. Clean and test refrigerator door seal
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Cleaning and testing your refrigerator door seal will ensure that your refrigerator is easily maintaining its set temperature. A broken door seal will cause your refrigerator to work harder than it should to maintain the set temperature. This can reduce the lifespan of the refrigerator and increase your energy usage.
For detailed information and instructions to complete each task, Danny Lipford from Today's Homeowner provides a blog post on these.
You can download a printable To-Do list here.
