How to Clean an Air Exchanger: 3 Daily Actions

The insulation in houses helps improve the quality of life of the occupants, but by becoming increasingly airtight, homes are also experiencing more and more moisture problems and air pollution, as the air is no longer effectively renewed. To mitigate these risks, installing an air exchanger is a practical solution that gives you the ability to ventilate and filter your home. A network of ducts and air distribution grids is installed in all the walls and connected to an air exchanger that takes in the fresh air from the outside and expels the polluted air, allowing the whole house to breathe.

However, for your air exchanger to work properly, it requires daily maintenance, especially if your environment is particularly polluted, whether this is because of your geographical location or the lifestyles of your house (smoking, presence of pets, etc.).  

1 – Maintaining the air vents

A good indicator to know whether your air exchanger is working perfectly is the condition of your air vents. If they’re dirty, it’s time to clean them to protect your system and make it more effective.

• Regularly check that nothing is preventing the air from circulating, such as leaves, small branches, snow, etc. for the exterior vents or dust, mould, insects, and other debris for the interior vents;
• Use a vacuum cleaner to clean the vent and part of the duct;
• Installing a filter on the interior vents (check that it’s compatible with your system) will ensure the optimal protection of your air exchanger, especially in the kitchen to retain the grease residue from cooking. Of course, you should also remember to clean these filters.

2 – Maintaining the filters

It’s recommended to maintain your air exchanger filters every 3 months, but if your home is in a more polluted area, such as near a frequently travelled road, you should repeat this operation even more regularly.

Remove your washable filters, dust them, clean them with mild soap and hot water, rinse them, and let them dry before putting them back in place.

If you have non-washable filters, follow the instructions in your user manual to replace them. Don’t hesitate to call on a professional if in doubt about what choice to make.

Whatever type of filter you have in your air exchanger, it’s essential to reposition it properly in its frame to prevent any air leakage. In addition, remember to reset your maintenance indicator light if you have one.

3 – Maintaining the exchanger components

This maintenance should be carried out at least once a year, preferably before the start of winter and the heating season.

• Use a vacuum cleaner or a compressed air gun to clean the energy recovery core. Some models can also be cleaned with warm, soapy water, but it’s essential to reinstall them only once they’re perfectly dry;
• For the fan, a dry cleaning is the only option; this is a fragile element, and you must be careful not to affect the balance of the blades;
• The basin and the exhaust duct can be washed with soapy water. Check the level of water in the drainage duct and that it is flowing properly through the drain pipe.

Good to know

It’s recommended to rely on specialized companies to clean the ducts that snake throughout your whole house, since only the right equipment allows for a real scouring.

Generally speaking, and to ensure the longevity of your system, maintenance carried out by professionals every 3 years will ensure optimal use.