Let’s face it, on a hot summer’s day, the last thing anyone wants to deal with is bugs coming through your air conditioner vents.
The best way to prevent bugs coming through your air conditioning vents is to cover over the exterior vents of your home, or, for a more permanent solution, seal off ducts with caulk to prevent them from sneaking in through cracks.
Either way, there are guidelines to follow when dealing with pests in your vents.
Below are tips on how to prevent bugs from coming through air conditioner vents.
How Bugs Get Into Your HVAC System
Pests get into your HVAC system because of cracks or tears in your HVAC system.
Window AC units can be a big culprit as well if you don’t take steps to seal your window AC unit correctly.
How to Prevent Bugs From Coming Through Air Conditioner Vents
1. Cover Your Vents
By far the easiest method, covering your vents will help prevent bugs from getting into your air conditioning unit.
A few types of vent cover are:
- Aluminum vent cover
- Mesh
- Polyester
Aluminum is the most effective and will not be an eyesore on the exterior of your home.
Mesh and polyester work, but aluminum is the way to go if you want a long term solution.
2. Seal Your Ducts
To seal the ducts yourself, first, check the vents visually – do they appear clean, free of debris, and well-maintained?
If not, do your best to clean the area thoroughly before applying any sealing products.
For large cracks, you will need sealant.
Small indentions are fixable with foil tape.
It’s essential to secure vents in the attic, basement, and outdoor vents – but you should seal any vents near the exterior.
Outdoor vents are crucial, as they are the primary entry point for insects.
3. Service Your HVAC
For a more permanent fix, get your HVAC serviced at least once a year. Doing so keeps the vents clean, sealed, and functioning appropriately.
Getting your HVAC system does not just help with bugs – it also helps those with respiratory problems, clears out the mold, and gets rid of additional moisture in the air – all things exacerbated by bug infestations.
Most insects love moisture, so minimizing the humidity in your home by servicing your HVAC will more than likely deter any unwanted visitors.
4. Landscaping
It may seem odd, but landscaping is a significant part of keeping bugs out of your AC vents.
Overgrown grass, leaves, weeds, or even veggies that grow near your exterior AC unit can attract pests.
You do not have to do any excessive yard work to keep this in check. Some tips are:
- Mow your lawn regularly
- Trim overgrown bushes
- Pick veggies when they are fresh
- Get rid of tall grass and weeds
If performing yard maintenance is not your cup of tea, you can always hire someone to landscape for you.
5. Pest Control
Pesticides are the guaranteed way to get rid of bugs. Keeping on a tight schedule with pest control will ensure no creepy-crawlies make their way into your AC vents.
Pest control is not nearly as dangerous as it used to be.
Some companies have natural solutions to control pests – so if you are concerned about children or pets getting near the pesticide, you may want to consider the natural route.
Let the exterminator know you want the exterior AC vents sprayed. You should never spray pesticide into interior vents!
You also should work on keeping your home clean, which you can utilize a house cleaning service to do so. By keeping your home clean from food, it’ll detract hungry bugs from coming into your home.
What Kind of Bugs Get Into AC Systems?
Beetles, ants, roaches, silverfish, earwigs, gnats, flies, and spiders are all likely to crawl into your AC vents, especially if you live in a rural area that has a humid climate.
Mosquitoes love air vents too.
While these bugs are startling, the primary concern is disease and bacteria.
Almost every bug listed above has the potential to carry germs that can harm you and your family.
Can I Spray Bug Spray in Air Vents?
Never, under any circumstances, should you spray pesticide or bug spray into your air vents.
Not only will your house smell like chemicals, but you can also unintentionally poison pets or family members.
Exterminators will not spray into vents either, as doing so is unpredictable – they cannot control where the pesticide goes or even guarantee the bugs will die.
Anything sprayed into your AC vents will end up right back in your lungs.
When Should I Call a Professional?
You should consider calling a professional if you are not comfortable performing any of the above tasks yourself.
Another reason to call in the experts is if you have signs of an infestation. Those include:
- Droppings
- Nest materials (paper, grass, scraps)
- Bad smells
- Marks or stains
- Damage to houseplants/home
Check for any of these signs in your AC vents, but you should be especially concerned if you begin seeing them around other parts of your home, as that means the bugs are breeding.
If you do not have an infestation but do not want to seal ducts or buy vent covers yourself, you can call a professional HVAC service to perform an annual inspection and general cleaning.
Final Thoughts
Now you know how to prevent bugs from coming through your air conditioner vents.
Most people do not want bugs in their homes – they can cause disease, spread bacteria, and are just unpleasant to be around.
The AC vents in your home are magnets for critters, so keeping up with proper maintenance and taking preventative measures like installing vent covers is crucial to keeping your home healthy.
