Bugs can get into your air conditioner vents through small cracks or holes in the ductwork or through the opening of the vent, but this can be managed.
Your air conditioner vent is designed to maintain the air pressure throughout your home during the air conditioning process.
However, since the vent is open on both ends for airflow, there is a chance that bugs can get into your air conditioner vents and then into your home. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to prevent or minimise this occurrence.
What is your air conditioner vent for?
Air conditioners of all kinds have so many different parts and systems that it can often get confusing to know what each separate component is for.
The main purpose of the vent in the larger air conditioning system is to maintain an even air pressure throughout your space or home, as the air conditioner cycles cool it down.
Vents also provide the bonus of filtering out dirt, debris, and other impurities from the air to keep these impurities from blowing back into the air in your home.
If your vent system was set up and it is working correctly, this can also help you to save on your electricity bill, as the air conditioner will be able to work as effectively and efficiently as possible if it has proper airflow.
Bugs in air conditioner vents
However, when your air conditioner vents are not set up properly, issues can arise. One of the common issues that occur with air conditioner vents is that bugs find their way into the air conditioner vent system, and then into your space.
Although bugs will always find a way into your home through small holes and cracks, your air conditioner vent system can aggravate this problem.
Your air conditioner’s vent is a dark and dank area, which makes it the perfect habitat for all kinds of bugs to live in.
To add to this, the fluctuating temperatures during the seasons in the year may cause the materials in and around your house to shrink or expand, and this can create gaps or cracks where these bugs can get in.
Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to minimise the number of bugs that can enter your space through your air conditioner vents.
In general, keeping your air conditioner clean by vacuuming the fins and cleaning the fan blades, coils and even removing debris from the vents, can go a long way to prevent bugs from entering your vents.
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However, if your air conditioner is already fairly clean and you still have bugs in your vents, you can try the following solutions to get rid of them:
- Seal up any cracks or holes in your ducts
- Install screens over the vents
- Keep the outside unit free of debris
How to seal crack and holes in your air conditioner ducts
Bugs from your attic can find their way into your air conditioner vent system if there are big gaps, holes, or cracks in the house’s ducts.
Therefore, it is imperative that you carefully inspect all of the joints and every single connection along your ductwork, so that you can seal any gaps as you go to prevent these bugs from infesting your vents.
In order to seal gaps in your ductwork, you can use any of the following materials:
| Materials | Where to buy |
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How to install screen over your vents
Since the vent openings of your air conditioner are created for the purpose of taking in air and blowing it out, they inevitably have gaps on the inside and on the outside of your house where bugs can get in, even if you have sealed all of the rest of the ductwork properly.
In order to prevent bugs from getting in through these gaps, there are a variety of vent screens that you can install on the inside and outside opening of your air conditioner vent, including:
| Supplies | Price | Where to buy |
| Stainless Steel Woven Wire Mesh Screens | $21.99 |  |
| Magnetic PVC Mesh Covers | $19.99 |  |
| Register Cover Traps | $17.99 |  |
How to keep your outside unit free of debris
Debris and foliage in your outside air conditioner unit can make it easy for bugs to find their way into the vents.
To avoid this, you should trim back any foliage around the unit to give it a clearance of at least two feet all the way around.
You can also scoop out any dirt, leaves, sticks, and debris from the inside of the unit.