How often and how to clean your ducted air conditioning

As large swathes of the country grapple with heatwave conditions, many Australians will be finding comfort in the cool breeze of their air conditioning. Shannon Lush, a household cleaning expert based in Sydney, on Gadigal country, says people tend to clean ducted air conditioning units less frequently than their split-system counterparts, and this can have health risks. Chris Barnes, an indoor heating and cooling expert from consumer advocacy group Choice, says the same principles for cleaning and maintaining a split-system air conditioner also broadly apply to their ducted counterparts. Mr Russell says, ducted units "should be maintained on a yearly basis", and a service "should include removing and cleaning the filters or pads, ducts and the registers". "It's important to keep up with professional maintenance of any built-in heating or cooling system, as can make sure they are running optimally and let you know of any potential repairs or service needs that need to be addressed before they cause bigger issues," Mr Russell says.