Cleaning Floor Furnace Vents - Montana Owners Club

mach111 · 09-30-2014, 02:08 AM

I searched for this topic but failed to find.

I am looking for a easier and better way to clean inside my floor furnace vents in our Monty other than removing vents from floor to clean. Is there a device you use to reach thru the vents without removing?

1retired06 · 09-30-2014, 02:28 AM

We have not figured out a better way. Hopefully somebody has.

Ozz · 09-30-2014, 02:38 AM

You should have a filter in the furnace return air. If the vents are dirty from the air circulation, the furnace heat exchanger will be covered in dust and dirt along with all the ducting. If they are dirty from just foot traffic, removing them is probably the best way, otherwise the dirt will just fall into the ducting as you are brushing or cleaning them, and when the furnace fan is on, it would blow the dirt into the living space. JMHO.

**DQDick** · 09-30-2014, 03:17 AM

Ozz is correct as always, however one more thing you can do is exchange the floor vents you have for ones that close. That way all summer stuff doesn't get down there when you are not using the furnace anyway. With three cats we not only use the ones that we can close, but also put magnetic covers on them for the summer months.

Arion · 09-30-2014, 10:21 AM

First post here and a new owner myself. I've lurked around for a few weeks but this is a question that I have. I have a 2005 3475RL and it seems like the return air for the furnace goes under the steps into the bedroom. It seems like the furnace itself is behind a panel in the basement on the driver side and you would have to take the panel out to get to the furnace. How do you get to the furnace filter? Somehow disassemble the step into the bedroom or have to take out the partition in the basement?

Most of the questions I've had have been answered by searching the forum itself and reading about others experiences.

8.1al · 09-30-2014, 10:48 AM

Your Montana did not come with a furnace filter but many have added one in the return air. In your case the panel under your steps

Ozz · 09-30-2014, 10:49 AM

Hi Arion,
Glad you jumped in here. The trailers don't come with a return air filter, we install them. If your return air goes under the stairs like mine does, Just put a filter there. You need to fashion a tin bracket to hold the filter. Get a cheap pleated filter and just cut it to fit. I will see if I can find a picture of mine.

dieselguy · 09-30-2014, 02:15 PM

For those of you that wish to take Ozz's lead and own a 3150 or any fiver with a large wooden louvered panel under your fridge ... you're going to have to get more creative as to filtering your return air to your furnace. That louver leads right to the space around your furnace in fact you can see the furnace if you look thru them. As for the steps at least on mine ... there is a good inch gap between the LH side of the steps up to the bedroom and the wall. With the bottom step louver removed, I can shake hands with myself between the gap and the hole under the bottom step. Both these areas will have to be addressed if you want the under the step filter to make any difference. I blocked off the entire louver as well as the gap permanently with no side effects as the air can still flow under the bottom step.

Arion · 10-01-2014, 04:10 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Ozz

Hi Arion,
Glad you jumped in here. The trailers don't come with a return air filter, we install them. If your return air goes under the stairs like mine does, Just put a filter there. You need to fashion a tin bracket to hold the filter. Get a cheap pleated filter and just cut it to fit. I will see if I can find a picture of mine.

Thanks Ozz...

Seems to me that a furnace filter should be OEM type equipment but seems to be a good little addition to make and one that I'll do. Learning a lot from the forum. I've found out that if you search that most questions have already been asked by others before. I learned about the separate galley dump valve from the forum and found it on mine and the tech that did my walk around had no idea my unit even had a separate tank. I could imagine down the line with a plugged kitchen sink scratching my head if I hadn't read about it here first.

Ozz · 10-01-2014, 04:18 AM

Arion,
When you crank out as many of these trailers as they do, the builders think ahead, they know that many people would not change the filters...ever. The filters would clog and the furnace would lock out on a safety. They don't want anymore issues.
Simpler for them to just leave the filter out of the build.
Glad you are reading the posts, we all learn from each other.
Pop in more often.

ckwizard · 10-01-2014, 04:38 AM

I was always told that RV furnaces were not designed for filters and that adding one would hurt the furnace so I was always afraid to try it.

Ozz · 10-01-2014, 04:42 AM

From a lifetime furnace service and installer, you would be fine with a filter. Just don't let it get clogged.

8.1al · 10-01-2014, 05:38 AM

On Ozz's recommendation we have had a pleated filter on ours for 2 years now and it works just fine

CORattler · 10-01-2014, 12:14 PM

Ours works well also.

mach111 · 10-01-2014, 01:52 PM

Guys- Thanks for all info on furnace filters but my thread was about suggestions to clean inside of vents. Filters are good(I guess) but my posting was about cleaning debris from inside of vents which accumulates from foot traffic.

dieselguy · 10-01-2014, 02:35 PM

I guess most of us just take about 30 seconds to remove the 2 screws, pop out the vent,then vacuum or dust out the air ducts as far back as we physically can. If you have a cordless drill, it takes about 10 seconds to remove the screws. Like suggested, while you have them out, you might as well buy a set of floor vents that manually close or get the magnetic covers. Lowes, Home Depot, Sutherlands, Attwoods, or Tractor Supply carries them. Any trailer house supply store also carries them. It keeps most of the debris out and helps out the ole A/C in the summer months.

SouthernBelle · 10-01-2014, 03:09 PM

We replaced our floor vents with some we bought at Lowe's. They fit perfectly and don't require screws. They also open and close to help keep dust, etc. out. I think we paid around $15 per vent, but they look so much nicer than the ones that came with the camper.

rich2118 · 10-10-2014, 04:20 PM

Had a problem with dirt getting in to the floor vents. Looked at vents that close. Good option. I chose to buy 3 white magnetic strips, spray paint them to somewhat match the floor, and cover the vents. Solved the problem.

mach111 · 10-11-2014, 02:37 AM

Thanks rich

DonandBonnie · 10-11-2014, 02:56 AM

We removed the screws from the floor vents for access. Over time with normal use the vents started to bend and a couple of the louvers broke. We replaced them with 4x10 vents from Lowes. These are heavier and can be opened and closed as needed. They are heavier than the originals and don't catch when something slides over them. They also fit snugly into the opening. Screws are not necessary to hold them in place.

You may also like: