Feels like you’re wasting your time, right? As soon as you finish dusting, you have to dust again!
But you keep dusting because you don’t want nasty dust mites generating allergens in your home.
So what causes a home to be super dusty? Here are 3 common causes and what you can do about them.
Carpets are harbors' of dust and, therefore, dust mites.
Most homeowners think vacuum cleaning gets rid of this problem, but it can actually make it worse.
According to a study by the Queensland University of Technology, “Both vacuum cleaning and the act of vacuuming can release and re-suspend dust and allergens, leading to increased exposure.”
Solution: You could either switch to a hardwood floor (if you’ve always dreamed about it, now you have an excuse!), or you could get a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA rated filter.
“HEPA” stands for “high efficiency particulate air.” To be rated as such it need to catch all particles .3 microns in size or larger at an efficiency level of 99.97%.
Here’s a HEPA vacuum cleaner buying guide to get you started.
Thin fiberglass filters do very little to catch smaller particles like dust. This allows the AC evaporator coil to get dirty and airborne dust to be recirculated throughout your home.
If it seems like your filters never get dirty, or you only change them once in a blue moon, chances are they’re not catching the dust in your air.
Solution: Buy air filters with a higher MERV rating. The higher the MERV rating, the smaller particles it can catch. Typical fiberglass filters are rated 1-4. You want filters that are at least 5-8.
Warning: If you get pleated filters, you’ll need to change them frequently because they get dirty so fast. Leaving a dirty filter in your return grill can damage your heating/cooling system.
The premium solution is to have a professional install a whole-house air cleaner in your duct system. We currently install one from carrier that is 15 MERV and catches up to 95% of pathogens. It’s basically what hospitals use to keep their air clean.
Learn more in our article: Portable vs. whole home air cleaners.
Did you know your home’s air duct system might be sucking in dust from your attic and other dusty places and distributing it throughout your home?
Well, now you do!
According to ENERGY STAR, the typical home loses about 20-30% of the air flowing through the forced-air system’s ductwork, mostly through holes or gaps around fittings or from unsealed joints between duct sections.
This allows dirty, dusty air from unconditioned spaces into the ductwork, blowing it to your conditioned spaces.
Besides an overly dusty home, you’ll know you have leaky ducts if you have:
If you do have leaky ducts, have them sealed ASAP. It’ll save you in the long run and help keep your home from getting so dusty!
Ragsdale isn’t just about heating and cooling. We’re concerned with your overall comfort, like keeping the dust down in your home.
Want to improve the air quality in your Atlanta area home? Contact Ragsdale today!
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Ragsdale Heating, Air, Plumbing & Electrical has been serving the metro Atlanta area for over 25 years. Contact us online for more information on how we can help you.
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