Do you catch yourself frequently cleaning your dusty home? Have you ever wondered where the dust comes from and how to prevent it from building up? Over the years, research has proven that the air inside of our homes can sometimes be a lot worse than the air outside. However, with some careful planning and a little elbow grease, we have some tips to help guide you to a cleaner and healthier home.

Sources of Dust

Attic

If you look around your home, there are many areas that have penetrations points. i.e. light fixtures. These penetrations can often be the culprit of a dusty home. Many of these penetrations are unsealed during construction. They also may become unsealed when adding retrofit applications.

Ductwork

Make sure to check the ductwork in your home. This too is a major culprit of dust accumulating. Ductwork that leaks can cause small particles to build up in your HVAC system that creates dirty air. These particles consist of insulation, fiberglass, etc. that flow directly in the air stream of your HVAC system and into your home.

Air Filters

We cannot stress enough about the importance of quality of air filters. Time and time again, homeowners uncover how poor quality air filters can wreak havoc on HVAC systems.  Air filters are the nucleus of a smooth running system. This is one of the first steps to preventing dust from building up. If you are constantly changing dirty air filters more than every couple of months, it might be time to consider investing in a better quality air filtration system. Many options are now available; from UV lights, to odor removing charcoal systems.

To find out more about indoor air quality, duct cleaning services, or new installations, please contact us today!

Home Health Signs

If your home is 8 years or older, you should check these areas for vital health signs.

Duct Board

Sometimes it is common to come across old duct boards. A duct board serves as a barrier against infiltration of dust and dirt into the insulation, improves system efficiency, exhibits low air resistance, and reduces the potential for fiber erosion. These duct boards are sealed with tape at the joints that can potentially fall apart which sucks dusty air.

Door Cover

A system with no door cover to cover the air filter can cause it to pull dust. This causes the dust to filter through the air stream and into your home, where it collects on the furniture and into the air you breath.

Animals

Many hanging systems in attics can be prone to abuse from animals. Older systems may have had run-ins with raccoons, squirrels, even house cats. This causes punctures in the ductwork that cause leaks. Multiple leaks throughout the system give dust the opportunity to slip into the airstream to collect in your home.

When to Call

There are many other areas that can cause a dusty home, but these are the most common. As you inspect these areas, look around at all fixtures, ductwork, and air filters. We recommend taking pictures of areas of concern that might be helpful to finding solutions and assisting in finding the source of the dust. If you or anyone you know is having excessive dust build up, contact us to help find the solution to your problem!