A certain level of dust in your home should be expected, but if you’re not careful it can build up to the point where it damages your indoor air quality and threatens your health. Dust is often known to trigger allergy symptoms or exacerbate conditions like asthma. You can reduce dust levels in your home by doing the following:

• Regularly replace air filters: The air filter in your HVAC system traps many small particles including dust. When it gets clogged up however, its ability to trap more dust is reduced, which allows the dust to pass through and circulate back into your home. Replace your filter every one to three months as needed.

• Seal air leaks: Air leaks are commonly found around windows and doors. These allow outside air to get in that is unfiltered and likely contains dust. Locate these leaks and seal them with weatherstripping or caulking.

• Take off your shoes: One way that dust is tracked inside your home is on shoes along with dirt. Take your shoes off before you enter the home or as soon as you do enter to minimize new dust in your house.

• Have ducts sealed: Older ductwork has the tendency to leak at the seals. This not only raises your energy bill, but also allows unfiltered air into your ducts, which then goes into your home. Have a professional clean your ducts as needed.

• Regular household cleaning: Simply vacuuming on a regular basis can reduce dust levels significantly. When you dust furniture in your home, use something that collects the dust instead of just pushing it around.

  And don’t forget to make sure that your ductwork is properly sealed and insulated.  Leaking ductwork under your home or in the attic allows the contaminants like dirt, insulation, and other particulates to seep into the ductwork and circulate throughout the house.

If you would like your  home in Fayette or Coweta County inspected for dust and other air quality issues, please contact Powers Heating & Air.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net