There’s no better feeling than opening your windows on a warm spring night to let in the fresh air. But with fresh air comes dirt and allergens, coating the surfaces in your home with a layer of dust.
Don’t spend all spring with a dust rag and a sneeze! Follow these tips to keep dust levels down using your HVAC system.
What Causes Home Dust?
You’d be hard pressed to find a home that doesn’t have dust–no matter how often it’s cleaned! Where is all of this dust coming from?
If you want to keep the dust down in your home, the best thing to do is to prevent it in the first place.
How to Reduce Home Dust
Even self-proclaimed “clean freaks” don’t want to spend every moment of the day dusting. Thankfully, you can use your HVAC system to help prevent dust from accumulating in your home in just a few simple steps!
Replace Your Air Filters
One of the simplest ways to keep the dust levels in your home as low as possible is to regularly replace your HVAC air filters. Your air filter does just that–filters out dirt, dander, and dead skin to keep your home virtually dust free.
Filters come in many varieties, and you can get filters that keep even the smallest particles from entering the air in your home, which is a great option for those who suffer from allergies.
Take a look at your filter’s MERV rating to determine whether or not you need to upgrade your filter type. A MERV rating below 4 may not trap smaller dust particles, while those with a rating above 13 consume excessive energy, making them impractical for residential use. Higher-rated filters are usually used in specialized settings such as hospitals and pharmacies.
Although changing your air filter can help prevent dust buildup, the more dust your home has, the harder your HVAC system has to work. Changing the filter isn’t the only thing you need to do to keep your home dust down.
Use the HVAC Fan While Cleaning
Air filters only work for the dust in the air–it won’t clean up dust that’s accumulated on your floors or surfaces.
Bust your home’s dust by turning on your HVAC fan while cleaning. The dust that flies into the air while you’re wiping down surfaces will find its way into your air filter.
Inspect Your Ducts
If you can see dust when you look around your home, imagine the dust you can’t see inside of your ducts!
If you can’t remember the last time you had your ducts professionally cleaned, it’s likely that a good amount of dust has gathered. The more dust in your ducts, the harder your system has to work, and the less efficient it is. Plus, if your ducts are full of dust, it can get blown right back out into the air when you turn on your air conditioner or heat.
Scheduling regular duct cleanings can help keep your HVAC system working at peak efficiency and keep your home’s air clean.
Clean Air Vent Registers
Whether settling on the vent from the air, or coming from your ducts, one of dust’s favorite places to gather is on the vent registers.
Install an Electric Air Cleaner
Want to go the extra mile–and breathe even easier? An electric air cleaner can be installed into your HVAC system to filter out microscopic particles from the air.
They use electricity to attract the particles, similar to how static energy makes your clothes cling.
The good thing about electronic air cleaners is that they don’t only trap dust. They also capture bacteria, viruses, and harmful mold spores.
Book Regular HVAC Tune-Ups
Your HVAC system works hard to keep your home cool and free from dust and pollutants. Scheduling regular HVAC tune-ups prevents any unexpected repair costs and keeps your system energy efficient.
Need an HVAC tune-up? Contact the HVAC Professional at ASI and keep your home dust free this summer.