You’re a meticulous cleaner, and your dusting game is on point. You just wiped down all the surfaces, so why do you keep finding tables covered in dust? The last thing on your mind is that your HVAC unit is to blame for all the specks of dust covering your surfaces.
There’s Good News!
The good news is its likely an easy fix, and adding simple habits to your cleaning routine can help you finally achieve a dust-free home. This is very important when it comes to combating allergies, especially as spring-time allergies roll around next month. You don’t want to be sneezing up a storm inside and outside. So without further ado, check out these three HVAC related reasons your house is always dusty.
You need a new filter
Changing your air filter is an often overlooked maintenance step for homeowners, but its absolutely essential to the health of your HVAC system and your health as well. If you don’t change yours often, it’s likely the reason your house is always dusty even when you just cleaned it.
A dirty filter can obstruct airflow throughout your unit and cause inefficiencies. It could also affect the flow of air throughout your home, compromising your comfort. But the worst offense, for the sake of our conversation, is that a dirty filter can’t filter any more dust, mold spores, or allergens out of your air so all that dust ends up right back on your surfaces.
It’s important to get into a routine of checking your filter every month. If it’s not dirty, it can stay inside until the next inspection, but if it is dirty, you need to change it as soon as possible.
When you pick out an air filter, you also want to make sure you are purchasing a quality one. Good air filters will have a MERV (Media Efficiency Rating Value) rating of nine or higher. If you are particularly prone to allergies, you can even buy filters specific to that need.
Your thermostat needs to be adjusted
We’re about to change your cleaning routine for life, we hope. Next time you’re dusting, switch your thermostat’s fan setting from “Auto” to “On.”
While “on,” your AC’s fan circulates air throughout your home allowing for that squeaky clean filter you just installed to help you clear your house is dust (and who doesn’t love a little help cleaning).
Don’t forget to switch it back to “auto.” Otherwise, you’ll get a high energy bill and increased humidity in your home.
You have leaky ducts
This might not be a DIY easy fix, but the good news is that it’s still an easy fix with the help of our HVAC professionals.
It’s pretty common for a leaky duct to be the cause of your always-dusty home. According to Energy Star, 20 to 30 percent of a typical home’s duct system is leaky. Duct systems tend to be located in dingy places like attics and basements, which are already playgrounds for dust particles.
Duct leaks will suck in dust and cause your A/C to blow dust all over your house! Yup, that’s as unpleasant and frustrating as it sounds.
A house that is always dusty no matter how often you clean it is a nightmare, especially if you love a clean house. If you’ve changed your air filter and used our thermostat tip and our still having issues with a dusty home, give us a call. We’ll be able to inspect your ductwork and tell you if leaks are present.
Bunn’s and Bennett is a licensed and insured HVAC contractor. We’ve been serving the home heating and cooling needs of people in Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley for more than 34 years.
