Why is My Home Always So Dusty?

Dust is a chore that never ends. You can clean all you want, but somehow, within a day or so, the dust is always back. If this scenario sounds familiar, it might be time to see what is really causing the dust in your home. While most homeowners are quick to blame a dog or outdoor elements, they really should be looking at their HVAC system. Too many times, a neglected HVAC system can cause a home to be constantly dusty. If you’re wondering why your home is always so dusty, read more about how your HVAC system could be to blame.

Why Blame HVAC?

Every homeowner has to deal with a common nemesis—dust. It gets into every crack and crevasse and is seemingly in endless supply. Oftentimes, homeowners can let dust build up for a week or so before doing a wipe down, but if you’re seeing an inordinate amount of dust, one of the most likely perpetrators is your HVAC system. This could be for several reasons. Some are:

• Dirty Air Filter – When we talk about dust, let’s look at what makes dust. Household dust is usually made from a mixture of skin cells, hair, clothing fibers, bits of bugs (including dust mites), soil particles, pollen, and bacteria. One of the best things about the air filter in your HVAC system is that it is designed to trap many of these things, so they don’t circulate through your home. What we see far too often are homeowners who forget to replace their filter, meaning it can’t trap any dust particles and instead those particles are released into your home. Yuck, right? At Service Champions, we recommend changing your air filter twice every year, once before furnace season and once before AC season.
• Cracked Ductwork – If your HVAC system lives in your attic, chances are you have ductwork running through your home. While it’s easy to not think about your ductwork, you should. Over time, small holes and fissures can appear in your ducts. Though these cracks may be small, they can let in a lot of dust from the attic or inside the walls.
• Dry Air – Another dusty house offender is dry air. While homes in our coastal areas are mostly spared from this, we see it in the inland homes we service. Dust travels farther and faster in homes without humidity. When there is moisture in the air, it helps clump the dust and weigh it down, making it harder to travel. When your home is bone dry, dust has free reign to travel whenever and wherever it wants. This is especially a problem during dry winter months.

What Can I Do About It?

When it comes to excessive dust in your home, there are a few things you can do about it; and most of them involve your HVAC system. If you don’t already conduct regular tune-ups for your AC and furnace, schedule an appointment as soon as possible. During our 18-point furnace tune up and 26-point AC tune-up, our technicians meticulously go through and clean your entire unit. No stone is left unturned. After they conduct a tune-up, your HVAC technician will tell you what’s going well with your system, what’s going wrong, and the best solution. They will also make sure your system is as clean as possible. The other steps you can take are:

• Routinely Checking Your Air Filters – As we mentioned above, your air filter catches dust particles before they make it into your AC system. If your air filter is dirty, it won’t catch those particles, leaving your home dustier than before.
• Invest in a MERV Filter – An air filter with a MERV rating can catch more particles in your air. The higher the rating, the more particles the filter will catch. If you live in a home with someone who suffers from asthma or allergies, it’s highly recommended you look into a MERV filter.
• Consider an Air Scrubber – One of our favorite tools to combat dust is an Air Scrubber. This scrubber will clump all the dust particles together, essentially making them easier to grab and over time, it will eliminate the dust in your home. By using UV lights, an Air Scrubber essentially “zaps” bacteria, viruses, mold, and other airborne contaminants that could be floating around.
• Think about a Humidifier – It’s no secret that heating makes your home air dry. One of the best ways to fight this is with a humidifier. This piece of equipment attaches directly to your furnace and it counteracts the drying effects of the treated air.

Want to Clear the Dust? Call the Experts at Service Champions!

Now that you know why your home is always so dusty, and you’re ready to do something about it, give us a call. Our expertly trained technicians are ready to assess your home HVAC system and provide the best individual solution. At Service Champions we understand that your home is as unique as you are, and there is no one size fits all solution. If you live in certain areas of Orange, Los Angeles, and Riverside counties, give us a call, or click here to schedule an appointment online.