If your home is extremely dusty this winter, you may worry about your children's health and quality of life. Because dust can cause severe winter allergies in some people, it's extremely important that you find ways to control it. One of the ways you can reduce or control the excessive dust in your home is to clean your HVAC system. If your furnace, air conditioner, and air ducts harbor large amounts of dust, it can blow back into your home over time. Here's how your HVAC system can build up with dust and the steps you need to follow to clean them.
Why Are Your Air Ducts So Dusty?
Dust isn't something you should ignore. Dust contains things that can harm your children's health over time, including dust mites, dead bugs, and mold. Dust also contains dead skin cells and dirt. If dust becomes airborne, it can accumulate in your HVAC system and spread throughout your house.
Your heating and cooling equipment both rely on air filters to keep them clean and functional throughout the year. However, air filters can easily become clogged with dust, especially if you don't change them regularly. Some of the dust coating the filter will circulate into the blower compartment inside your furnace. The blower will then transfer or "blow" the dust-filled air back into your house through the air ducts hidden behind your walls, flooring, and ceiling. The dust entering your rooms can coat the surfaces of your walls, furniture, and even clothing.
If you examine the air registers connected to your air ducts carefully, you may be able to see dust fly out of them throughout the day. If you do notice large amounts of dust blowing out of your air registers, contact an HVAC specialist now.
What Can You Do About Your HVAC System?
An HVAC contractor may do a number of things to help you control the dust in your home, including changing your air filter and cleaning the inside of your furnace. Dust can accumulate on the surfaces of your blower fan, burners, and heat exchanger. If a contractor doesn't address these issues right away, they can eventually damage your furnace.
After an HVAC contractor cleans out your furnace, they'll check your air duct system. If too much dust accumulates inside your air ducts, they can fail over time. The warm air produced by your furnace won't have a way to enter the rooms in your home. In some cases, the heat can back up inside your furnace and damage it.
After a contractor takes care of your HVAC system, you'll need to take steps to keep it clean. One of the best ways to keep your system clean is to have it checked at least twice a year. You can do the inspections yourself, or you can have your HVAC contractor do the inspections for you. If you choose to inspect and clean your furnace, air ducts, and air conditioner yourself, be sure to follow the manufacturer's maintenance instructions for each piece of equipment properly. If you don't have the instructional manuals for your equipment, allow an HVAC contractor to perform the inspections for you.
Also, take steps to minimize the dust inside your home during the year. Always remind your children to wipe their feet or shoes before they enter the home. Dirt and other contaminants can stick to the bottoms of your kids' shoes or boots. If possible, use a vacuum to clean your carpets, furniture, and bedding. By doing so, you can help eliminate the dust mites in your home.
If you need help controlling the dust in your HVAC system and home, contact a specialist today.
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