Dust is a common enemy of many homeowners and for good reason. Dust makes your home appear dingy and dull, and will impact the quality of air that you breathe in every day. Unfortunately, getting rid of dust completely or permanently is not possible. About 90 percent of dust in your home comes from fabric and dead skin cells that you regularly leave throughout your home. These particles settle on all indoor surfaces. They will rise into the air when air movement pushes them off the surface. Breathing in the dust can aggravate allergy and asthma symptoms and cause unpleasant side effects. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to help reduce the amount of dust buildup in your home and improve indoor air quality:
- Change your furnace filter regularly. These filters reduce the amount of particles in the air when it passes through the filter. If the filter is dirty, it cannot clean the air properly before it reintroduces the air into your home. Choose a relatively high MERV-rated filter, from 8 to 13, for optimum indoor air quality results without impeding air flow through your air system.
- Forgo the feather dusters and instead use a damp, microfiber cloth to dust surfaces. Feather dusters simply push the dust back into the air. Using a cloth dampened with water will remove the dust from the surface.
- Start at the highest point and dust while working your way downward. If you dust from bottom of top, the dust from the previous surface will settle on the lower area.
- Regularly vacuum your home with a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter. The HEPA filter traps impurities, which helps improve indoor air quality. Before vacuuming, take area rugs outside and shake them thoroughly or beat them with a broom.
- Consider purchasing an air purifier for your home. Air purifiers are available in various types, models, sizes and price range so you’re sure to find the right one that fits into your budget.
If you would like more information on dust and how it affects your indoor air quality, contact the professionals at Ernst Heating & Cooling. We’ve been serving the Edwardsville area since 1951.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, visit our blog.
Ernst Heating & Cooling services Hamel, Illinois and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!