Dust Could Be The Sign of an HVAC Problem

When your HVAC ductwork is dirty, you’ll notice an increase in dust and contaminants throughout your home or property. Dust is natural; it drops from your skin, hair, as well as pets basically all the time. An HVAC system that’s functioning well will adequately filter dust and various other particulates from the air. If your system is not, dust could be a sign of an HVAC problem.

Negatively, too much dirt inside your HVAC system makes it function less effectively. Dust buildup on elements can make the system too hot. Extremely dirty filters make heating and cooling run less efficiently, so the system runs more and uses more energy. This can lead to components or a whole HVAC system failing long before they should.

Ways to Minimize Dust

Change your filters as often as recommended. It could be as often as once a month. If your home is especially dirty, do not utilize the thin, fiberglass filters. Instead, get pleated filters that are rated for your system’s airflow. If you’re unclear about which filter is best, call a service technician for help.

Check your house for air leakages. A significant amount of dust inside your residence possibly comes from your garage, crawlspace, or cellar as well as attic. Unfiltered inbound air consists of mold spores, pesticides, or annoying pollutants. Seal all leaky locations with caulk or spray foam.

Your residence’s air conditioning system could be creating unfavorable atmospheric pressure inside your house. When the pressure inside is lower than outside, air will enter whenever a door or home window is opened. A qualified expert can inspect your atmospheric pressure and advise ways to deal with an issue you might not have thought of.

Take into consideration setting up a home air flow system or a whole-home filter. Home ventilation systems distribute fresh, filtered air replacing stagnant interior air. Filters work with your cooling and heating system to remove dust from the air around the clock.

Do I Need a Dirt Trap?

When you’re examining your HVAC system for clues to the source of your dirty home or a large amount of dust in the air, the filter is the area to begin. HVAC filters should be checked usually once a month and changed or cleaned whenever they’re dirty. If you have a particularly dusty home or shedding pets, it may be worthwhile to change the filter more often.

All the dust you see in your used filter is dust that is taken out of circulation in your house. However, when the filter ends up blocked, your system can’t successfully clean dust from the air, so more of it remains in your interior space.

Not all filters are the same or equal, and you may find more success from filters with a higher MERV ranking. Upgrading to these filters is a little of a trade-off; the filters might last longer and will capture small bits that other filters won’t, yet they’re more expensive and could cost you some in energy efficiency.

When changing your filter, you need to additionally examine it to ensure that there’s a tight seal around all sides as it fits in the air return. If there are gaps or if your filter is poorly sized, dirt will be able to flow freely with your system and throughout the house.

Plug the Leaks

Leaky ductwork is a more difficult issue that can cause a high level of dust, and however, it’s very common. Small leaks can develop in your ductwork because of age, damage, or poor handiwork. It often happens in rarely checked and dusty locations such as an attic or basement. These spaces permit dust to move in past a filter, so dust goes right out your vents and into your rooms. Take a close look at your vents. If you see dust accumulation on or around the vents, you may have to leak ductwork.

Depending upon the layout of your house and the HVAC system, you may have the ability to securely check a good section of your ductwork. If you turn out all the lights and inspect your ductwork with a flashlight, you can likely see the circulation of dust particles in the air. This can guide you to the source of leakage. Several little leakages can be effectively repaired with duct tape if you can reach them.

For even more thorough inspections and repairs, think about getting the assistance of a qualified HVAC technician. They can discover and spot leakages in places you might not have the ability to get to, as well as those that have a tendency to be in the dustiest parts of your air duct system.

Humidity Inside and Out

Homeowners in wetter climates have a tendency to get a little bit of a break from dust inside the home. People in drier climates experience the opposite. Dust moves openly through completely dry air, so it may travel much farther through a heating and cooling system. When the air is more humid, dirt settles faster and has more opportunities to get caught in filters.

Dust is not only a bigger trouble in drier environments, it’s also a larger trouble in dry and cold weather than in the wetter summer season. And if you have leaky ducts drawing in drier air, in cooler months, air from your attic could be causing a dust-friendly atmosphere in your home.

Besides getting your ductwork sealed, the most effective weapon versus extremely dry air is to use a high-grade humidifier in your house. If you live in a dry area, or when it’s cool or cold, it might be good to think about a whole-home humidifier, which can protect wood furniture and trim from aging and wearing.

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At South End Heating and Air, we specialize in HVAC and furnace repair, call us for a free consult. We’ll evaluate your system and help make recommendations for optimum value. After all, we want to keep you cool all summer long and warm in the winter. Just schedule a visit with one of our technicians to talk about how we can help with your heating needs. Would you like to learn more options our techs can help you with? give us a call 704-684-5339