Most people are unaware of how many items in their home can collect dust, and since dust can wreak havoc on anyone’s life, learning how to reduce it whenever you can goes a long way in keeping you healthy and feeling good.
Whether you live in a small apartment or a large home, there are things you can do to reduce the amount of dust there, and most of these tips are easy to follow and inexpensive as well. Best of all, they can greatly reduce the number of upper-respiratory problems you might be having, creating an environment that is conducive to living happy and healthy.
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The Type of Flooring
There are a lot of different areas you can look at when you’re deciding how to reduce the amount of dust in your home. One of the most significant areas is the type of flooring you have. If you suffer from a lot of allergies and respiratory problems, carpet is not a good idea because regardless of how often you vacuum, the dust and allergens will remain in the carpet for a very long time. Vacuuming will remove some of the dust, but much of it will never be removed because it is so well-ingrained into the carpet fibers.
For this reason, many people with severe allergies switch to hardwood or vinyl flooring of some type, which is easier to keep clean and won’t collect as much dust in the first place. Another problem with carpet is that when you vacuum, a lot of the dust ends up being emitted into the air instead of being sucked up into the vacuum cleaner, which merely redistributes it and can, therefore, make things worse instead of better.
If you can’t afford to switch from carpet to another type of flooring, you should at least consider purchasing a vacuum cleaner that uses a HEPA filter. HEPA stands for high efficiency particulate air, and these are some of the best types of vacuum cleaners for people who suffer with allergies on a regular basis.
The Condition of Your Air Ducts
Here is yet another tip many people don’t think much about – your air ducts for your air-conditioning system. Many times, your air duct system sucks in dust from different rooms in your home, including your attic, and redistributes it into other sections of the house. The ductwork in your forced-air system can hold in dirt and other allergens from un-air-conditioned areas of the home then blow it right back into the air-conditioned areas.
Why does this happen? For numerous reasons. You may have gaps or holes around various fittings or joints that are unsealed between your duct sections that all take in dust and other allergens, where they can then leak into your home without you even being aware of it. According to the experts, many homeowners lose roughly 20% to 30% of the air that flows into their HVAC system, which means a less-efficient air-conditioning system and a higher utility bill.
If you’re curious about the efficiency of your ductwork, there are things you can do to check on it. For instance, if your utility bills are higher than you think they should be or you have spots in your house that are warmer or cooler than the rest of the house, you could have ductwork that is leaking. Fortunately, a home-energy specialist can tell you for sure if this is happening in your home, and if it is, all you have to do is get the ducts properly sealed.
How About Your Air Filters?
Air filters should be replaced regularly to keep your air-conditioning system running more efficiently, but do you know what type of filters work best? The regular fiberglass air filters are inexpensive, but there’s a reason for this. Many times, these filters simply don’t do a very good job of catching small particles such as dust, which means the evaporator coil could get dirty and cause allergens such as dust to be redistributed back into the air.
Air filters all have MERV ratings, and your average inexpensive air filter is usually rated from 1 to 4. To remove even more dust and other allergens from your home, try some of the more expensive air filters that have a MERV rating of 5 to 8, at a minimum. Don’t worry, they’re not a lot more expensive than the filters with lower ratings, and you reap a lot of benefits from using this type of air filter.
Also keep in mind that the pleated air filters should be changed more frequently simply because they get dirty so fast. You can also consider installing a whole-house air cleaner in your air duct system, and you can get additional information on these through your local HVAC company. Regardless of the reason why your home has a lot of dust, the solutions to take care of the problem are usually very simple and affordable, so don’t stress out if this is happening to you.
How to Reduce the Amount of Dust
If you’re experiencing a lot of dust in your home, but you aren’t sure where it’s coming from, a professional energy efficiency expert is a good place to start. These companies will inspect your home thoroughly and let you know where the problem areas are, enabling you to get the solutions you need to take care of the problems so that you can have a much healthier home once you’re done. There are also a few more tips you can follow that will help a lot, including:
- Make sure everyone who enters your home removes their shoes before entering.
- Check the ducts in your attic to make sure all of them are attached properly.
- Make sure your home’s registers remain clean by cleaning them regularly with a damp washcloth or a spray cleaner.
- Check the windows, doors, and air filter ports to make sure they are all as tight as possible.
The good news is that all of these tips are simple to do, and most of the remedies you’ll need to take care of any problems are very inexpensive as well. A little knowledge and a little common sense can help you enjoy a home that is a lot less dusty in the end, which means a more comfortable and healthier home, too.
Conclusion
Having a home that is attractive, less messy, and a lot healthier are all possible when you concentrate on eliminating the dust from your home. Let’s face it, a dusty home is not a home most owners are happy with, and this is especially true for homes with small children or elderly people living in them. Even for healthy or young people, a lot of dust can wreak havoc on your overall health and even your life, which is why it is so good to know that the remedies for this problem are a lot easier than you think.
If you need any type of information on dusty houses or anything else relating to your home, we have more articles that can help you learn more about everything having to do with keeping your house fully functional, more attractive, and of course, a lot healthier to live in, which can make your life easier in so many ways.
