Can Dust Buildup in the Home Really Harm Your Health?

Can Dust Buildup in the Home Really Harm Your Health? Anytime you see dust buildup in your home, you’re looking at a collection of potential biohazards. Dust can contain a number of offensive particles, including dust mites, animal dander, dead skin cells, pollen, food debris and chemical residues. Depending on your health and particular sensitivities, dust can end up harming you more than others.

In most households, the most visible basis of dust is lint from various fabrics. If you have carpeting and a lot of upholstered furniture, your home’s dust load will be higher than one with hard surface flooring and limited amounts of fabrics. Any fur or feather bearing pets can add debris to your air.

People constantly shed skin cells and hair that can attract dust mites, whose waste is a major indoor allergy trigger, along with pollen and chemical residuals from products you use outdoors. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released by items made from hydrocarbons, including new furniture, paint, common cleaning supplies, air fresheners and cosmetics.

Since dust isn’t heavy, it can remain airborne and move easily through your home, building in your ductwork or sticking to surfaces near your vents. Keeping a high quality and clean air filter in your HVAC system can go a long way towards improving your IAQ. Installing UV lights in your air handler and ductwork can also improve IAQ considerably with little effort.

Preventing a dust buildup and poor indoor air quality (IAQ) isn’t especially difficult, but it does require vigilance regarding the products you bring home and how you clean.

Minimize lint and dust mites by drying fabrics, especially bedding, in the dryer.
Select as many products labeled low VOCs as possible.
Replace carpeting with hard surface materials.
Use damp cloths and mops for dusting and floor cleaning.
Use HEPA-rated vacuum cleaners instead of sweeping.

Your HVAC system can help manage any dust buildup in your home. To learn more, contact Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal. We’ve been providing exceptional HVAC services for Northwestern Arkansas homeowners since 1968.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Springdale, Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about managing dust buildup and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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