On the face of it, it’s easy to think that dusting techniques don’t make much difference in the indoor air quality (IAQ) of your home. In reality, the way you remove dust does impact IAQ, which could impact your family’s health.
Dust and IAQ
Dust is more than a nuisance. It’s a mix of the particles you have in your air and might include:
- Lint from all the fabrics, fibers and clothing in your home.
- Dead skin.
- Pet dander, which is actually dead skin cells from animals with fur and feathers).
- Fur and hair from pets and people.
- Pollen.
- Mold spores.
- Dust from the outdoors that might include clay and sand particles and even more pollen.
- Tiny particles from food.
Some of these particles are common allergy and asthma triggers, which is why it’s important to use dusting techniques to minimize their ability to float freely in the air.
Dusting Techniques
- Dampen a cloth with water and wipe it gently over the surfaces.
- Instead of sweeping hard surface floors, use a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter or bag. Sweeping pushes the dust particles into the air and lowers IAQ.
- Upgrade your HVAC system’s air filter. Choose the highest rated filter that the manufacturer allows. Check the owner’s manual or contact Hansberger Refrigeration & Electric Company to learn what the manufacturer recommends.
- Consider using a whole-house air filtration system to improve the air. Particulate pollution in the Yuma area occurs year-round. Such a system will increase your IAQ, especially during the monsoon after a dust storm. The experts at Hansberger Refrigeration & Electric Company can give you insight and advice into the best air filtration system for your home.
- Look into using UV (ultraviolet) lights in conjunction with filtration. UV lights eliminate the growth of mold spores, bacteria and viruses, and make volatile organic compounds (VOCs) less toxic. VOCs tend to be gases, but a few are solids that may cause serious health problems.
Practicing effective dusting techniques in this arid region will improve your IAQ. To discuss your options, contact Hansberger Refrigeration & Electric Company, providing HVAC and IAQ services for Yuma-area homeowners.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 928-723-3183.
