When you live in a place like Utah, dust is something you have to consider regularly. As a desert climate with some of the driest air in the nation, dealing with dust and dirt is something many homeowners in this state are very used to.

At All Hours Plumbing, Heating & Air, we’re here to help in areas where we can. Did you know that your HVAC system, and maintenance of said system, plays a large role in the dust present in your home and the effect it has on things like allergies, asthma or other areas? Let’s look at some important areas to consider here, plus how the right HVAC and furnace service can help remove the dust you often see all over the house.

Leaking Ducts

In an HVAC situation where everything is working properly, dust and other contaminants will be confined to the duct system. Through this system, they’ll pass through your furnace filter before ever entering your breathing air – the right filter will remove them from the system at this point.

If you have leak issues in your ducts, however, you’re short-circuiting this process. Dust and other particles may be able to escape the ducts through these leaks, making their way into your breathing air before ever passing through your filter.

Every house is different, but if you’re noticing dust issues, do your best to inspect the visible areas of ductwork present in your home. If you can’t find any leaks, you may have to call our licensed HVAC pros to assist you in searching through areas you can’t reach.

Fighting Dryness

As we noted above, Utah is one of the driest places in the country. Dust is able to travel much more easily in dry climates than in wet ones, particularly during the driest winter months. Another primary tactic for fighting dust, then, involves increasing the moisture content in the air – and the primary tool here is a humidifier. If your home has consistent dust issues, you could even consider a whole-home humidifier installation to help permanently limit your dust issues.

Filters and MERV Ratings

We talked about filters earlier, and they’re your primary combatant against dust when the system is working properly. But what if your entire system is sealed and humidified properly, and you’re still noticing dust issues?

This could be due to using an improper filter. In particular, you want a filter with a decently high MERV rating – this rating speaks to how fine a particle the filter can catch. These filters last longer and will capture smaller dust particles that filters with lower MERV ratings may not, which is well worth the small increase in cost. Consider upgrading your filters if dust is a problem for you.

For more on dealing with dust issues in your HVAC system, or to learn about any of our services, speak to the pros at All Hours Plumbing, Heating & Air today.