Two Reasons Your Air Conditioner Is Making Your Home Dustier Than Usual

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Dusting is one of those necessary evils that must be done to minimize allergic reactions and keep electronics functioning normally. While most dust comes from outside the home, your air conditioner may be contributing to the problem. Here are two reasons why your A/C unit may be creating more work for you.

Air Filter Problems

The fault for a dustier home most often rests with your air conditioner's air filter, and this little part can cause dust problems in a couple of ways. First, a dustier home typically indicates it's time to change the filter since a full filter does a poor job of capturing particulates in the air. Thus, the first thing you want to do is clean or replace your air filter to see if that helps fix the problem.

Another way your air filter may be causing the problem is it's just not up to the task. There are several different types of air filters, and some remove airborne contaminants better than others. For instance, a pleated filter removes up to 40 percent of pollutants, but HEPA filters eradicate up to 99.97 percent of air particulates larger than 0.3 microns. If your air filter just seems to be circulating the dust instead of removing it, try upgrading to one that's a better quality.

Leaky Ducts

Another cause of an increase in dust is leaky air ducts. When the air conditioner is turned on, it circulates the air around the home. Some of the dust in the air gets sucked outside the home, but some of it accumulates in the ducts themselves. Holes and cracks in the duct system allow some of this dust to escape the tubes and get blasted into the home.

In addition to increasing the amount of dust in your home, leaky ducts can cause your energy bills to skyrocket because they reduce the efficiency of your air conditioner (the machine must work harder and longer to cool the space).

Sometimes you can tell whether your ducts need a repair by visually inspecting them. If you see holes, rust, or the seams are split in places, then you definitely need to have an A/C repair company come take a look at them. Other times you may need to have a professional inspect the ducts, especially those in hard to reach areas. The professional can use a fog machine to determine where the ducts may be leaking and get those areas repaired.

For more information about this issue or help getting your unit fixed, contact a local ac services contractor. 


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