Dust in the Duct Work Causes Frequent Furnace Filter Changes and Health Issues

Dust in the Duct Work Causes Frequent Furnace Filter Changes

If you have to change your furnace filters on the drawback from the heat and air, more often than required, it could be you have dust and dirt coming in from duct work that needs attention. I was told that our duct work was sealed off and dust and particles could not enter our home from the system. We changed out our filters that were dirty abnormally early and began to wonder why.

We live in the country so of course with the wind and dust blowing around we expect some dust and particles get into the house. We don’t live on a main road with lots of traffic. With central heat and air I was concerned that we were breathing that much dust in our house. We have air vents on the outside of our house near the roof like most homes but we have an insulated ceiling so I wasn’t sure how that could increase the dust in the rooms.

Dust and Dirt has to Come From Somewhere

In investigation, by removing the output vent covers, we found lots of dust and even some of the blown in insulation in the duct work so we started the search to find out where the dust was getting into the duct work. We went into the attic and couldn’t see anything that looked loose or out of place. We went back to the output vents from the heating and air in each room. We looked upward into the duct in the office and saw a small gleam of light coming from beside where the vent attached to the duct work. We now knew where the extra dust and insulation was being forced into the house duct work. The excess dust we were breathing every day and the drawback filters were being overloaded with the dust on the way out.

We were having more and more symptoms that ranged from a chronic type cough to something like colds. We had stuffy noses, were sneezing frequently and felt like there were little stickers in our throat. Our eyes were itchy and watering almost all the time. We knew the cause was from the excess dust entering our home. When this happens with children in the house the effects are worse since they don’t have as strong a respiratory system as an adult so this is an important issue that need attention.

Hire Only Professional Duct Cleaning Companies

Duct work needs to be inspected, repaired and cleaned by someone who knows what they are doing so that there is no more damage done to the duct work. A homeowner can do this work but if you are not physically able to crawl around an attic or if you are not comfortable on ladders, there are professionals that can inspect, repair and clean the excess debris from your duct work. Make sure the company you hire is licensed (where applicable), has insurance and contact someone who may have used their service. A reputable duct work service man will not balk at giving you a reference. Dust and debris in the duct work can be hazardous to one’s health so should be dealt with quickly, either by the homeowner of hiring a professional who understands duct cleaning and knows how to seal and repair duct work without causing damage.

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