You feel that dust is everywhere around your house. No matter how hard and how frequently you clean it, it keeps building up on surfaces. The issue may be due to dust accumulation in the air vents. When considerable dust deposits are present in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, the fine particles are simply circulated around the house and cannot be removed with regular house cleaning. The logical question to ask is how dust got built up inside in the first place.
Reduced Filtration
The HVAC system uses a set of filters which capture dust particles and fine debris. These generally do a good job, but their efficiency is reduced with time. As the filters get filled with dust and dirt, their capacity falls down. As a result, a good amount of the particles get deposited inside the air vents. Despite the common misconception, the particles are quite sticky and can form considerably thick and large accumulations fairly quickly. The air which passes through the ductwork blows the particles from the topmost layer into the rooms of the house, but the rest of the accumulation remains. The air which is drawn from the rooms helps for the building up of the deposits.
As a result of this vicious cycle, the accumulations of dust inside the air vents and the ductwork increase over time and the indoor air quality deteriorates. Dust is not only unsightly. It is a powerful allergen. It can cause serious allergies, especially in children. It poses a higher risk of asthma as well. In people who already have an allergy, asthma or another chronic respiratory condition, the exposure to the fine particles can make the symptoms worse. For all of these reasons, the frequent cleaning of the air vents is essential. It will not only give you a cleaner indoor environment. It will help to improve the performance and energy efficiency of the HVAC system as well.
Ductwork Leakages
The other major cause of dust accumulation in the air vents, the presence of leaky duct pipes. Leakages can occur in all sections and for all sorts of reasons. Often, they occur around filters which are not properly sealed. This happens when the filter is too big for the opening and cannot get properly fitted. It is also possible for one or more ducts to have got detached. This can easily happen when the bonding is poor. Deeper scratches and holes of various sizes also lead to leakages.
When leakage is present, the HVAC system sucks air from the environment and circulates it around. Since leakages occur inside walls and in areas which do not get frequent cleaning such as the attic, the system sucks in a lot of dust as well. Then some of it gets circulated around along with the air. A good amount of it gets deposited onto the vents which become a constant source of dust. Again, a vicious cycle occurs. In order for this issue to be eliminated, the ductwork must be properly fixed and then maintained effectively.
It is possible to prevent dust from accumulating in the air vents and posing health risks. Take action straight away.
