Springtime in Arizona is often referred to as allergy sneezin’ – er, season. If you’ve been suffering from itchy, watery eyes, a runny nose and labored breathing, it could be from the pollen and ragweed found floating in the air this time of year. However, if your symptoms extend beyond spring, remember, not everyone suffers from hay fever. Some individuals are allergic to dust. For all its beauty, the desert is one extremely dusty place to live. If you’ve observed dust storms darkening the sky a mile high and blotting out the sun, you understand there’s some serious dust swirling around the Phoenix metroplex. Unfortunately, some of that dust finds its way into your home.
What Is Dust Made Of?
Have you ever been vacuuming and noticed a shaft of golden sunlight shining through your window to reveal an alarming amount of dust particles suspended in the air in your home? Though it largely goes unnoticed, left unchecked, dust in your home will build up quickly. Dust is comprised of fine dirt, tiny grains of sand, flaked skin cells, pet dander, small hairs, bits of threads, minute pieces of cotton fabric, pollution from automobile exhaust and even a little cosmic dust which falls to earth from the atmosphere. Microscopic dust mites live on human skin, animal dander and fungal spores. We’ve had astonished customers ask us, “You mean to tell me all this is inside my home?” The answer is yes. Incredibly, often the air quality inside your home is worse than the air outside. Here are steps you can take to minimize dust in your home, reduce your allergic reactions and improve your indoor air quality:
- Change Your Air Filters Regularly – With the doors and windows closed, your home becomes, more or less, a closed system. Of course, dust and air pollution will get in when you open the doors. However, for most of the summer, your doors and windows remain closed all summer long to keep out the severe heat. Your greatest safeguard against dust is the air filter in your air conditioning system. As air from your home is recirculated through your AC system, the air filter helps remove all the little nasty little particulates listed above. If your air filters become clogged with dust and dirt, their effectiveness is greatly reduced, and more dust will circulate through your home.
- Have Your Air Ducts Cleaned – Dust and dirt can accumulate in your air ducts. Many homeowners have no idea of the condition of their air ducts because they’ve never seen inside them. In many Phoenix homes, the ducts have never been cleaned. A duct inspection will also reveal if there’s any water collecting inside your ducts, which can cause mold and a faint, foul odor.
- Consider an Added Air Filtration System Utilizing UV Lights – Ultra-violet lights add extra protection in that they eradicate biological contaminants from the dust in your air. If you or a family member is suffering from respiratory distress, this might be an option to explore. Our service technicians can review your present system and explain how UV light technology works.
Monsoon Season and Haboobs (Dust Storms) Will Be Coming Soon
Summer will be here before you know it. That means triple digit temperatures and dust storms accompanying monsoons. Now is the perfect time to have your air conditioning system checked and serviced, before the extreme weather hits. Give us a call, and we’ll be happy to schedule a service call to get you ready for the summer.
