DUST, DUST and more DUST.. where is it coming from..

Repair help for the do-it-yourselfer.
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dd716ted
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 5:17 pm

We live in an 8 year old mfg home and have been battling excessive interior dust accumulation ever since day one... So far to correct the problem I have done the following things: Checked all
windows for leaks, cleaned heating vents and ducting, installed extra filters at each floor duct, cleaned Coleman furnace cage fan, checked laundry dryer vent for leaks, sealed all water and drain pipes where they come thru the floor, gasketed all power outlets, changed furnace filters monthly (never really that dirty) , professionally cleaned all carpets and furniture, checked doors for air leaks, checked throughout house for tell tale signs of dirt being sucked in from outside... that is about all I can think of.. BUT.. still the excessive interior dust continues.. Neighbors in mfg homes don't have the same problem.. Any ideas where it could be coming from... At first I thought thru bathroom ceiling vents when they were off and furnace was on.. doesn't seem to be the case but I am lost.. don't know where to look? Any ideas or have you experienced this problem?
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Greg
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Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

Ok, I'm going to throw this out here, on paper it would work and I know it works on a small scale with truck tool boxes.
If you can find a way to pressurize the home with a few pounds of positive pressure the dust will not enter. This would involve a fan and a filter to clean the air before it enters the home. Not sure how you would set it up, but like I said on a small scale it does work. Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
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flcruising
Posts: 606
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2007 2:18 pm
Location: Florida Panhandle

Do you have a package a/c unit? If so, have you checked the return ducts to see if they are possibly disconnected or damaged under the home?
[color=blue]Aaron[/color]
oldfart
Posts: 431
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:31 am

DD it sounds like you've already addressed the outside problems with all your efforts. Now lets examine some of the "inside possibilities." I assume you have carpeting..eh? Every time you walk on carpet, or vacume it, you create dust. The fibers break off in tiny particles and swirl about and land on any flat surface. Some vacume cleaners profess to address this problem with "micro/HEPA filters" but I'm a bit dubious. Consumer Report Magazine has stated that these claims are generally bogus. And the newfangled bagless vacumes aren't much better. And don't fall for the "Rainbow Vacume Myth" that claims to trap all the dust in a water-tank. Horseapples....and expensive. Another area of dust is wood paneling. Wood paneling is constantly shedding...just like a cat or dog sheds. And ceiling tiles shed as well...perhaps even more so than paneling. I'm left wondering if a free-standing air-filtration system might help address your delimma. There are several on the market but before I buy I would check Consumer Report Magazine for their take on the effectiveness of such. Don't believe the hype from the manufacturers!! As one who has allergies..I know your problem!! Audie...(hack..sneeze!)...the Oldfart!
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Yanita
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Posts: 3369
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:16 pm
Location: Eastern N. Carolina

Hi,

If you decided to buy a air filtration system make sure to check and see how much replacement filters cost. BTDT...

Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
steve
Posts: 66
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:16 pm

Sounds like you have done all the basics so try these:
Check return air duct for leaks
How old is carpet (could be shedding) (like Oldphart said)
Is closet where funace is drawing air from attic?
And the obvious.....dust bunnies :lol:
dd716ted
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 5:17 pm

I sincerely appreciate all of the ideas and replys... Besides cleaning the cacrpet, it is all relatively new (within the past 3 years)... The house has all sheetrock walls so paneling is not an option.. The air that feeds the furnace comes from a solenoid valve connected to an exterior roof vent.. the rest of the air just enters the closet wher the furnace is thru a vent on the door, the A/C is part of a heat pump system and is handled in the furnace. The interior of the furnace is really pretty clean as I inspect the heating / cooling coils twice a year.. The furnace filters are never really that dirty.. It is really strange that the 2 dustiest rooms in the house are (1) Guest BATHROOM and (2) MASTER BEDROOM on opposite sides of the house but on the same vent sysyet (not the vent connected to the crossover pipe).. I did remove the dryer again and check the exterior vent connection and found that is was not clamped to the dryer and was very loose.. Time will tell on that one.. Please keep suggestions coming..
shadow745
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:54 am
Location: Central North Carolina

oldfart wrote:DD it sounds like you've already addressed the outside problems with all your efforts. Now lets examine some of the "inside possibilities." I assume you have carpeting..eh? Every time you walk on carpet, or vacume it, you create dust. The fibers break off in tiny particles and swirl about and land on any flat surface. Some vacume cleaners profess to address this problem with "micro/HEPA filters" but I'm a bit dubious. Consumer Report Magazine has stated that these claims are generally bogus. And the newfangled bagless vacumes aren't much better. And don't fall for the "Rainbow Vacume Myth" that claims to trap all the dust in a water-tank. Horseapples....and expensive. Another area of dust is wood paneling. Wood paneling is constantly shedding...just like a cat or dog sheds. And ceiling tiles shed as well...perhaps even more so than paneling. I'm left wondering if a free-standing air-filtration system might help address your delimma. There are several on the market but before I buy I would check Consumer Report Magazine for their take on the effectiveness of such. Don't believe the hype from the manufacturers!! As one who has allergies..I know your problem!! Audie...(hack..sneeze!)...the Oldfart!



I have to disagree with your opinion regarding the Rainbow vacuum cleaner. In the past we have owned various uprights, including a high end Kirby. We have also used a relative's Electrolux machine. All worked well, but did put some dust back into the air. Every time I used them I always had an asthma attack. I have life threatening allergies and asthma. We had to find a better way.

Our neighbor knew about my issues and set us up for a Rainbow demonstration. I was hell bent on the Kirby being better, but that Rainbow picks up stuff all others missed and it does indeed filter out more than anything I've used yet. Like Rexair (makers of Rainbow) claim, wet dirt won't fly and it doesn't. If anything makes it past the water there is also a HEPA filter that will catch that. We did buy it and were so impressed we gave the $1,700 Kirby away. The only way I could use the Kirby was to install a new bag each time it was used and that was a bit expensive.

The Rainbow does leave the air a tiny bit more humid, but it's the type of freshness a spring rain brings and I never have an attack after using it and no more buying bags..... It's so effective you can suck cigarette smoke into it and there is no smell afterward. Name another vacuum that good and I might buy it. Later!
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Yanita
Moderator
Posts: 3369
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:16 pm
Location: Eastern N. Carolina

Hey folks,

Lets keep this on topic as to the reasons there could be excessive dust...please put your consumer thoughts into the Off Topic forums.

Thanks and have a great day..
Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
Barb P
Posts: 104
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 9:51 am
Location: southwestern NY

Original poster, did you by any chance just acquire a cat(s)?
I know from experience that litter dust travels from room to room.
BarbP
oldfart
Posts: 431
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:31 am

DD something you mentioned made me ponder this a bit more. First off you said the carpeting is nearly new...just 3 yrs. old. AHA! New carpeting is the worst offender. When carpeting is new it's covered in loose fibers. (All them little clippings from the carpet mill!) And then... the problem is most extreme in the guest bathroom...hmmmm? Have hubby take a close look at the fan in that bathroom and make sure the exhaust duct is hooked up. Mebbe someone got lazy during construction and never bothered to attach it to the ceiling unit...eh? Every time the fan is turned on it blows air up into the "attic" and forces it down into the home...along with all the dust in the "attic." And, as was mentioned, before ya buy a freestanding air-filtration system...look at the cost of filters and/or ease of cleaning the filters. Finally..beware of advice where advertisements prevail. JMHO of course. Audie..the Oldfart...
shadow745
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:54 am
Location: Central North Carolina

Finally..beware of advice where advertisements prevail. JMHO of course. Audie..the Oldfart...[/quote]


Would this happen to be directed toward me? If so I'm not advertising anything, just giving out truthful/helpful advice. Usually you do get more for paying more. I know that the technology inside a Rainbow machine is too much for most to comprehend, but they do indeed work as advertised. But as we all agree on, the best fix is to find the source of the excess dust and go from there. Later!
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Yanita
Moderator
Posts: 3369
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:16 pm
Location: Eastern N. Carolina

Hi

As one of the moderators on site I was simply asking for any consumer thoughts/comparisons of vacuums to please be posted/debated in the Off Topic forum.

This forum is for repairs and I would like to see the post within this thread remain on track as to where/how the dust is getting there.

Have a great day.

Yanita :D
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
oldfart
Posts: 431
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:31 am

Shadow745 my post was not directed at you in any way and I hope you accept this as an apoligy if you considered it so. My warning was meant to be carefule and do some research before choosing an air-filtration system to help with the dust problem. As Yanite pointed out sometimes the cost of filters and the hassle of changing them outweighs any benefits extant. And my advice stands that the best advice comes from independent laboratory testing not supported by advertising. For general items...Consumer Report is the best source. If you are interested in sporting arms...Gun Tests Magazine. For motorcycleists...Motorcycle Consumer News. Now let us work together to solve the problem at hand my friend. Where does the dust come from and how best to resolve it?? Two keen minds working together with help from such a large group..we can figger this out! YMHS...Audie..the Oldfart...
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Teresa73
Posts: 37
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:49 am
Location: St. Johns, MI

I've lived in various states, and various kinds of homes (hubby was in the Army so we moved a lot). Anyway, through all the various places and states we lived, I noticed some places had way more 'dust' than others.

1. It could be where you live in general. Such as in the country, on a dirt road, by a dirt parking lot, by fields - especially farm fields where someone plows up the dirt, and so forth.

Example: A farmer plowing his field even miles away from where you live, can add a lot of dust and dirt to your home.

2. It could be your home has more 'breathing' than your other homes had (places for air to get in and out such as gaps, cracks, spacing issues, etc).. hence more dust gets blown in, swirled around in the home, etc.

3. Most dust is from meteorites (outer space), human skin cells, animal dander and pet hair, human hair, carpet fibers, dust mites, dust mite poo, furniture fibers and stuffing, outside dirt, and so on. Sorta a never ending battle *sighs*

Try to look for dusting agents that trap and collect the dust, and use furniture polish (and electronic polish for electronics) that has agents in it to repel dust.

Vacuum before you dust, not afterwards.

Always clean starting from the top of the room, downwards. Clean fans also, since they spread a lot of dust. Clean your duct work by having someone blow air through them, or duct tape a long man's sock to a bendable wire and dampen it slightly - then sweep out your venting ducts the best you can.

Keep your A/C unit very clean!

Clean under all the appliances also, you'd be amazed (or disgusted) at how much dirt and dust gathers under those things. Tape a sock onto a long flat ruler and sweep under the stove and fridge, washer and dryer.

Also clean your dryer of any lint build up, especially in the metal exhaust part that blows the hot air outside. Use the wire or stick with a sock on it method. Make the sock is just a TEENY bit damp to catch dirt, flip the sock inside out when it gets to dirty. Use hubby's old socks for this :) you'll need a lot of socks lol

Take whatever furniture covers, pillows, etc that you can outside and beat the living (censored) out of them.. again, you will be shocked by all the dust (dead skin cells and dust mites and their poo) that come out of your furniture.

Have someone haul your couches or mattresses out at least once a year (if possible) and use the beating method on them. Letting them sit a half hour or so in the sunshine also helps kill bacteria and mildew or molds that are in them.

Don't forget to vacuum your furniture (everywhere that you can) regularly. Even if you don't have pets. This helps a lot, plus keeps where you are sitting or sleeping a lot cleaner (helps a lot with allergies also).

I use a good vacuum cleaner with cloth bags, hepa filters, and the works. It really made a HUGE difference in the amount of dust in our home when I invested in a good vacuum, and started vacuuming the furniture as well as the curtains and carpets. I used Consumer Reports to pick out the vacuum, you can send me a private message me if you wish to know the brand.

I also started using those fluffy 'dust trapping' wand sticks and those helped a lot. So did electronics wipes that say they repel dust. I live in a farming town, surrounded by farmers and dirt fields >.< lol so I get a lot of dust! That and I have a cat, 2 kids, a husband who works in a factory (talk about dirt)..

Good luck with the dust, and just remember.. it's been around long before humans, and will be long after we're gone. You can only fight it so much before it drives you insane, so don't sweat the small stuff *winks* just pledge the hell out of it!

- Teresa

P.S. Keep the mini blinds clean also.. see it's never ending.
Please Spay & Neuter Your Pets =^.^=
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