How Dust Effects Your AC System

You sweep. You vacuum. You dust. You even take your shoes off before you enter your home. Yet no matter how many precautions you take, you still find dust throughout your home.

A gas forced air system adds to the problem; we see it all over up and down the Front Range. Not only is it a mess, but it also contributes to health risks as well. And while it may look like dust radiates from your furnace and AC system, it doesn’t. The dust accumulates from the air flow that is within your home.

So how does dust get there?

It is estimated that the average home collects up to 40 pounds of dust each year. About 70 percent of it comes from you and your family as you shed dead skin cells, and from your pets in the form of hair. The other 30 percent comes from the great outdoors, from dirt, plant life, and other organic decay that follows you in each day.

As it enters your home, it becomes a part of the air flow. And eventually, it enters your AC unit and begins coating the system.

Dust and dirt impact your AC unit in different ways.

It starts with the cooling process. The coils of your air conditioner play an important role in the cooling process. As dirt settles onto the coils, this layer acts as an insulator, disrupting the cooling process.

It increases energy usage. When key air conditioner components are covered with dust, they don’t operate as effectively as they should This puts undo stress on your AC unit during operation, causing you to use more energy in the process.

It decreases indoor air quality. With excess dust and debris in your system, it lies waiting in your ductwork and air filtration system. As the system operates, it transfers the dust particles do different places in your home.

The best way to keep your AC system working efficiently is with regular cleaning and maintenance. Is your air filtration process working as well as it should?