Can Dust Be Harmful to Your Health?

Every home on the planet accumulates dust. It’s virtually unavoidable no matter how often you clean. But that doesn’t mean you should give up on trying to get rid of it altogether! Although there’s really no way to eliminate dust from your home entirely, there are several things you can do to control the accumulation.

Duct cleaning, regular vacuuming, opening windows, and changing filters monthly all go a long way toward keeping indoor dust levels low. And when you neglect these dust-control must-dos, your indoor air quality and even your health can suffer.

How? Read on to find out.

What Exactly Is Dust?

The dust inside most homes is primarily composed of skin particles, insect droppings, and microscopic creatures. Generally, it’s pretty harmless. But not all dust is created equal, and without getting an in-depth scientific analysis of the dust inside your home, there’s no definitive way to determine what exactly that dust consists of.

Some household dust — especially that within older homes — is partially composed of dangerous particles that, if inhaled, can have serious health consequences. Many dust samples contain asbestos, chemical residues, wood, sand, and other types of hazardous, microscopic particulate matter.

4 Ways Prolonged Dust Exposure Can Affect Your Health

Studies have found that the average American spends about 90% of their time indoors. And whether you spend a good chunk of your day inside your home or in an office building, you’re continually breathing in recirculated indoor air that likely contains a fair amount of particulate matter.

Often, that matter stems from a dirty duct system. When you inhale those tiny particles over a prolonged period (which can be as little as a few hours for some people), several health issues can result. They include:

●        Lung problems. Mucous membrane inflammation, wheezing, coughing, asthma, and even lung disease can result from exposure to certain particles and chemical residues present in dust.

●        Allergies. Dust is positively loaded with dust mites, their carcasses, and their feces, all of which can trigger allergy symptoms. Most dust also contains some level of dander and pollen, both of which are strong allergy triggers for many people.

●        Poisoning. It’s highly location dependant, but some dust may contain hazardous substances, including lead and asbestos. Exposure to dust that contains substances like these can cause acute poisoning, especially in children.

●        Cognitive issues. Many of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and chemical residues contained in most dust samples can prompt cognitive issues, such as trouble concentrating and memory problems. Some studies have even correlated long-term exposure to fine dust with brain shrinkage and dementia. Yikes. 

Worried you might be suffering from some health issues related to dust exposure? Then it’s time to schedule professional duct cleaning! If you want to protect your health, prioritizing good indoor air quality is crucial. In addition to duct cleaning, it may also be in your best interest to implement an air purification system — either a few portable units or a whole-house setup — to really clean up the air inside your home.

Get Rid of Dusty Ducts With Dust Doctors

Worried your dirty ducts are contributing to poor indoor air quality? Get in touch with our team at Dust Doctors to learn how we can help you fix that! For more than a decade, we’ve provided indoor air quality solutions and full-service duct cleaning for health-conscious Twin Cities residents, and we’d love to help you too. To get started, give us a call at 651-319-9777 or request a free quote, and we’ll be in touch!