HVAC question

[kindalazy]

I just did a complete, major house clean, and was freaked out by the amount of dust in the house, (as I clean the house thoroughly each week) not to mention the shmutz that came out of the carpets through steam cleaning.

My question is: does leaving the hvac fan on constantly as opposed to cycling on and off help with dust? We have an electrostatic air filter, and an electronic air filter, and yet, there still seems to be dust everywhere.

Thanks,
J.

 

[panthera]

J.

It helps in my parents house. The cat hair, the dog hair, the five grandkids, the constant stream of in and out visitors - yup, the electrostatic filters reduce the dirt considerably.

But, life comes with dust. You can be the perfect housequeen and there is still going to come a moment every few months when you flat out say: Ick. Eww, Ick.

I don't see how the changeover from coal really put an end to the need for spring and fall cleaning with a good Christmas cleanup, too.

That's just life. So, give it a try.

 

[toggleswitch2]

Yes. But it will burn out the motor quicker, over the years. Be sure your blower is rated for continuous-duty.

My mother is alergic to dust. Here is what she had to do per doctors'orders:

Use shades, not blinds. Fewer surfaces to catch dust.
Put glass tops on your bedroom and living room furniture. Windex daily.

Get rid of all wall-to-wall carpeting and area rugs. If you must have rugs, they shoud be machine-washable in size and type. Add same types of small area rugs as mats by each doorway to catch entering dust, mud, doggie-do etc.

Leave the A/C on in summer opening one window only about an inch (2.54cm) to keep the house fresh. That way dust enters only from that point. Similary if you have many windows per room learn to open only a designated one. Keeps most curtains and winow treatements,as well as the windows themselves, cleaner.

Take your shoes off as you come in and don't wear outside footwear insde.

Of course a perfectly clean and dust-free house does not have cats or dogs. According to allergists, it takes 7 years to rid a home of animal hair and dander.

Finally, if you have a road or a dust source near you, open windows on the opposite side of the house, if you MUST open windows.

Battling dust is a never-ending endeavor. When you get to be my age, I'd say spending time with people is more of a priority. And besides when we die there will be dust in our eyes.

 

[iheartmaytag]

I don't have the dust problem in this house as I did the previous one. I credited this mostly to the fact that the HVAC unit uses a Supper-Dupper pleated 3-M filter. Being a clean freak I vacuum daily, but hate to dust. Pulling the drapes so you can't see it on the furniture helps too.

 

[kindalazy]

Next question...

Okay, so, we also have a loft which has it's own HVAC unit located upstairs in a closet. There is no direct connection (ductwork) connecting it to the cold air returns: The cold air return ductwork is just brought in to the closet open ended, with the filter end of the hvac kind of in the middle of area (there is suction on the cold air returns through the loft).

My theory by both leaving the hvac on all day, plus putting the dehumidifier in the closet, is that the drier air should circulate through the entire loft. Am I off base?

Thx,
J.

 

[toggleswitch2]

What are you trying to accomplish?

Leaving the fan on constantly will accomplish:

Better filtration and dust contol.
Better humdification in that the humidifier can run longer.
Better eveness of tempertures room-to-room and less stratification (floor-to-ceiling differences).

There does not need to be return-air ducting especially if the space is relatively small and in a central location. And of course the return and supply are delivered to the same story/floor/level.

Personally I'd take a 12-hour timer [wind-up mechanical and fits fits in an electrical box like any ordinary *COUGH* toggle switch] and wire it up to the fan switch (say next to the thermostat). This way you can run the fan whenever you are at home (or not at home) and give the thing a 4 to 12 hour rest here and there. If you go away for the weekend at least you know the fan/blower won't be running non-stop.

I aimed to answer your question although it was not clear to me. Take another stab at it and so will I.............

PEACE!

 

[toggleswitch2]

.

~I just did a complete, major house clean, and was freaked out by the amount of dust in the house, (as I clean the house thoroughly each week) not to mention the shmutz that came out of the carpets through steam cleaning.

Does your (portable) vacuum-cleaner bag have a hole in it? Do you have a central vacuum cleaning system? I hear most Canandians do. The rear-end should be blowing OUTSIDE of the house. This type of system is superior to any portable vacuum cleaner OF ANY TYPE that returns air to the room (or to the house) in that inevitably some dust is stirred-up and thrown back in and around.

One should, in my ridiculous opinion, buy only the best and "authentic" cleaner bags for portable cleaners, being those that probably filter best. Perhaps Terry or another vacuum cleaner affictionado can chime in here and guide us.

I have gotten rid of plenty of POS low-end electric brooms that succeeded to throw more dust out of their rears than trap it and hold it. [Just keep that in mind; When we get old enough to be farting dust, we will be done-away-with as well. *LOL*]

 

[supersurgilator]

Motor burnout is what concerns me as well with leaving the fan on all the time. To me the cost of replacement isn't worth leaving it on all the time just to circulate the air.

I bought a 3M filtrete filter (the $20 kind that are HEPA equivalent) and the reduction in dust has been amazing. We also have 2 tabletop air purifiers that we have on and they also catch a bunch of dust and other stuff.

 

[kindalazy]

Toggleswitch...

Sorry if I was vague/unclear, I tend to be a bit too succinct.

My goal is to take the humidity down to about 45%. The first reason is that we have 2, 10 ft x 10 ft windows which in the winter, collect so much condensate, that ice forms on the inside causing damage to the frame, then eventually leaking onto the hardwood. The second reason is that I do a lot of cooking which causes the humidity to rise to uncomfortable levels even though I use the exhaust fan.

When I got home yesterday afternoon, the humidity had come down to 50%, and the dehumidifier is definitely pulling water out, which is good. I think it needs to run a good 3-4 days to pull out existing moisture before accurately gauging it's effectiveness.

We have an Electrolux (Aerus) Guardian Ultra vacuum, which is really super.

Thx,
J.