3 Ways Dust and Dirt Affect Your HVAC System

Unfortunately, dust and dirt can accumulate throughout your home no matter how much you dust, sweep, or vacuum. On average, it’s estimated that your home will collect around 40 pounds of dust every year! Around 70% of the dust comes from your family and pets, as they shed dead skin cells and hair. The remaining 30% is made up of dirt and organic matter that you and your family bring in from outdoors on a daily basis. As air travels throughout your home, the dust and debris become trapped, accumulating in your HVAC system.

As dust and dirt build up inside of your HVAC system, it can cause the following issues:

Decreased Efficiency and Expensive Repairs

Even a little layer of dust and debris – less than an eighth of an inch – can have an impact on the performance of your coils and components.

One of the most serious problems that dust can create is a reduction in heat exchange. The coils of your air conditioner play an important role in the cooling process. Dirt forms on the coils, forming a barrier between the coil surface and the air, impeding heat absorption and release. This will result in a reduction in the amount of cool air you get inside, forcing the air conditioner to work even harder to compensate, hastening wear and tear. Because it can no longer absorb enough heat to lower its temperature, a dirty evaporator coil can form ice and freeze.

An excessive amount of dust on your air conditioner’s motor is also dangerous. When dust accumulates on the fan motors, it may cause faults in the electrical cables, cause bearings to seize, or lead to motor problems.

Increased Energy Usage

When certain air conditioner components are dusty, they don’t work as well as they should. This puts undue strain on your air conditioner during operation, leading you to consume more energy as well as causing your system to wear out faster, reducing its lifespan.

Clogs Your Air Filter And Decreases Indoor Air Quality

Air filters are installed in air conditioners to prevent large particles of dirt or dust from entering the system via suction. If this dust and debris is allowed to accumulate to high levels, the air filter will become clogged. One of the most common causes of air conditioning system repairs is a clogged air filter. Unnecessary repairs can be avoided if the equipment is properly cared for and maintained.

As your HVAC runs, dust and dirt particles are moved and transferred to different sections of your home, where they are re-circulated. This means that dust and dirt are trapped in your home, where you then inhale them. Poor indoor air quality can be a serious problem if someone in your household suffers from allergies or respiratory disorders like asthma. Clean air filters are essential for your health since they help to filter out allergens.

How Can You Prevent Dust And Dirt Build-Up?

Changing your air filter on a regular basis is a simple way to prevent dust accumulation. We recommend changing your air filter once a month in Arizona because of the high temperatures.

We also suggest doing tune-ups twice a year, once in the spring to clean your cooling system and once in the fall to clean your heating system. Our professionals clean your outdoor unit from the inside out to ensure that there is no significant material within. Our technicians also clean the safety switches and burners in your attic in the fall to guarantee that your system is safe and efficient.

Martin Air is available 24/7 for your HVAC needs

Your comfort is safe with Martin Air! If you need a new system or preventative maintenance our highly skilled technicians can help meet your needs. Backed by decades of experience, our courteous and dependable service technicians have served as a trusted choice for home and business owners throughout Phoenix, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek area.