Getting Your Facility’s Dust Problem Under Control

Dust is a constant nuisance in life no matter where you go. It’s made up of tiny particles of dirt, fibers, paper, and even human skin cells. There’s little chance of completely getting rid of dust, but if your commercial facility has a dust problem, there are several things you can do to reduce its presence.

The Trouble with Dust

Some facilities are naturally going to be more dusty than others. Some manufacturing processes produce excessive dust. If your building is located along a dusty road, that dust is more likely to get into your facility. Older buildings tend to be dustier than newer ones.

Whenever you have a lot of dust in your building, you can expect issues such as:

• Reduced air quality: Dust in the air is a major contributor to reduced indoor air quality. Dust can make it more difficult to breathe and can irritate eyes, noses, and throats. Excess dust can also contribute to allergy problems and respiratory conditions such as asthma.
• Unsightly accumulation: Dusty shelves, equipment, and merchandise are unsightly and unattractive. If you have merchandise that has been on the shelf long enough to collect dust, your customers are likely to be turned off by that.
• Dust mites: Extra dust attracts dust mites, which also contribute to reductions in overall comfort and indoor air quality.

Reducing Your Dust Problem

By using some or all of the following techniques, you can substantially reduce a dust problem in your facility.

• Clean frequently. Vacuum carpets and rugs at least twice a week, or more often if necessary. Sweep hard floors weekly. Areas that accumulate more dust, such as entranceways, may need to be swept more often. Mop hard floors every week or so to remove excess dust that your broom couldn’t pick up. Use microfiber cloths to dust shelving, desks, and other flat surfaces.
• Remove clutter. The more clutter in your facility, the larger your dust problem is likely to be. Remove as much clutter as possible to cut down on dust accumulation. Boxes, stacks of books, piles of cloth material, and other types of clutter attract dust and make it more difficult to keep your indoor areas clean. Store these items properly and do not let large amounts of them pile up.
• Seal your building. A lot of the dust inside your building comes from the outdoors, so if the structure isn’t properly sealed, it is easy for dust to get inside. Make sure that holes, cracks, gaps, and other openings in the walls are sealed with caulking or other appropriate sealant. Seal around windows and doors with caulking to eliminate openings. Try to limit the opening and closing of doors as much as possible and put weatherstripping around them to provide a further seal. Not only will sealing your building reduce your dust problem, it will also improve HVAC system efficiency and performance, reducing your monthly energy costs.
• Change HVAC air filter. The air filter in your HVAC system is a major weapon against dust and airborne contaminants, so the filters should be changed frequently. Check filters at least once a month and, when they get dirty, change them. If your facility is in a dusty environment, it may be necessary to check and change filters more often. Make sure the ductwork is clean inside and seal all duct sections at the connections to prevent air loss and the infiltration of dust.
• Install air cleaners. Install air cleaners to add additional filtration of your indoor air. These systems work separately from your HVAC filter to remove even more dust and airborne particulates.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about Plumbing, HVACR, Fire Protection, and Alarm Systems in Mechanical, Commercial, and Residential settings. For more information on how to solve the dust problem in your commercial facility and improve indoor air quality, or to view projects we’ve worked on, visit our website!

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