Dust & Allergens

So you dust and dust but never seem to get anywhere. Perhaps it's accumulating more at certain times, in certain conditions. It could be more than just that air filter you haven't changed in a few month! Maybe your child or significant other has allergies or asthma. Below is how a comprehensive Home Energy & Performance Assessment can address issues that may be accentuating those problems.

Address Dust

Dust is a naturally occurring thing EXCEPT when a house has air infiltration and leaky duct work. Often times, this can lead to air infiltrating your living space from crawlspaces and attics where high quantities of dust, insulation, and vermin reside. Duct work located in these areas can also pull air from those areas and redistribute it into the home.

Address Allergens

Allergens are a by-product of many different conditions in the home; the first being high indoor humidity which causes several harmful and dangerous conditions. High indoor humidity can contribute to the following things:

• Dust Mites
  
  Dust Mites are another driving force behind allergies, especially given that 1/3 of their life cycle occurs in your bed! Dust mites love warm, humid conditions, above 70 F (21 C) and 50% humidity; which is a very typical environment for southern states.
  
   
• Water Damage
  
  When air with high relative humidity meets a wall with and the dew point is, o well nevermind. We won?t bother you with the details. We can, but we'll just tell you this: High Relative Humidity can cause mold and moisture problems. If you aren't sure if you have high humidity please contact us and we can talk with you in more detail.
  
   
• Mold & Bacterial Growth
  
  According to the United States government Energy Star website, the optimum relative humidity (RH) level for a building is generally considered to be between 30% and 50%.1 Anything above this range may promote bacteria growth.
  
  
  
  Molds grow on damp materials. The key to mold control is moisture control. If mold is a problem in your home, clean up the mold and get rid of excess water or moisture. Lowering the moisture also helps reduce other triggers, such as dust mites, cockroaches, and termites. For more information on the 10 things you should know about Mold, click here.