What is Dust Made of and How Does It Affect Your Indoor Air Quality?

June 09, 2016

Urban fables and several internet pages might tell you that dust is made up of human skin, but that is not entirely factual. Skin makes up a tiny percentage of dust, but it is in reality a plethora of things. If it’s not skin, what is dust comprised of and how is dust affecting your home’s indoor air quality?

Sources

Dust in your home comes from two places, outdoors or indoors. The dust from the outdoors is brought in by people. This dust consists of soil or pollen that is clinging on our clothing or through open windows. The dust brought in from the outside is approximately two-thirds of the dust in our homes.

Dust formed indoors is made of a variety of diverse culprits. A very small part is actually human skin. The majority of indoor dust is made up of furniture and carpet fibers and, if you have a pet, pet dander and fur.

Dust Mites

Where there is dust there is also dust mites. If you’re feeling daring, a quick search online will show you what they look like. If you’re not feeling so curious, imagine a tiny arachnid that’s main source of food is dead human skin cells. Dust mites make up a huge portion of dust and their droppings are the top cause of asthma and allergy flare-ups according to a study completed by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. While they are dining on dead skin cells they are thriving in humidity. Managing the ideal humidity of your home can minimize the affect of dust mites.

What are the solutions?

Precision Mechanical has a number of indoor air quality solutions and the team at Precision Mechanical in Rapid City can help you find the best choice for your home’s needs. We carry the a PureAirTM air purification system which fights off all three classes of contaminants and is the only single indoor air quality system to do so. We offer a wide-range of whole-home humidity control options to keep those dust mites at bay. We also offer whole-home ventilation systems which are helpful in bringing fresh air into today’s tightly sealed homes.

Our team at Precision Mechanical in Rapid City will work with you to keep you healthy and comfortable in your home. If you have any questions about improving your indoor air quality or anything home comfort related give us a call at 605-206-3766. We look forward to working with you.