Can't Seem to Get Rid of Dust in Our House - HEPA Filter or Air Purifier

Updated on February 16, 2009
T.C. asks from Mount Pleasant, UT
16 answers

I don't know what to do about the amount of dust in our home. I thought when we put our yard in the dust would go down; however, it is the middle of winter and the dust is still the same. I can dust and 2 days later I can write on the furniture. I have tried dust polish, wet rag and then dry rag, vacuuming, etc. Have any of you had this problem? I can't keep up with it. Have any of you had any luck with a HEPA filter in your furnace or an air purifier? If you have one that works what brand is it and how does it work. My husband has allergies and the dust isn't helping. Thanks again for all of your help.

1 mom found this helpful

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S.P.

answers from Salt Lake City on

This is so funny that you asked this question because I just thought the same thing yesterday and was going to ask. So I don't have any answers but am really looking forward to the one's you get!

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M.Y.

answers from Denver on

Have you had your air ducts in the house cleaned professionally ? Sometimes when this is done, it will help with the dust and allergens. And if you looking for an awesome air purifier I have a purifier called the atomosphere air purifier. Here is the link in regards to the atmosphere unit. It is one of the best on the market.
https://yokotaenterprises.mychoices.biz/Retail/Products.a...

Thanks and hope this helps.
M.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.S.

answers from Colorado Springs on

i use a couple different products that are really helpful. one is a furniture polish and the other is a 3-in-1 cleaner that kills dust mites which really helps with allergies. the store that i shop at to get these products is online. they make products that are made from natural ingredients which reduces the indoor air pollution in the home. not to mention improve your family's overall health. so, if you're interested in this option you can go to www.saferisbetter.com/jmej7 and request more details. you have to be a customer of the store in order to shop there. best decision i ever made.

-J.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.T.

answers from Denver on

Indoor air pollution is significantly worse than outdoor air pollution. Our homes are so air tight and we have toxic fumes from our paints, hardwoods, carpets, furniture and cleaning products.

I have some HEPA quality air units that have really reduced the dust in my house. There is even a dust mode on the unit. I've not had the problems with seasonal allergies that I normally have and have seen many success stories (one woman would sneeze for 30-40 times each morning and no longer does it).

I found individual air units are a better option as they work continuously versus when the furnace is running. Also, you need to consider how clean your air ducts are. Even if you pump out clean air, they trip through the ducts can change everything - even in a new build there is lots of debris. Definitely get a good quality filter for your furnace and change it regularly, plus get your air ducts cleaned every few years.

With these individual air units, they run continuously, plus they pick up an amazing amount of dog hair and dust (when I vacuum the filter every week or two). Best of all, these units are portable, so you can move it from your living room to bedroom each night. There is even a portable unit for bedrooms, cars and offices.

There are huge differences in the quality of an air unit. We used to have the Ionic Breeze which did an OK job, but produced ozone in the process of creating negative ions. We bought another unit at Sears for around $200 and it was loud and did not do a good job. It is a case of getting what you pay for, so do your research and get something that is great quality and will last.

With the features and the quality, I have not found a better unit on the market.

Here is a great link to watch a quick detailed overview on the Nikken Air Power 5 unit. It explains all the filters and features that make it the best unit on the market today. Besides HEPA quality air, it differentiates itself by creating the negative ions without adding ozone to the environment (extremely bad for the small sacs in your lungs). Best of all it is energy star rated too. http://nikken.com/product.cfm?ThemeID=4&GetProductGro... Watch the Closer Look version.

Email me with any questions. I have more detailed info I can send you as well. I'll also show you the cheapest way to get it.

Take care and good luck.
S.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.W.

answers from Salt Lake City on

We had that problem when we first moved into our house. We found we just needed to change the filter on our funace. People don't usually change them as often as they need to be. Also you could try having your duct work cleaned out. We haven't done that yet, but I have heard it helps a lot.

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J.E.

answers from Fort Collins on

Get your air ducts cleaned, they are having great deals now.

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A.R.

answers from Denver on

Us too!! We just built a house and moved in this past October. With the dog, a dirt back yard until spring and all the new cabinets/carpets/wood flooring, I'm sneezing constantly. I bet the builder didn't clean the ducts so we will check that and look at our filter. I sympathize completely! Thanks for asking the question...

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H.A.

answers from Denver on

My question to you is what kind of vacuum do you have? And how old are your carpets? I clean houses for a living and having a more powerful vacuum can really cut down on the amount of dust you have. Also if your carpets are fairly old, they can be making a lot of dust as you walk around. It is no more appetizing than the amount of dust that can come out of your furnace/ducts. I would definitely try the duct cleaning and the new furnace filter, but if that doesn't help, try a better vacuum. If you want suggestions, let me know. Another lady suggested the Dyson and they are really good. However if you have a lot of rugs like oriental or area rugs, they can make a horrible noise on those because their suction is so great it basically overly sucks up the carpet fibers. Also if you use humidifiers in your home, those can create dust. You can try using purified or distilled water in them to cut down on that kind of dust. Remember that dust isn't just dirt, it is also skin. So if your skin is super dry, it is shedding out into your house and causing extra dust. Use lots of lotion. Hope these help.

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L.A.

answers from Boise on

Hi Tonya,

I live in the country and have had a lot of issues with dust. When, I finally broke down and purchased an air purifier, it improved the air quality and slowed down the dust. Here's the link to my website with the system that I use: http://www.shaklee.net/sowing4health/product/55102

Also, go easy on yourself. When I was younger everything had to be perfect all the time, and I really just was just dealing with my own belief in what "a good wife does".

Take care and God bless,
L.

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K.D.

answers from Provo on

Since no one else has suggested this yet, I'll put in my 2 cents.
Do you have unsealed concrete floors in your basement? Little known fact is that concrete generates dust even if you don't walk on it much. And since your furnace is probably near or on it that's how it gets through out your house. If this is the case, you'll have to wait until spring to seal it -- and you can get the sealer at your local hardware store (they can even tint it a color you like). Good luck!
And I've had air purifiers for 3 years now. The only downside to them is the constant noise. It really bothers me -- so much that the last time the filters got dirty I haven't cleaned them out again because I like the quiet sometimes.

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S.W.

answers from Pocatello on

Try having your heating ducts power vacuumed out and changing the filter on your heater. If that doesn't work I would go with the hepa filter

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J.L.

answers from Pocatello on

I know that the most effective air purifiers are the ones that go on your heating and cooling system. They do a better job of getting to all of the air in the house.

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D.K.

answers from Denver on

I can sympathize as I live in Colorado and dust is so much a part of it all.
I would call to see if a built in system would work, however they are not cheap. They have the portable ones that can be helpful in the room they are in.
Keeping doors and windows shut, vacuuming daily will help, I have a Dyson and it is a dream vacuum.
I too can dust and then the next day there is dust. It is nearly impossible to rid yourself of it if you live in a dry climate.
Maybe see if your husband can get on some good allergy meds.
Sorry not much help, just wanted you to know it is that way here in Colorado too! :) Hugs

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T.L.

answers from Denver on

If you have an older home, you might consider getting the air ducts professionally cleaned. We've have the same problem. I hope this helps.

T.

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K.S.

answers from Fort Collins on

nya...I wish I had the answers to this one...in fact I am having the same problem so if you get some good answerd, could you pass them along? We r in the country a little bit, in a new subdivison, so I guess new construction can be this way, but I could dust daily, and who wants to do that? thanks! K.

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C.C.

answers from Denver on

Hi Tonya - it sounds like you might have a new house since you just installed a yard?

You might consider having your vents cleaned by a company like MonsterVac. We had the same problem in our house until we did - all of that dirt and construction dust kept circulating over and over again. We had to do it again when we had our hardwood floors refinished. We've had really good results after installing an electrostatic filter also.

I also found some filter inserts at the hardware store that sit inside the heating vents that help as well.

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