How to Reduce Dust in Your Home

November 12, 2024

Don’t let your home be another one that bites the dust.


Everyone has it, and nobody wants it. In reality, dust is no laughing matter, no matter the setting. It’s easy to see how it can affect the indoor air quality (IAQ) of your Wenatchee home.


At Alpine Aire, LLC, we know how important clean indoor air quality is for your home. Our team specializes in offering whole-house solutions to keep you and your loved ones healthy, comfortable, and safe throughout the year.

Regular Maintenance Will Help

With indoor air quality typically being dirtier than your outdoor air, you need to take measures to reduce factors contributing to indoor pollution––both for your health and the health of your home.


Keep in mind, completely eliminating or eradicating dust from your home is an impossible task. Because it is virtually everywhere in Washington, you can understand why it will always exist in your home. However, you can greatly reduce household dust levels by following some of the recommendations below.

Take Good Care of Your Air Filter

The purpose of the air filter for your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) setup is to trap dust and debris flowing through the unit’s air. The air in your home is vented through your HVAC system and forced through its filter. Using the best filter you can afford (and recommended by your system’s manufacturer) can trap a lot of the dust traveling through the air.


Pay attention to your filter’s Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV), a measurement scale created by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to rate the effectiveness of air filters. Be sure to purchase filters with the appropriate MERV rating for your HVAC system.


You also want to change your filter on a regular basis, depending on how dirty it becomes. Optimally, we recommend changing it every month but at least every two to three months, especially if you or someone in your home suffers from allergies, asthma, or chronic respiratory conditions.


A good rule of thumb is to check your filter monthly. If it’s dirty, change it. When your filter is clogged, besides hurting your HVAC system, it obviously can’t do its job of reducing the dust in your home.

Be Sure to Check Your Air Ducts

f you have a forced-air HVAC system, you have air ducts carrying your home’s air to and from your heating and cooling system. If your ducts are not sealed well or have leaks, unfiltered air will be sneaking out into your home. You could have as much as 30 percent leakage due to this poor sealing and leaks, meaning this air has not yet made it to your filter and will be spreading dust throughout your home.


It can be worse if your air ducts are filthy. The air passing through the ducts will pick up additional dust and dirt, depositing them throughout your home.


If you notice a continuously high level of dust in your home, call in one of our indoor air quality professionals to check the seals on your ducts and to inspect for leaks. Also, seriously consider getting your ducts cleaned, especially if you have never done so in the past.

Clean Your Home Regularly

In addition to the numerous HVAC steps you can take to reduce dust, there are some things you can do while cleaning your house to help:

  • Eliminate clutter as it collects dust.
  • Vacuum one to two times a week, using a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter if possible.
  • Dust with a microfiber or damp cloth, starting the cleaning motion from top to bottom.
  • Wash bedding routinely––sheets and pillowcases once a week; blankets, duvets, and pillows every three to four weeks.
  • Avoid wall-to-wall carpeting because it can be an ideal habitat for dust and dust mites.
Keep a Constant Tab on Your Humidity

Be sure your home has the appropriate level of humidity. Too high, it encourages dust mites. Too low, dust accumulates more. Try to maintain a relative humidity of 35 to 50 percent, an industry standard.

Get Yourself an Air Purifier

A whole-home air purifier works with your HVAC system to purify the air, ridding it of dust and other particles and allergens––the dust never makes it to your home’s living spaces.


A major benefit of a whole-home purifier is how it purifies all the air in your home at once. Portable units typically can only purify the air in one room. You would need a separate purifier in every room to achieve a similar result.

We Are Your Indoor Air Quality Experts

At Alpine Aire, LLC, we know dust can be a nuisance as well as an allergen. If you notice more-than-normal dust levels in your Wenatchee, WA, home, please call us at 509-662-6846 or request service online and discover how our experienced professionals can help.

What Are Zone Control Systems?

November 12, 2024
Some like it hot! Others, not so much. If you have a large home with multiple stories or a large household with family members who prefer different temperatures, consider installing a zone control system. A zone control system—or zoning—only provides the necessary cooling or heating that each zone in your Washington home needs at the time. It not only adds to the comfort level of your home but can also lower your energy bills. At Alpine Aire, we always look for ways to improve the comfort, health, and safety of homes and businesses in Wenatchee and surrounding areas. Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is a significant purchase—a big part of our job is to help ensure you get the maximum value from this investment.

AC and Allergies

November 12, 2024
Summertime is the season for rest and relaxation—except when pollen decides to crash your party. If you’re afflicted with seasonal allergies, you’re not alone. As many as 60 million Americans have allergic rhinitis part-time or year-round, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Luckily, a perfect antidote is already installed in your Washington home. A well-maintained air conditioner can boost your indoor air quality (IAQ), reducing symptoms. Your AC has a filter that catches airborne irritants like dust, pollen, dander. It also balances humidity and provides ventilation, reducing the likelihood of mold growth. Looking for additional methods to stop allergens from inhabiting your home? Alpine Aire, LLC has a team of home comfort experts ready to find the perfect solution for your lifestyle. Make your home a sanctuary—spend less time restocking your tissues and more time doing what you love. Call us for a free consultation today. 

SEER––What Does It Mean?

November 12, 2024
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. This universal rating system helps you determine the efficiency of your Washington air conditioning (AC) unit or heat pump. It’s quite similar to miles per gallon—the higher a car’s MPG, the more efficient the car. Similarly, the higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the heating or cooling system. The number comes from dividing the total amount of heat removed from your home by the total amount of energy consumed. Check the yellow EnergyGuide® sticker on your air conditioner. Does it have a SEER rating of 10 or lower? If so, you may want to consider upgrading. Modern air conditioners use much less energy. In fact, federal law requires a rating of 14 or higher for air conditioning units manufactured in 2015 and onward. Had your AC for 15 years or longer? Instead of shelling out money for the next repair, consider replacing your unit with a high-efficiency model. You could reduce energy costs up to 50 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Looking to upgrade your comfort? Alpine Aire, LLC is pleased to give you an accurate estimate on your new AC, heat pump, furnace, or boiler. Additionally, some high-efficiency models come with generous tax rebates. You can count on our team to find the best savings for you.

Air Conditioners: Things You May Not Have Known

November 12, 2024
Though air conditioners are a major part of modern life, they hold many secrets few people know about. Luckily, our team at Alpine Aire, LLC is ready to spill the beans. Air conditioners have come a long way since they were first invented. Present-day AC units use 30 to 50 percent less electricity to create the same amount of cooling as their 1970s predecessors, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE). Advances in the past 10 years have been significant. In fact, by switching out your decade-old AC, you could subtract 20 to 40 percent from your utility bill. But wait—we’ve compiled even more fun facts! If Jeopardy! ever makes “Cooling” a category, and you’re a contestant, we want to help you answer with confidence. You’ll make your friends back in Washington proud. Read further to learn six staggering secrets about air conditioners.

Preparing Your HVAC System for the Fall

November 12, 2024
As the saying goes, “Time and tide wait for no one.” Whether you’re prepared or not, the summer months and warmer weather are gone, moving aside for fall and cooler temps. That means here in Leavenworth you need to think about preparing your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for fall maintenance. Maintaining your heating and cooling equipment ensures it’ll run smoothly the way it should when you need it. Investing your time and money in these seasonal maintenance tasks goes a long way to protect both your Washington home and your HVAC investment, including your wallet. Well-running systems are more energy efficient, so they end up costing you less to run all season long.
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