January 14, 2016
Vacuum cleaners have a dirty little secret: They can do more harm than good.
According to findings in Environmental Science & Technology. “Both vacuum cleaning and the act of vacuuming can release and re-suspend dust and allergens, leading to increased exposure,” reports WebMD.
Kicking up that dust can lead to an endless cycle of vacuuming and dusting.
But there is a way to capture some of the airborne dust. Just turn your thermostat fan setting to “ON.”
Usually, your cooling/heating system’s blower (the part the circulates air) is set to “AUTO”, meaning it only runs when your system needs to cool or heat the air.
But by turning the fan setting to “ON”, the blower will run constantly, sucking the airborne dust into the return vent air filter. The better filter you have, the more dust it can capture.
Related: What Type of Air Filter Should I Buy for My Air Conditioning System?
In this diagram, the blower is pulling in warm return air from the home and through an air filter.
Sounds great, right? So why don’t you just keep your thermostat on this setting 24/7?
We explain more in this article: ON VS. AUTO: Which Thermostat Setting Is Better For Your Home?
So, all that being said, just keep the fan setting to “ON” when you’re vacuuming and for 15 minutes after.
So, you’re ready to start vacuuming. Here’s what you should do:
Step 1: Make sure the air conditioner’s filter is clean
You want the filter to capture any airborne dust when you turn the blower on. But if the filter is dirty, it can’t do that. Change the filter if it’s dirty.
Change your filter if it looks like the one on the right.
Step 2: Turn the thermostat fan setting to “ON”
Now the airborne dust will get sucked into the return vent and be captured by the filter.
Step 3: Vacuum like you normally would
Play music. Have fun. Don’t trip on the cat. The usual.
Step 4: Switch the thermostat back to “AUTO” 15 minutes post-vacuuming
Remember, you don’t want to keep the thermostat to “ON”, or you’ll pay for it in higher energy costs and other issues.
Cool Today provides award-winning air conditioning service to Sarasota, Florida and the surrounding areas like Bradenton, Tampa and Port Charlotte. If you have any questions, talk to one of our experts for help.
Posted in: Tips