Whether you are a BSC providing services for external clients or an internal cleaning operation responsible for the upkeep of your own facility, one of your primary sources of headache is…..dust. Dust is prevalent within any type of facility and its removal is one of your primary responsibilities. But, excess dust is another matter.

Are you constantly fighting dust accumulation within one or more of your facilities? Is your dust removal quickly followed by accumulations of fresh layers of dust? If so, there are a few things you can do to combat the problem of excess dust.

Eliminating Excess Dust – The Usual Culprits

HVAC Components

• Leaky and/or Dirty HVAC Ducts:  Dirty and leaky HVAC ducting can be a primary contributor to excess dust accumulation. Poorly maintained ducting can continuously inject dust and other contaminates into the facility. Venting that is consistently covered in dust and dirt is an indication that the ducting may be in need of cleaning and/or repair.

Periodic inspection, cleaning, and repair of HVAC ducting can significantly reduce the amount of dust accumulated within any facility. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association recommends that air ducts be inspected and cleaned every three to five years.

• Dirty HVAC Filters:  If you are fighting excess dust, your first area of focus should be your HVAC filters. Use of quality filters, combined with frequent filter replacement, is one of the most cost effective approaches to eliminating excess dust from your facility. It pays to invest in filters that have a good minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that HVAC filters be replaced every two months.

 Flooring

• Dirty Flooring:  Regardless of the type of flooring within your facility, it can be a primary culprit driving your excess dust problem. Depending on facility type, you may need to implement a more frequent, and more robust, floor maintenance program. It is also important to ensure that your floor-cleaning equipment is clean and in good repair. Dirty or faulty equipment can actually create more dust than they collect. See Maintaining Your Floor Cleaning Equipment.  

You can also limit the amount of dust being tracked into your facility by investing in an entry matting system. As detailed in a previous post, Benefits of Effective Entry Matting, an effective entry matting system can eliminate much of the dust and dirt that would otherwise we tracked into your facility on the bottoms of the shoes of your employees and visitors.

Combating dust is just a fact of life for any cleaning operation; however, excess dust can be mitigated. Paying attention to the areas highlighted above will give you an advantage in eliminating excess dust within your facility.

How do you fight excess dust accumulation? Let us know in the section for comments below.

And if you need a customized, cost-effective Service Solution for your business, let SMO help. Request a Customized Service Solution today.