I have been living in the Pleasant St. area for a year, and I need to ask: does anyone else have this thin layer of dirt covering everything in their house? I swear, it's like this fine, sooty dirt - half sand, half soil, and it is everywhere! Every day I am running towels, paper towels, sponges, and cloths over everything, but it never goes away!! It's like the friggin' dust bowl in the 1930s! Why is GNV so dirty?!?!
I'll have to contact the landlord about it. He changed the filter a month ago but this is still a problem.
The filter will only help keep more dust and debris from getting into the system, if the ducts are already dirty it will continue blowing junk all over the house. Take a look at the vents that blow air into the rooms. Are they covered in dust and debris? You may need to take off a vent cover to help you see better.
Will do. I feel like this is a landlord job but we know how that goes. I'll check it.
Cleaning the ducts is probably landlord, cleaning vents should be on your weekly cleaning routine list, and the fans and blinds. But as the above poster mentioned, if there is dust in the ducts, it’s just going to keep blowing dust. With monthly filter swaps, weekly cleaning, and the ducts being cleaned if dirty you should be okay. YMMV if you have pets or a dusty job. You’ll still need to dust periodically, but it will mostly be maintenance dusting.
Stanley steamer will do a medium sized home duct clean for under 125
Good to know!!
Make sure the filter isn't one of those $20 see through ones that might as well not even be there.
$20 can get you a quality filter.
Nope I don’t have that problem buddy
Ugh. That is what I was afraid of.
I’m just one person maybe someone else has that issue. Do you have your windows open a lot?
Not anymore. It's like dirty, wet socks outside!!
when i leave my windows open in the spring, pollen will do this.
Lmao summertime in Rainesville 😂 are you not from here?
I moved here a year ago from New Orleans. I know all about heat, humidity, etc. But this dusty, dirt thing - ugh! I am happy when it rains!
Why here though?
I got offered an opportunity to get a Ph.D. at UF, full ride. I couldn't refuse. Believe me, it was a tough decision. I was making a full time living playing drums in New Orleans and damn, I miss it.
Aye get that phd! Deal with our bad weather and senseless drivers and get your education.
Believe me, the driving ain't any worse than what was in NOLA. And I lived through two hurricanes there - both where I went without power for two weeks - in August!! But thanks!!
Only when it's really really dry out (like the wild drought we just went through) - then everything is dusty. Are you changing AC filters? Do you have pets going in and out? A really good vacuum and an air purifier (like a Coway one) help when it's extra dusty out, but our film of dust/sand/etc has kind of gone away with the rains coming in.
the landlord recently changed the filter in the HVAC but it doesn't seem to have helped. And the two dogs are in and out but we clean them everyday, too. This is getting into areas that are usually closed off to them, as well.
Once the dust is in the house it spreads through the HVAC to places dogs can't go. If you have two dogs and haven't been changing the filter on your own at least monthly, this is part of it and should get better over time. I put astroturf on out back steps and it helped a lot with extra dust, and when it's reaaaally dry I used to have a dog blow dryer and would blow out my dogs' coats. If your house is lower to the ground (many in that neighborhood are) there's also just more dust coming in.
Whenever I talk to people who don't know what I'm talking about with the dust/dirt/endless surface cleaning I do - it turns out they don't have dogs!
Thanks!! This is solid info. I have been a dog owner all my life and have never had this problem, but what you describe totally tracks. We have been looking for ways to clean them before they come in the house - we need a little mini-dog wash, like a car wash, that they walk through before they come in the door.
It's the sandy soil here that adds more dust than dogs bring in in other places. Keeping a blower by the back door helps without getting them wet and creating mud. Godspeed, I vacuum every single day with ours. I know they're pricy but a Dyson really helps with the fine sand/dander combo
Agreed, it's definitely the dogs.
Your hvac ducts are probably in need of cleaning/replacement.
The landlord gets a call tomorrow. Thanks.
Pleasant street is one of Gainesvilles oldest neighborhoods, many of those houses are over 100 years old with HVAC systems, ducts, and just overall houses that have gotten a lot of wear in that time. That, and a mix of two dogs going in and out is going to have a big impact on just random dust being around. Old houses are awesome, but they never feel quite as clean as a newer one.
Straight facts!! I had to live in an older neighborhood. I love the vibes.
i live in the same neighborhood. not sure how old your house is but mine was built in the 30s or so and i need to vacuum almost daily. it’s been updated but these houses were meant to be a bit drafty before the ac days. if you don’t keep up with it these old houses get super dirty real quick
We get this from pollen multiple times per year on the NW side
I grew up on Church street. It’s not dirt, rather pollen from the scrub oaks and water oaks- this year was a great year to be an oak tree in Gainesville- see intense allergies from January through April.
Good to know. I haven't seen pollen like this since I lived up North 20 years ago
There’s a lot of construction in that area- perhaps that’s contributing to it?
Might want to have it tested, are you sure it's not mold spores? When was the last time the A/C was cleaned? Do you have pets?
It isn't mold. I dealt with that before and know how to remediate. We do have two dogs who dig shit up and we have to constantly clean them, too. I keep them out of certain areas of the house but this dirt/soot still seems to permeate everything! And the filter was on the AC was changed by the landlord last month but maybe it needs a full blow out?
Okay, that brings me to my next question which is a bit worse than mold. How close are you to any of the nearby funeral homes that have on-site cremation services?
LOL. Not close, thank god.
Do you burn candles inside? We don't notice usually, but candles do release a bit of soot as they burn. It varies depending on what the materials used in the candle.
Not enough for this coverage but yeah, we do.
I've never noticed that. But I DID like it ten years ago when Gainesville's cultural vibe was dingier. It was way more fun and interesting.
Yeah, I am sorry I missed that.
It's just the standard fine gray sand that makes up central FL soil. Sounds like your house may not be sealed well, or you may have a leak in your AC ducting. How's your electric bill looking when you're running AC?
Meh. Its not terrible. Just a little higher than normal
You need a good air filter. They are expensive and slightly high maintenance. The alternative is, you continue to breathe in this mystery dust or bug droppings. Which could cause permanent health issues. Those cost way more then a filter. If you can also afford it, have any duct work cleaned. The older houses always need more maintenance in air quality. From dust, mold, rodent/pest, deteriorating housing materials. The old houses are worth it in my opinion, but you definitely have to be on your maintenance game.
Do you live near railroad tracks? Under a bunch of oak trees? I had that stuff in a place I lived in that was both. Plus it was all over my clothesline.
2 missing replies
Perhaps your HVAC system needs cleaning? I've never had this happen to me.