Worried About Having a Bad Duct Cleaning Experience?An Explanation of Dust Mites and Their Allergies Problems
Dust Mites and Allergies in the Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis Areas of WI
Tiny dust mites could be living in your air ducts, linens, and carpeting, and can be the root of allergy problems. Dust mites are so tiny that you cannot see them with the naked eye, and they live in household dust. Dust mites live off of the skin, hair, food, and fecal matter that makes up most of the dust around your home. Abbreviated, HDM, home dust mites scientific name is dermatophagoides farinae. Dust mites can cause serious respiratory problems, particularly asthma. An interesting other fact about dust mites is that as larva they have 6 legs and when they are adults they have 8. The mites themselves each have a very short lifespan ranging only about 19-30 days for males. Female dust mites live twice as long and lay eggs for the last 30 days.
One thing that you do not have to worry about dust mites is that they will not bite or sting you. Cells of human skin that are shed are the main food of dust mites. An average human sheds from 0.3 to 0.45 Kg (0.5 to 1 lbs) of skin each year, which makes for a lot of mite food. Moisture from human breath, sweat, and saliva makes bedding an ideal place for the mites to live. The big problem with dust mites is that they are a huge source of allergens and can cause rhinitis, conjunctivitis, dermatitis, and asthma. Dust mite poop contains an enzyme that causes allergic reactions of the skin,, lungs, and other body functions.
Even though there is plenty of dust, the low humidity in air ducts means that not many dust mites live in them. The air ducts do still provide a huge reservoir of dust particles that the mites like to feed on. Another thing air duct systems do is circulate air around your home. This provides a constant source of food for the dust mites.
Below are a number of good ways to control dust mite populations:
- Daily vacuuming helps a lot and it works even better if you have a HEPA filtered vacuum.
- Dust your house regularly.
- Sanitizing household fabrics like carpets and bedding will help a lot.
- Have all the carpeting removed from your home.
- Get allergen proof covers for your pillows and even furniture.
- Children's stuffed animals can be frozen to kill mites living in them.
- If you can keep the general humidity below 70%, possibly with your HVAC system, then that will take care of most of the mites.
Now that you know a lot more about dust mites, you will be better able to prevent them from affecting your health.
Well, that wraps-up our dust mites article. Hopefully you have a better grasp of what the operation involves and what you might look to in an air duct cleaning company. Since most air duct cleaning companies also clean dryer vents, you might want to read our dryer vent cleaning tips article as well. Having your dryer vent cleaned while the technicians are still at your home cleaning your air ducts, will save you money.
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