House Dust Mite

Dust Mites are a reality, they live with and feed off the human species. Are dust mites dangerous? well the short answer is yes. Dust mites themselves are not dangerous and do not drink blood like the bed bug but they can cause breathing problems and bring on allergy attacks through there fecal matter. Dust mites do not have stomachs, but the enzymes left behind after feeding are a common cause of asthma and allergic symptoms worldwide.

A typical house dust mite measures only 420 micrometers in length and 250 to 320 micrometers in width. Well not large in size they are large in numbers, a typical mattress can have as many as two million dust mites occupying it’s warm and well nourished frame. The human body losses as much as 1.5 grams of skin per day which enough to feed over a million dust mites.

Male dust mites only live an average of 19 days well the female dust mite can live up to 70 days well laying as many as 200 eggs in the last five weeks of it’s life. Dust mites like the warm and humid area’s, if exposed to temperatures below 20 degrees celsius for any length of time will prove fatal to the dust mite, a relative humidity of 50 or less usually proves fatal also. A quick run through the washer will remove any fecal matter left by the dust mite and a tumble through the dryer for more than ten minutes at greater than 60 degrees celsius will kill any remaining mites.

House dust mite allergens are among the most common triggers of asthma, symptoms include itchiness, sneezing, inflamed eczema, watery eyes, running noses and clogged lungs.

As far as eliminating dust mites by furnace duct cleaning your heating system is concerned, there is no evidence that performing this service will help remove the mites from your home. Yes some dust mites will exsist in the return air system after being blown from room to room by the powerful furnace fan but the real problems lyes in your bedding and furniture.

Using a service like “Bed Doctors” would be a better option at removing the dust mites from the source of the problem, regular cleaning of the bedding and using a powerful vacuum to clean your mattress, furniture and draps would go a long way in eliminating the problems. Companies such as the “Bed Doctors” use ultraviolet light to kill all remaining dust mites after a vacuuming has removed the main population. UV light given enough time will kill 100% of bacteria, molds and other micro-organisms.

You can look at our products page and view the Sanuvox systems that we offer that can be used in the duct system or as a stand alone product placed in any room of the home.

Hope that this helps clear any misconceptions that you have concerning dust mites and Air Duct Cleaning.

A-1 Ductworks is a Furnace Duct Cleaning company located in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada you can contact us at 780-598-5966 for free estimates on improving your indoor air quality.