What are dust mites?

Dust mites are teeny tiny bugs that are impossible to see without a microscope, and while they are members of the arachnid family, they are more closely related to spiders and ticks. Dust mites feed off of skin cells and absorb moisture in the air to survive. Just one gram of household dust can contain as many as a thousand of the little critters!

What harm can dust mites cause?

You might worry that your home is dirty if you have dust mites, but this isn’t usually the case. All that dust mites need in order to survive (and thrive!) is humidity and a food source. Living in common house dust made up of dead skin, hair and dander etc., is perfect for dust mites, who are happy to chomp away on dead skin cells that we all shed, every day. Beds are a common habitat for dust mites, where they can happily live off of the moisture from our breath, perspiration and saliva. Air ducts are also a common breeding ground, since they provide the warmth, moisture and food that they need.

Widely considered to be one of the most common causes of asthma worldwide, dust mites are known to aggravate allergic asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis and dermatitis. DerP1 is an important protein responsible for allergic reactions, and this is commonly found in the faeces of dust mites. That same gram of dust can hold 250,000 dust mite faecal pellets, and with each dust mite capable of producing 20 faecal pellets a day, that’s a lot of poop lying around in your bedding and air ducts!

How can you eliminate dust mite allergens?

Making sure that you regularly wash and change your bedding (weekly is recommended), and having your air ducts cleaned as often as recommended (this can vary depending upon your home and HVAC system – a professional duct cleaner can better advise you), are the best ways to minimize dust mite invasions, and protect you and your family from harmful allergens.

If your allergy symptoms seem to be getting worse, dust mites in your HVAC system could be the problem. Thankfully there’s a simple solution, and by having your air ducts thoroughly cleaned and evaluated by a professional company on a regular basis, you can improve the quality of the air in your home and help your heating and cooling system work more efficiently.

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