The unit blows dust – the furniture gets a grey layer in two days
This page explains a situation in an editorial format. It is not an open discussion board or a verified customer review. Contact us on WhatsApp about your own appliance.
Titan, Fizicienilor street, 1980 block, 12,000 BTU Gree, 6 years old, living room. Since I switched it on this summer, the furniture and the TV get covered in fine grey dust within 2 days. It does not happen in winter. I washed the filters. Where does the dust come from and why now?
What is really happening
Over winter, the dust-and-biofilm felt on the evaporator and the roller blades dried out and became brittle. At the first cooling starts, the fins get wet, expand, and the layer cracks and sheds in very small fragments that the fan blows into the room – hence 'now', not winter. Studies show that spores and particles settled in air systems resuspend when the fan starts, and the roller is the most loaded component. Fine, grey, uniform dust appearing exactly within the jet's reach is the signature of this phenomenon. It is not just dust: it is dried biological material, allergenic, landing on furniture and in the air you breathe.
- Particles reach the air intake.
- Some remain on the filters.
- Internal deposits need assessment and appropriate cleaning.
- Spores deposited in air systems resuspend when the fan starts, which is why cleaning must remove them, not just inactivate them. [Science of The Total Environment, 2019]
- The blower (cross-flow fan) is the most fungus-contaminated component of a split unit, more than the filter or the front of the evaporator. [Indoor Air, 2023]
- Mould remains allergenic even when dead, so merely 'killing' it with a spray does not solve the problem – it must be physically removed. [US EPA, 2024]
- A typical evaporator fouls enough to double its pressure drop in about 7.5 years, reducing airflow by 5–7% and raising fan power by 1–10%. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory / , 2002]
What we do on site
- Collection cover; cleaning solution on evaporator, roller, pan, contact time to soften the dried felt.
- Pressure wash in place – on 'dusty' units the water runs out grey and thick.
- Roller washed blade by blade; inner housing and louvres washed.
- Sanitising solution.
- Outdoor unit, washed in place.
- See current rates on the Prices page.
What you can do yourself
- Until we come, wipe furniture with a damp cloth (not dry, so you do not lift the dust).
- Filters every two weeks, regular vacuuming in the room.
- 'Fan' before shut-off, so the layer does not build the same way.
What NOT to do
- Do not blow compressed air into the grille – you send all the dust into the room at once.
- Do not vacuum the fins – you bend them and never reach the roller.
- Do not put a 'dust cloth' over the intake grille – you block airflow.
Prevention
Annual sanitising in spring, before the first start – we remove the layer before it lands on the furniture. Filters and vacuuming do the rest.
When to call us
0764 012 943, Monday–Saturday 08:00–20:00. Titan.
Related threads
Construction site next to the block for a year – is my 2-year-old unit already clogged with dust?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: Construction site next to the block for a year – is my 2-year-old unit already clogged with dust?
Rhythmic 'whoosh-whoosh' noise and vibration at the indoor unit – from dirt?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: Rhythmic 'whoosh-whoosh' noise and vibration at the indoor unit – from dirt?
Filters turn black in 3 days in a clean bedroom – what is going on?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: Filters turn black in 3 days in a clean bedroom – what is going on?
Cracking noises from the housing and a faint 'rasp' – is the unit dirty or is the plastic expanding?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: Cracking noises from the housing and a faint 'rasp' – is the unit dirty or is the plastic expanding?
15-year-old unit full of mould – worth sanitising or replace it?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: 15-year-old unit full of mould – worth sanitising or replace it?
Multi-split with one outdoor unit and 4 indoor units — do we sanitise them all at once or one by one?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: Multi-split with one outdoor unit and 4 indoor units — do we sanitise them all at once or one by one?
Read also
Sources (4)
The information on this page is educational and based on cited sources; it does not replace medical advice. We do not do repairs, installation or refrigerant circuit work.