- Dust is a nightmare with window installs, no matter how careful you are. Even plastic sheeting and blue tape don’t seal everything.
- I’ve seen folks run air scrubbers, but honestly, unless you’re sealing off with zip walls and negative air, some dust always escapes.
- Filters clog up fast—changing them twice in a month is about right. Surprised me the first time too.
- Pro cleaners can help, but they’re not cheap. Sometimes it’s just elbow grease and patience.
- Did anyone try running the HVAC fan only during install to catch more dust, or does that just spread it around?
Running the HVAC fan during a window install is kind of a toss-up, honestly. I get why people try it—idea being the filter catches more dust—but in my experience, it usually just pulls that fine dust deeper into your system. Then you’re dealing with dirty ducts and a filter that’s toast in no time. I’ve seen folks end up with dust blowing out of every vent for weeks after. Not fun.
Plastic sheeting and blue tape do help a bit, but yeah, there’s always that thin layer of grit everywhere no matter how careful you are. I’ve tried those zipper wall things too. They’re better than nothing, but unless you go full containment like on a big reno job, some dust escapes.
I tell people to budget for a couple extra deep cleans and just expect to swap filters more than usual. And if you’ve got pets or allergies, double that effort. Honestly, it’s just one of those messy jobs that’s hard to make perfect, no matter what tricks you try.
Then you’re dealing with dirty ducts and a filter that’s toast in no time.
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve actually had a customer call me back a month after their window job because “something smelled off” every time the air kicked on—turns out their filter was caked solid and dust was everywhere in the returns. I get the logic behind running the fan, but honestly, it just seems to make cleanup harder in the long run. You’re better off just shutting it down and living with a little dust on the furniture instead of breathing it for weeks.
That’s a really solid point about the filter getting overloaded. I’ve always wondered if running the fan during construction actually helps, or just spreads the mess around more. Maybe it’s worth investing in a couple of cheap vent filters for those rooms being worked on? I get wanting to keep dust off stuff, but breathing it in is way worse.
I had the same debate with myself during our window install last spring. I ended up taping off the vents in the rooms getting new windows because I was worried the dust would just get sucked into the system and blown everywhere else. It definitely helped keep the mess a little more contained, but I still found fine dust on random surfaces days later.
The cheap vent filters are a good call, though—I wish I’d thought of that. I just used painter’s plastic and blue tape, which worked okay but wasn’t perfect. One thing I did do was run a box fan in the window facing outward, to try and pull air (and dust) out instead of letting it circulate inside.
Did anyone here actually leave their HVAC running during construction? I’ve always wondered if it’s better to keep air moving or just shut everything down until the work is done.
When we did our windows, I actually shut the HVAC off completely. I figured any airflow would just circulate dust and end up clogging the filter or coating the ducts. Still, dust managed to sneak into rooms I didn’t expect—guess there’s no perfect seal. Afterward, I swapped in a fresh furnace filter and vacuumed out a few registers just to be safe. The box fan idea’s solid, though... wish I’d tried that too. I’ve heard some folks run their systems on low with high-MERV filters, but honestly, I didn’t want to risk it.
Still, dust managed to sneak into rooms I didn’t expect—guess there’s no perfect seal.
Honestly, I actually lean the other way—running the HVAC on low with a high-MERV filter can help capture a lot of the dust as it’s stirred up. Shutting everything off just lets dust settle wherever it wants, and it’s tough to get out of carpet or fabrics later. I get not wanting to risk the system, but if you swap in a cheap filter for demo and construction days, you’re not really risking your main setup. Just my two cents from a few remodels—those filters are way cheaper than duct cleaning.
Shutting everything off just lets dust settle wherever it wants, and it’s tough to get out of carpet or fabrics later.
Totally get where you’re coming from. I tried the “seal it all up and shut down HVAC” method during our last window swap, but it just meant I was vacuuming dust out of every nook for weeks. Swapping in a cheap filter like you said makes sense—those things are way easier to toss than dealing with a whole duct cleaning bill.
- Tried the “everything off, doors sealed” thing too—honestly felt like I was trapping dust inside with me.
- Ended up spending more time cleaning baseboards and couch cushions than if I’d just let the HVAC run with a cheap filter.
- Not saying it’s perfect, but at least the filter catches some of the junk before it settles everywhere.
- Only downside: remembering to swap out that gross filter after. Missed it once…let’s just say, never again.
That filter swap is always the thing, isn’t it? People forget how much junk those things pull out of the air, especially after a big project like new windows. I’ve seen folks try the “seal everything” approach and end up with just as much dust—sometimes more, since it has nowhere to go. Running the HVAC with a decent filter does help, even if it means dealing with a gross filter after. At least you only have to clean that one thing instead of every surface in the house.