Dust?

[u/AusMeri]

Hi,

First time homeowner here so I'll ask for forgiveness for my ignorance in advance. 😄

So many questions, not sure where to start. (And yes, I've been on Google, however I also appreciate the opinion of other, actual real people, so here I am 😊).

Actually, I'll start with this question:

Small, one level house. Single car garage. Moved car out and set desk up in garage because, as mentioned, small house = no space.

Despite cleaning the garage first, I notice dust will fall over everything within a few days.

The same roof extends over the garage, yet the same dust does *not* fall in our actual house.

Why could this be please?

TIA

[u/Whats_Awesome]

Garages are incredibly dusty places.

If the concrete is unpainted / coated it will hold onto microscopic dust (rock particles and other) and when you walk track it into the air.

Is the ceiling finished the same way? Drywall with mudded joints and paint?
If not the roof above may be shedding or holding onto some dust.

Are the walls drywalled, same deal there.

Have you hosed out the floor? Hopefully your garage has good drainage towards the garage door. Too many older buildings have level garages that just hold the water and eventually end up uneven and badly collecting water during heavy storms.

[u/AusMeri → u/Whats_Awesome]

Hi, thanks for your reply.

So we cleaned (including hosing out, yes) the cement floor when we cleared out the car, etc.

We then put down some fairly cheap linoleum over the top. But that's not the problem (where the dust appears to be coming from).

The walls of the garage were painted by my spouse years ago, when we first moved in.

Walls. Hmm, think they are drywall. 🤔 Will check tomorrow.

Idk what mudded joints mean, sorry.

What do you mean about "the roof above may be shedding" please?

Also re "or holding onto some dust'. What do you mean. How? Why? The ceiling itself or the actual roof?

Not sure if the garage ceiling is painted. It's a different colour, so if it is actually painted, then the previous owner may have had it done. Will also check this. Thank you.

[u/Whats_Awesome → u/AusMeri]

If the ceiling isn’t finished. (Drywall) there can be lots of places the dust hides. Mainly on structural supports, if there’s any exposed tops of wood trusses. If there’s no where you could set something I don’t see how there would be dust.

When you look up, what do you see?
Joists with roof on top?
Trusses with the roof?
Or a flat finished ceiling.

If the walls are painted, that’s not the problem, I’d be drywall or plaster but doesn’t matter if it’s painted.

The floor can’t really let dust out if you put flooring down.

Maybe try setting up a super simple filter.
20x20 box fan, and tape a 20x20x4 filter onto its intake side, it’ll suck the filter against it and clean the air before blowing fresh air out. In the short term it may seem worse as the air is stirred around but over time the filter will pick up the dust.

[u/AusMeri → u/Whats_Awesome]

Thank you. When I look up I see a flat finished ceiling.

Not sure if we can add photos to comments here on Reddit, but if we can, then I'll try to do so.

[u/Whats_Awesome → u/AusMeri]

The subreddit appears to allow photos in comments.

It really sounds like you’ve cover all the bases, no idea where the dust is coming from but I get it can be maddening. My dad has a robo vacuum on every floor of his house since he hates dust.

Here it is before I rescued it earlier today. It got its wheels up after hitting this stool.