Overheard a homeowner say drywall dust ruined their HVAC system

I was working a remodel in Austin last week and the homeowner mentioned their furnace filter was caked with joint compound dust from my sanding. That got me thinking about how much dust actually gets into vents even when I seal them off with plastic. Do you guys bother taping vents shut or just let the shop vac handle the cleanup?

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finley_harris52mo ago

Joint compound dust ruined their HVAC?!" That sounds crazy. I'd be taping everything.

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benwilliams2mo ago

Funny enough @finley_harris5, I actually think the real problem is way smaller than joint compound dust - its the microscopic silica particles from the drywall itself that slip through even taped vents. I taped all my vents with 2 mil plastic and painters tape on a job last month and still found a fine white film on the blower fan when I pulled the cover to clean it. The suction from the HVAC creates a negative pressure that pulls dust right through seams in the ductwork youd never even notice (especially around those boot connections where the flex meets the floor register). Shop vacs just blow the fine stuff right back into the air unless youve got a hepa filter on yours.

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