Is There Less Dust In High-Floor Apartments? (We Checked)

Living in high-floor apartments has benefits, such as getting less noise and more privacy because of its proximity to the streets.

Many people who live in high-floor apartments claim that they also get less dust inside their homes. If so, then it could mean that these apartments are easier to clean and maintain, which is another benefit.

Is there really less dust in high-floor apartments? Let’s find out!

Do High-Floor Apartments Get Less Dust?

Apartments on high floors generally get less dust compared to lower-floor apartments. This is because they are farther away from dust sources often found on ground level. Higher-level apartment residents get a cleaner home with fewer health hazards.

Table of Contents

Does Dust Stay At Ground Level or Flow Upward in Cities?

In cities, dust tends to move consistently as the air carries them around. Depending on the direction of the air currently, dust particles can move in any direction, but they usually stay at lower levels.

Dust from sources in the city, such as vehicles, construction sites, and certain activities, like cleaning and smoking, can stay suspended in the air for a long time.

The dust particles stay in the air but at lower levels and will move around depending on the direction of air currents.

Heavier dust particles may settle on the ground or other surfaces.

Dust particles can travel upward in cities if the air currents blow them in that direction, so units on higher floors can still be exposed to some amount of dust. However, these particles do not really travel too high.

How Many Floors Up Do You Need to Go for the Air to Get Less Dusty?

Several factors can affect how dusty it gets in the building. These factors involve the location of the building, its design, and the environmental conditions surrounding it.

Buildings near dust sources will typically get more dust, even on high floors. The amount of vehicular traffic and construction sites close to the building can highly affect how much dust you get.

The building design is also a huge factor in how much dust you can get. If a building isn’t well-designed and does not have a good ventilation system to circulate air properly on all levels, then it can still get dusty even on higher floors.

Generally, the higher you go in a building, the less you will be exposed to dust.

It may be hard to give an exact number of floors as so many factors can affect how dusty it gets, but anywhere from the 4th floor and up should be significantly less dusty.

The key is to go as high as possible if you want the least exposure to dust.

Is Air Quality Better On Higher Floors? (We Checked)

Do Higher-Floor Apartments Get More Fresh Air?

Apartments on higher floors typically get more fresh air than those on lower floors.

This is because higher-floor apartments are located further away from the streets, the main sources of air pollution.

Vehicular traffic, construction sites, dumpsters, and outdoor activities pollute city air. Living in a higher-floor apartment means you’re not too close to these sources.

Apartments on higher floors also have more wind exposure, which can help improve the flow of fresh air in the apartment while letting stale air out. By just opening the windows, higher-floor apartments have natural ventilation, which gives them more fresh air.

Still, it doesn’t mean that living in a higher-floor apartment ultimately gives you more fresh air.

If a building is not designed well and has no proper ventilation system, or you don’t even have enough windows in your unit, then it would be hard to get fresh air inside your apartment, even if it’s on a higher floor.

Does Air Quality Improve As You Move Up in Tall City Buildings?

According to research done in New York City, the amount of air pollution tends to decrease as you go up the floors in tall buildings. This research was done on a high-rise building.

It showed that the pollution level on the 2nd to 6th floors was significantly lower than on the ground floor. And there were even more significant improvements in the air quality from the 6th floor and up.

One of the primary reasons why air quality can improve as you move up is because being on higher floors makes you farther away from sources of pollution on the ground.

In cities, air pollution comes from cars, construction sites, people smoking or from chimneys and industrial buildings, and other activities. Most particles stay at lower levels depending on how heavy the pollutants are, although the wind may occasionally blow upwards.

If a building is designed and constructed well, higher floors typically get better ventilation which also helps improve air quality. Depending on their design, buildings can get natural, mechanical, or both.

If a building doesn’t have a good ventilation system, the air quality may be poor, even if you are on a higher floor.

Ultimately, air quality can improve as you move up in tall city buildings, but it’s not always guaranteed because many things can affect the air quality.

10 Advantages Of Living On Higher Floors People Don’t Realize

Is the Air Cleaner in High-Floor Apartments?

Since high-floor apartments are further away from sources of air pollution and can generally get better ventilation, depending on how the building is designed, we can say that the air is cleaner.

High-floor apartments have less exposure to dust, dirt, and other pollutants in the air because they’re not too close to the streets, unlike apartments on lower floors.

With good ventilation, high-floor apartments can have more fresh air circulating indoors while allowing stale air to come out, which also helps make the air cleaner.

Final Thoughts

Many factors can affect the air quality and the dust you can get in your apartment.

Even though high-floor apartments can get more fresh air and have less exposure to dust because they’re far away from the streets, it’s not always guaranteed.

When looking for an apartment to move into, don’t just think about which floor to live on.

You also have to consider its location, the building design, and the conditions of the environment surrounding the apartment building.

Is the building too close to the streets or big roads?
Are there lots of vehicles passing by in the area?
Are there construction sites near the building?
Is the building designed well?
Does the apartment have a lot of windows?
Are the windows facing the streets?
Does the building have a mechanical ventilation system?

These are the questions you should be asking when looking for an apartment. Do your research about the area and ask the real estate agent or property manager so you can make an informed decision when choosing an apartment.