Expert: J Cook - 11/13/2007

Question
We have electric radiant heat - in our ceilings.  the house was built in the 60's.  my mom owned the house before us and said she didn't have this problem...but we have a black residue that has been collecting specifially on plastic.  all of the plastic bins in our cupboards have it...the toilet seat...etc.  the only thing i can attribute it to is the fact that we just starting using heat?  the only other thing that is different from when my mom lived here is that we had our roof redone.  and when they redid it, they did the soffetting.  and the contractor said we had insulation out to the soffetts and we should pull it back to allow for airflow.  now that there is airflow, is it just whirling dust...and that's where it's coming from?  it just doesn't add up.  any ideas?

Answer
There may be two factors here. One, with the soffett now allowing air flow, the ceilings are not insulated well allowing dust to come through cracks into the living space. Second, it may be there was dust collected onto the heat and turning the heat up high once and allowing the dust to burn off of it may cure it. Try the heat and let me know. Thanks J