More airflow is not always better. Oversized fans or poorly balanced extraction can create turbulence, short-circuit clean air paths and spread dust to adjacent areas. Effective dust control is about directed, stable airflow and capture where dust is generated.

How too much airflow backfires

• Turbulence around the tool lifts settled dust and disrupts capture hoods.
• Short-circuiting occurs when air races from inlet to outlet, bypassing the work zone.
• Uncontrolled negative pressure can draw dust from dirty spaces into clean ones through gaps and doorways.

Right-size and balance your system

• Design for capture at source first. Ensure the hood or shroud fits the tool and keep duct runs short to maintain airflow under load.
• For room control, position air scrubbers or negative air machines so air travels from clean to dirty to discharge, not the other way round.
• Provide make-up air. Without it, extraction starves and flow patterns collapse.

Keep the flow, lose the mess

• Use smoke or tracer puffs to visualise flow and adjust placement and speed until the plume pulls away from workers.
• Avoid pointing high-speed fans at dusty surfaces; use low-disturbance methods and vacuum clean.
• Measure performance over time. Monitor PM levels and check filters, bags and duct seals for loading and leaks.

Control is the goal, not brute force. Set up deliberate airflow paths, verify with simple tests and readings, and you will capture more dust with fewer side effects.