PHOENIX (KPHO) -
The giant dust storm that swept through the Valley Tuesday night created quite a mess, leaving folks wondering about possible damage to their homes and cars.
John Walter with AAA Auto Repair said they've had a lot of customers worried about the dust affecting their vehicles, but Walter told CBS-5 News that it was a non-issue.
According to Walter, most drivers won't even need to change their air filters.
"It's more of a cosmetic concern if you look at all the cars on the road today covered in dust," said Walter. "Mechanically, it's not a big concern unless you were driving for an extended period of time."
Walter said the big concern, with more storms on the way, is making sure your headlights, taillights, brake lights and windshield wipers are working properly.
When it comes to your home, Monty Hahn with Goettl Air Conditioning said you should change your air filter right away.
He also suggested hosing off all the dust from your AC unit to prevent any extra dirt from getting inside.
"It sounds very simple," said Hahn. "It really is the simple things that make a system more efficient and make it last longer."
And when it comes to swimming pools, it's a good idea to clean out the dirt right away, reducing the chances it'll clog up your cleaning system, a Phoenix pool man said.
Cpt. Steve Harrison with Arizona's Dept. of Public Safety said that Valley drivers need to know when a dust storm hits, they should immediately get off the road and turn off all their lights.
"If you are stopped in the roadway, other cars are likely going to run into the back of you, if you are in the middle of the road," said Harrison. "That's where we end up with these 20 to 30 car pile-ups and multiple fatalities. We really want to prevent that ." |
