Another note. Yes, another note about the illnesses going around your kids’ school. Whooping Cough. Strep. Influenza. RSV - Respiratory syncytial virus. Just seeing the words is enough to send mamas and dadas into a panic. The CDC announced that RSV leads to an average of 57,527 hospitalizations among little ones younger than five each year in the United States. So how do you help keep your family safe?
Understand Indoor Air Pollution
The CDC warns that poor indoor air quality can advance lung diseases such as asthma and also cause headaches, nausea, and fatigue. Likewise, the American College of Allergists report that 50% of all diseases are either caused or compounded by polluted indoor air. The Texas DSHS said that air within homes and buildings can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, and in dire cases, 1000 times more polluted. There are two primary causes of poor indoor air quality:
- Pollutant sources (cleaning solutions, poorly maintained or unclean heating and cooling or humidification devises, tobacco, etc)
So all this information – what does it mean? What do you do? How can you make sure you and your family aren’t breathing contaminated, sickness-inducing air?
Luckily, we have options.
Get Proactive On Air Filtration
Have you ever been irate and had to bite your tongue to keep from saying something awful ? That’s a filter. Have you ever used water from the refrigerator door and had your thirst immediately quenched? That’s due to a filter. Filters keep toxicity in check and avoid miserable ramifications. You filter your words for peace, you filter your water for health, why not filter your air?
Many hospitals use a high-efficiency air filtration system called HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air), which you can purchase for your home if you have someone living there with a low immune system or someone who’s extremely susceptible to disease. Even if nobody has respiratory issues in your home, you’ll be very surprised by the almost instant change from a regular air filter to a High Efficiency system.
If you’re not interested in such a high-grade air filtration system, there are many other options to help keep your home’s air clean. From basic air cleaners to electronic air cleaners, see below to help determine which air filtration and purification system is right for you.
Help Control Germs With Germicidal Systems
Germi-what? Germicidal UV Light Systems help reduce airborne biological contaminants – germs – by safely producing high intensity UV light from within your home’s air flow system. These bacteria-destroying contraptions can kill germs and even assist in stopping further germs from accumulating in your home. According to one study, roughly one out of five people with allergies suffer from exposure to fungi and bacteria in their air systems. A UV light device will help sanitize and sterilize indoor air to help you reach the highest air quality possible.
Optimize Moisture with Humidifiers or Dehumidifiers
Um, don’t those two machines do literally the opposite of each other? Why would I choose one instead of the other? For home comfort, suggested humidity levels are between 35% and 50%. Too much humidity can cause microbes, condensation and even wood damage. Insufficient humidity can cause itchy skin, sinus illness, cracking wood and sore throats. Depending on where you live, chances are you have too much or too little humidity.
Humidifiers add the right amount of moisture to your home, helping with sickess, dry skin, and contorted wood furniture and instruments. Dehumidifiers remove moisture from your home, helping to stop bacteria growth, and improving indoor comfort considerably.
Don’t Dismiss Duct Cleaning
It’s nearly spring and that means spring cleaning! Don’t forget your ducts during this time of renewal. Since a great amount of our in-home air arrives through our duct system, it’s vital to keep it from getting dirty with bacteria, mold, and dust. When you have your ducts cleaned, ask the service tech to check for duct leaks, too. Leaks in the duct system can cause extra contaminants to enter your air and flow throughout your home. Making sure they are clean and maintained will help keep your air clean and your children safe.
Increase Ventilation
With the move to become more energy-efficient, homes are often sealed tighter and insulated carefully and completely to make sure air isn’t escaping while our heating and cooling systems work to keep our home pleasant. Energy-efficiency is a great thing, but it also means a lower amount of airflow, less circulation, and reduced movement. This can cause the air to become stationary and contaminants (indoor air pollution) are stuck inside your home’s air – the air your family breathes. An air ventilation system detects indoor and outdoor temperatures and humidity and continuously brings the required air replacement. This can add 5% to 10% more fresh air every hour, lowering the concentration of airborne contaminants.
Get A Home Health Report
During your next A/C system tune-up, ask for a complete indoor air quality report from your HVAC contractor. An expert AC company like Service Experts will provide a copy of your report with professional guidance to address these and other air worries in your home.
So, yes, it’s terrifying to know that your kids are being exposed to scary respiratory diseases but next time you get that message from your kids’ school, wash their hands, cover their cough, and invest in a system to help your indoor air quality be as strong as possible.