Another message. Yes, another message about the diseases going around your kids’ school. Croup. Strep. Flu. Respiratory syncytial virus. Just reading the words is enough to send mamas and daddies 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 what can you do to help make sure your family is safe?
Understand Indoor Air Pollution
The CDC warns that poor indoor air quality can result in lung diseases such as asthma and also cause headaches, nausea, and tiredness. In fact, the American College of Allergists report that 50% of all sicknesses are either caused or worsened by polluted indoor air. The Texas DSHS reported that air within homes and buildings can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, and in serious cases, 1000 times more polluted. There are two main causes of poor indoor air quality:
- Pollutants (cleaning agents, inadequately maintained or unsanitary heating and cooling or humidification systems, smoke, etc)
So all this information – so what? What do you do? How can you make sure you and your little ones aren’t breathing adulterated, disease-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 you may regret ? That’s a filter. Have you ever used water from the refrigerator door and had your thirst immediately satisfied? That’s due to a filter. Filters keep toxicity in check and avoid troublesome ramifications. You filter your words for peace, you filter your water for health, why not filter your air?
Numerous 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 illness. Even if nobody has respiratory issues in your house, you’ll be very surprised by the almost instant change from a standard air filter to a High Efficiency one.
If you don’t feel like a high-grade air filtration system is right for your home, there are many other options to help clean your family’s air. From standard air cleaners to electronic air cleaners, review the chart below to help choose which air filtration and purification system is right for your home.
Help Control Germs With Germicidal Systems
Germi-who? Germicidal UV Light Systems help decrease airborne biological contaminants – germs – by safely giving off high intensity UV light from within your home’s air flow system. These bacteria-destroying machines can kill germs and even help stop further germs from collecting in your home. According to one study, roughly one out of five people with allergies suffer from exposure to fungi and bacteria in their duct systems. A UV light system 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 systems do exactly the opposite of each other? Why would I install one rather than the other? For home comfort, humidity levels should be between 35% and 50%. Too much humidity can cause microbes, condensation and even wood damage. Not enough humidity can cause itchy skin, sinus ailments, fractured wood and sore throats. Depending on where you live, chances are you have too much or too little humidity.
Humidifiers add the perfect amount of moisture to your home’s air, helping with illness, dry skin, and contorted wood furniture and instruments. Dehumidifiers pull out moisture from your home, helping to destroy bacteria growth, and improving indoor comfort a great deal.
Don’t Dismiss Duct Cleaning
It’s almost spring and that means spring cleaning! Don’t neglect your ducts during this refreshing time. Since the majority of our in-home air enters through our duct system, it’s crucial to keep it from getting dirty with bacteria, mold, and dust. When you have your ducts cleaned, ask the company to check for duct leaks, as well. Leaks in the duct system can cause extra contaminants to enter your air and circulate throughout your home. Making sure they are clean and maintained will help keep your air clean and your family healthy.
Increase Ventilation
With the shift to become more energy-efficient, homes are often sealed tighter and insulated better to make sure air isn’t escaping while our heating and air systems work to keep our home comfortable. Energy-efficiency is a great thing, but it also means a reduced amount of airflow, less circulation, and reduced movement. This can cause the air to become stagnant and contaminants (indoor air pollution) are stuck inside your home’s air – the air you breathe. An air ventilation system observes indoor and outdoor temperatures and humidity and continuously brings the required air replacement. This can add 5% to 10% more fresh air each hour, lowering the concentration of airborne contaminants.
Get A Home Health Report
During your next Precision tune-up, inquire about a complete indoor air quality report from your HVAC contractor. An expert air conditioning company like Service Experts will provide a copy of your report with professional suggestions to address these and other air concerns in your home.
So, yes, it’s troubling to know that your sweet babies are being exposed to scary respiratory diseases but next time you get that email 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.