Another message. Yes, another message about the diseases going around your kids’ school. Bronchitis. Strep. Flu. RSV - Respiratory syncytial virus. Just reading the words is enough to send moms and dads 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 US. So what can you do to help ensure your family is 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 lethargy. In fact, the American College of Allergists report that 50% of all illnesses are either caused or aggravated by polluted indoor air. The Texas DSHS noted 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 main causes of poor indoor air quality:
- Pollutants (cleaning products, poorly maintained or unclean heating and cooling or humidification units, tobacco, etc)
So all this data – what does it mean? What do you do? How can you make sure you and your kids aren’t breathing sullied, disease-inducing air?
Luckily, there are options.
Get Proactive On Air Filtration
Have you ever been mad and had to bite your tongue to keep from saying something regrettable ? That’s a filter. Have you ever used water from the door of a refrigerator and had your thirst immediately satisfied? That’s due to a filter. Filters keep toxicity in check and avoid miserable outcomes. You filter your words for harmony, you filter your water for health, why shouldn’t you filter your air?
Several hospitals use a high-efficiency air filtration system called HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air), which you can get for your home if you have someone living there with a low immune system or someone who’s extremely susceptible to sickness. Even if there aren’t any respiratory issues in your home, you’ll be instantly surprised by the almost instant change from a regular air filter to a High Efficiency one.
If you’re not interested in such a high-grade air filtration system, there are many other options to help clean your home’s air. From standard air cleaners to electronic air cleaners, see below to help determine which air filtration and purification system is right for your family.
Help Control Germs With Germicidal Systems
Germi-who? Germicidal UV Light Systems help decrease airborne biological contaminants – germs – by safely emitting high intensity UV light from within your home’s air flow system. These bacteria-destroying systems can kill germs and even assist in stopping further germs from accumulating in your home. According to one study, nearly one of five people with allergies suffer from exposure to fungi and bacteria in their duct systems. A UV light unit will help clean and decontaminate indoor air to help you reach the highest air quality possible.
Optimize Moisture with Humidifiers or Dehumidifiers
Um, don’t those two things do literally the opposite of each other? Why would I install one rather than the other? For home comfort, it’s recommended to have the humidity levels between 35% and 50%. Too much humidity can cause microbes, condensation and even wood damage. Insufficient humidity can lead to cracked 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 perfect amount of moisture to your home’s air, helping with disease, itchy skin, and distorted wood furniture and instruments. Dehumidifiers pull out moisture from your home, helping to destroy bacteria growth, and improving indoor comfort considerably.
Don’t Dismiss Duct Cleaning
It’s nearly spring and that means spring cleaning! Don’t neglect your ducts during this time of renewal. Since most of our in-home air arrives through our duct system, it’s vital to keep it from getting dirty with bacteria, mildew, and dust. When you have your ducts cleaned, ask the service tech to check for duct leaks, also. Leaks in the duct system can cause more 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 loved ones safe.
Increase Ventilation
With the shift 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 comfortable. Energy-efficiency is a wonderful thing, but it also means a reduced amount of airflow, less circulation, and reduced movement. This can cause the air to become stationary and contaminants (indoor air pollution) are remaining inside your home’s air – the air you and your family breathe. An air ventilation system monitors 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, inquire about 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 recommendations to address these and other air concerns in your home.
So, yes, it’s frightening to know that your kids are being exposed to scary respiratory diseases but next time you get that message from your childs’ school, wash their hands, cover their cough, and invest in a system to help your indoor air quality be the best it can be.