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Your Own Clean Air Act

Do yourself a favor and cut down on indoor air pollution.


Thanks to the changes in air-quality and emissions laws over the last 30 years, the air you breathe outside is cleaner than ever.  Unfortunately, it's a much different story inside your home.  The air inside your home is 2 to 5 more times polluted according to the EPA.  Good news though, you can make your home a nearly pollution-free zone using these tips.

Despite their big promises, few air filters can rid your home of irritants including pollen, dust and smoke.  No need to waste money on devices that aren't making the grade.  Instead, look for a purifier that has:

-High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, which usually last a year.

-Odor-filtering activated charcoal. You should change this filter every 3 to 6 months -- more often if you have pets or live with a smoker, or if you or a loved one has allergies.

-Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADR) of 250 or more. CADR measures the purifier's power. Units with much smaller ratings don't move enough air to be effective.

Remember to avoid products with the word "ion" or "ozone" in their names.  None of these ion-generating purifiers tested circulate enough air to be effective and they all emit ozone gas. 

Show your heading system some love and it can transform into a whole-house air cleaner.  All you have to do is use the right kind of filter.  Your filter should have a minimum efficiency reporting values (MERV) rating of 11 or 12.  This rating measures the filter's ability to trap tiny pollen, dust and smoke particles.  The right filter can remove up to 95% of particles.  Disposable filters are best because the reusable ones can breed mold if not properly cleaned.

Another way to help air quality indoors is to remember to keep your fan on even you don't need air conditioning or heat.  Put your filter to work by running just the system fan all the time. 

Other quick tips include using unscented cleaners, limiting wood-burning fires and candles and eliminating smoking indoors.  If you are sensitive to dust get someone else who isn't to handle the vacuuming.  If you live in a climate where mold easily grows or you have a basement, run your central AC to reduce moisture in the summer.


Source: www.cnn.com