Some risks are simply unavoidable. Others we choose to accept for a variety of reasons. To do otherwise would restrict what we feel is an inherent right to live our lives the way we want. That’s not to say, that there are not some risks we might decide to avoid if we had the opportunity to make informed choices. Indoor air pollution is such a risk and one that you can do something about.

     Difficult as it may be to believe, in the last several years, a growing realization has emerged that the air within our homes can be much more seriously polluted than the outdoor air. Usual 2-5 times greater but sometimes much greater than that. If, as some studies show, people spend approximately 80 percent of their time indoors, then for many people, the risks to health from air pollution is greater indoors than outdoors.

     The effects of breathing these pollutants include dizziness, irritability, coughing, sneezing, dry eyes, hay fever, allergies, asthma symptoms, sinus problems, ear infections, depression, fatigue, headaches, nausea, breathing problems, respiratory infections, etc.

     Time and space does not permit a complete listing of the various sources of indoor air pollution. They range all the way from sprays and solvents of every description including household cleaning materials, personal care products to hobbies. Suffice it to say that to date, o ver 350 different pollutants and contaminants have been identified, including cigarette, cigar and pipe smoke, germs, bacteria, viruses, mold, mildew and fungi, pollen, dead skin, house dust and dust mites, odors from cooking, smoke, pets, exhaust fumes, food, body sweat, etc ., chemical gases from cleaning products, solvents, furnishings, clothing and construction, to name just a few.

     The use of paint strippers in redecorating activities, and the use of cleaning products and pesticides in housekeeping all can (and do) pollute the air you breathe. And high pollutant concentrations can remain in the air for long periods after some of these activities are long over.

     There are many ways to improve indoor air quality.

• Eliminate source of pollution.
• Reduce rate of emissions.
• Increase amount of outdoor air.
• Filter (clean) the air.

     Before any discussion of filters or air cleaners is undertaken, it should be noted that the disposal "throwaway" filters (the kind you buy at the hardware store) that come with a furnace or air conditioner are not designed, or intended, to remove pollutants from the air. To be fair, furnace filters were never designed to provide Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) but to protect the equipment and at best can only catch the larger particles. This allows the smaller ones, tobacco smoke, pollen, dust mites, bacteria and pet dander to name a few, to circulate around in your house.

     Unfortunately, the selection of an efficient air cleaner is not a simple thing as there are many types and sizes of air cleaners on the market. They range from inexpensive table-top models to sophisticated and expensive whole-house systems. Some air cleaners are highly effective at particle removal; others, including most table-top models, are much less so. Two important ways to measure the effectiveness of an air cleaner are:

1. How well it collects pollutants from indoor air (expressed as a percentage efficiency rate).
   
2. How much air it can treat as it passes over/through the cleaning or filtering element (expressed in cubic feet per minute).

     Obviously, a cleaner with a low air-circulation rate will not be effective. Neither will a cleaner with a less efficient collector. Thus “table-top” air cleaners and “cleaners with out fans” to pass large quantities of air to be cleaned can not be effective, no matter how widely they are advertised.

Air cleaners can be divided into two basic groups:

• Portable or table-top models.
  
• Whole house models that you install with (or in place of) an existing furnace and air conditioner filter.

Portable Air Cleaners

Portable air cleaners are made to clean air in smaller areas, not the whole house. Portable air cleaners usually use filters, electrical attraction, or ozone to remove small particles from the air.

Pleated (media) filters:

Are more efficient than the standard fiber filter, but not as effective as an electrostatic filter. The media filter is more expensive than a common furnace filter, and it requires more fan energy. It needs to be replaced regularly. It will last longer if you install a regular furnace filter in front of the pleated media filter.

Electrostatic filters:

Can be used to replace a standard furnace filter. An electrostatic filter installed in the return air duct near the furnace removes finer particles from the air. You will have to clean the removable dust collecting plate regularly.

The electrostatic air cleaner:

A more expensive alternative. These filters are the most effective of all, removing up to 95% of many types of pollutants but they must be installed by a contractor as they may affect the air flow and efficiency of your furnace and air conditioning system.

     UV lights are the newest tool to be used to improve indoor air quality. Similar to the lights that barbers, dentists, and doctors use to sterilize their instruments, these lights are designed to not only kill what's growing in the drain pan, but also what is growing on the coil surface or on the interior insulation. These lights will kill the source of numerous allergens that people did not know existed, until recently. The light shines on the inside of the AC, in front of the evaporator coil, 24 hours a day. Even if a new bulb is required every year, the UV light combined with a good filter system will greatly improve the quality of air in either a home or business.

And even though UV light is relatively new as an accessory to a HVAC system to fight pollution and bacteria, the good news is that most older HVAC units can usually be retrofitted with UV lights too.

It’s your family’s health and it is you, the homeowner, who pays the bill.