Skip to main content

As evidence has mounted that the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread through the air, it has placed an urgent spotlight on indoor air ventilation.

In addition to wearing masks and keeping a physical distance from people outside your household, experts recommend improving air flow in indoor spaces. The virus is more likely to spread indoors where air may be trapped from flowing. The virus spreads from tiny droplets that come out of people’s mouths and noses when they breathe, talk, sing, yell, sneeze, cough, or chew. Bigger droplets will fall to the ground or on nearby surfaces, but smaller droplets can float in the air.

Poor indoor air ventilation exposes people to air pollution, viruses, mold, and other irritants that can harm their health.

There are steps you can take to improve your indoor air flow and the quality of the air in your home or other indoor spaces. First, open windows and doors to help exchange indoor air with outdoor air. (This isn’t always practical due to pollen, weather, or safety concerns.) Servicing your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit or central furnace system is important. Replace or clean your system’s air filters as recommended by the manufacturer. If your home does not use forced-air heating with air filters, you may need to add an air cleaner to certain rooms to help filter the air. You can also use fans to help improve air flow.

Air cleaning products like air purifiers, air filters, or whole home air cleaners that earn asthma & allergy friendly® certification are proven to remove asthma and allergy triggers from the air. They include animal dander, pollen, mold spores, and irritants, such as smoke.

Before selecting a portable air cleaner, consider the size of the room so the air cleaner you choose is powerful enough. An air cleaner’s clean air delivery rate, or CADR rating, measures the capacity of an air cleaner. If you purchase an air cleaner with a CADR rating too low for your room, it will be ineffective. The higher the CADR, the more particles the air cleaner can filter and the larger the area it can serve. For air filters, the minimum efficiency reporting value, or MERV rating is a measure of the size of particles the filter will remove. HEPA filters are normally rated MERV 13.

air-cleaner-sizing-chart

fresh-aair-asthma-allergy-magazine-fall-2019-thumbnail250Sign up for our FREE asthma and allergy magazine – freshAAIR™! Get our latest issue full of information on ways you can create a healthier home and reduce exposure to asthma and allergy triggers.

Read online or have it updates sent to you via email.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Attachments

Images (1)
  • air-cleaner-sizing-chart

Add Comment

Comments (2)

Newest · Oldest · Popular
@ScttLee posted:

The problem is that companies are too cheap to do it right and/or the ventilation companies are worthless.  A local big box pharmacy has air flow in and out of their area.  Having their pharmacy at positive pressure would keep all the customer's germs out of the dispensing area.

People complain about smoky businesses: one bar I used to go to had 200 people that smoked and their air was clear, whereas you couldn't see across another bar that only had 30 smoking.

A local ventilation company stupidly told me they could save me a couple of hundred dollars by not putting an outtake duct the full length to where I wanted it  They thought I was crazy for not saving the money.  If I followed their suggestion, I would have had potentially toxic chemicals being pulled into my face instead of away from me.

Good ventilation and air exchange is healthy, but companies want the bare minimum needed.

@ScttLee

Your concern is certainly understandable. Doing what you did and being clear about your preference, regardless of cost, is so important (and sometimes easier said than done).

JR
Last edited by JR

The problem is that companies are too cheap to do it right and/or the ventilation companies are worthless.  A local big box pharmacy has air flow in and out of their area.  Having their pharmacy at positive pressure would keep all the customer's germs out of the dispensing area.

People complain about smoky businesses: one bar I used to go to had 200 people that smoked and their air was clear, whereas you couldn't see across another bar that only had 30 smoking.

A local ventilation company stupidly told me they could save me a couple of hundred dollars by not putting an outtake duct the full length to where I wanted it  They thought I was crazy for not saving the money.  If I followed their suggestion, I would have had potentially toxic chemicals being pulled into my face instead of away from me.

Good ventilation and air exchange is healthy, but companies want the bare minimum needed.

S
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×