A Breath Of Fresh Air For Allergy Sufferers

In celebration of National Indoor Comfort Week, Atlas Butler Heating and Cooling is encouraging Central Ohioans to take steps to ensure the air in their homes and offices is free of harmful pollutants.

National Indoor Comfort Week, April 20-26, celebrates the indoor environmental systems on which everyone relies, and honors the men and women who keep those systems running efficiently and safely throughout the year.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be up to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air, and indoor air pollution is now considered one of the country's top five urgent environmental risks to public health. These facts are disconcerting, given that most people now spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, and one in six people who suffer from allergies do so because of debris, fungi and bacteria in indoor air.

Pollutants such as dust mites, pet hair, cleaning supplies, paints and chemical sprays are released into the air through everyday living. These pollutants can have an impact on a person's health, comfort and safety. Indoor air pollutants can cause a variety of health issues such as allergies, nasal irritation, sore or scratchy throat, nausea, coughing, eye irritation, headaches and fatigue.

Following are some tips for breathing easier while indoors:

-- Change air filters every three months

-- Consider allergy air filters

-- Have air ducts cleaned

-- Dust and vacuum twice a month

-- Test indoor air with an air sampling unit

-- Make sure carbon monoxide detectors are working

-- Open windows as much as possible

-- Reduce use of cleaning supplies and chemical sprays

Here are some warning signs of poor indoor air quality:

-- Noticeable increase in dust in home

-- Air filters are dirtier and need changed more frequently

-- Worsening of allergies or other health issues

Atlas Butler offers a diagnostic test called the AirAdvice Indoor Air Analysis that samples indoor air and produces a detailed report that shows indoor air impurities. The report also suggests ways homeowners and business can solve their indoor air problems.