Simple Ways to Celebrate Air Quality Awareness Week

U.S. government agencies that deal directly with air quality or with its consequences sponsor Air Quality Awareness Week to make everyone more aware of how important it is. This year it starts on April 29 and runs through May 4. 

Air Quality

Clean air promotes a healthy body and a healthy planet. Since the typical adult breathes about 11,600 quarts of air per day. Unless you breathe filtered air, you inhale whatever is in the air. In this region, the main air quality issues include particulate matter (PM) and ozone. PM is a problem year-round, while ozone occurs during the summer.

You may hear public service announcements and warnings when the air quality here reaches unhealthy levels. Fortunately, this area is in an air quality attainment area, which means that those days are few, thanks to the efforts of local governments, businesses and citizens.

Celebrating Clean Air

Good air quality is essential to good health. Start Air Quality Awareness Week by changing the air filter for your HVAC system if it’s dirty. Starting the cooling season with a clean filter goes a long way when lower cooling bills is one of your goals.

A clean filter will also trap more airborne particulates like pollen, mold spores, dust mite waste and pet dander, all four of which are major allergy triggers. Less dust will enter the ductwork, which also keeps the indoor air cleaner.

If you’ve been using those thin fiberglass filters for your HVAC system, look into upgrading them to a pleated filter. This type of filter has more surface area and a greater density. It traps a wider range of particulates, especially the smaller ones that lodge more deeply into your lungs, where they could irritate your breathing and cause long-term lung problems.

If you’re not sure what the best filter for your system is, schedule an appointment for a seasonal tune-up by calling CCAC during Air Quality Awareness Week. Your technician can show you the best filter for your system and any air quality requirements your family has. We provide trusted HVAC services for Corpus Christi and Coastal Bend homeowners.