This year’s fires in the western United States are raising more than fire alarms; they’re elevating the consciousness of IAQ (indoor air quality).
California health agencies are warning people to stay inside, especially if they suffer from lung ailments. The smoke and particulate matter have worsened California’s infamous smog. Oregon, Washington, Arizona— in fact, most states in the west and southwest— are issuing health advisories daily.
So western residents are asking, Is it safe to be indoors? The EPA has quite a lot to say on the matter. Smoke is dangerous, they announce, especially for people with heart or lung problems, older adults or children. (Is anyone immune?) The EPA advises us to keep our indoor air ‘as clean as possible’. Keep the doors and windows closed. Turn on the air conditioner. Keep the filter clean on the AC system. Don’t use candles, fireplaces that burn wood, gas logs or gas stoves. Don’t smoke. Don’t use the vacuum cleaner (it stirs up dust). Use an air cleaner, but not one that employs ozone. Wear a mask— but not a paper one used by carpenters, but a medical mask. Goodness gracious, Golly! Are we allowed to do anything?
First, well, yes. There are a lot of positive things you can do. First the bad news: http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=smoke.index.
Now here are five things you can do to maintain healthy indoor air quality.
1. Clean the floors. Vacuum (as long as there’s not a fire outside), mop, dust to remove dirt, pesticides and other pollutants.
2. Keep humidity at 30-50% to discourage dust mites and mold. Use an exhaust fan near the wash machine, dishwasher and shower.
3. Don’t smoke There’s no easier way to saddle your children and your loved ones with longterm lung disease and cancer.
4. Test for radon (did you know that granite countertops emit radon? Test your environment to make sure it’s at a safe level.)
5. Don’t use products with chemical fragrances. Instead, use natural products like lemon and baking soda, and keep indoor plants to help purify the air. One plug-in air freshener was found to contain 20 chemicals, seven of them categorized as hazardous under US law. Whoa! Who needs fire when we have all that on the grocer’s shelf!