How to Easily Monitor Air Quality
With so many health issues going on, it’s understandable why many people are more conscious about the air they breathe. Air is life, but it can also destroy the life it supports if it is polluted. Keeping yourself informed about air quality is one effective way to protect your health and also helps the community in many ways.
Air Pollution: How Bad Is It?
The problem with air pollution is that because it’s invisible, many people just shrug it off until they get sick. It’s difficult to determine which place is safe since many toxic pollutants are colorless and continue to linger in the air for quite some time. Without using any tool, you will find yourself in danger of getting exposed to harmful elements that can get inside your body.
Here is how small the particulates in the air are measured in microns (µ):
- 90µ – Fine beach sand
- 50-70µ – Human Hair
- < 10µ – Dust, pollen, mold spores
- 5µ or smaller – Combustion particles (e.g., vehicle emissions), organic compounds (VOC) like Carbon Monoxide (CO), CO2, and metals.
The most dangerous of all the pollutants listed above are those particles that measure 2.5 µ (microns) or smaller as they can reach into your lungs and bloodstream. When they enter your body, it can bring serious health problems like stroke, lung cancer, and heart disease.
Using Apps to Monitor Air Quality
In this digital age, monitoring air quality is easier through mobile apps. Most of these popular apps can give you information on the latest pollution levels in different places. It can also predict how worse the pollution level will get and what time it will peak. Some apps also show the latest health advisories from reliable sources. The best part is many air pollution monitoring apps are free to download from Google Play and Apple Store.
There are many free apps that you can try depending on which city you are in. Most of these apps are reliable and very user-friendly even for kids.
Improve Indoor Quality Using Air Purifier
Monitoring air quality tells you what to do to protect yourself and your loved ones from air pollution. Improving the indoor air quality in your home and office is possible using an air purifier. Air purifiers use various kinds and layers of filtration systems to effectively remove the contaminants from the air. Some filters are so powerful that they can trap even the smallest pollutant in the air, including smoke and odor.
Modern models of air purifier also have ultraviolet lights which claim to kill germs. A combination of HEPA filters plus charcoal-based activated carbon filters can effectively remove air pollutants and pesky smells.