| ng to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), | | | | Install a whole-house air cleaner. Professors from the |
| indoor air may be four to five times more polluted | | | | Harvard School of Public Health recognize |
| than outdoor air. With Americans spending nearly 90 | | | | whole-house systems, such as Trane CleanEffects, |
| percent of their time inside, indoor air quality is often | | | | as an effective way to remove triggers for allergies |
| taken for granted. | | | | and asthma. The central air cleaning system removes |
| Allergens such as pollen, animal dander, dust mites, | | | | up to 99.98 percent of particles down to .3 |
| cockroaches and mold; irritants such as smoke, | | | | microns-as small as 1/300th the diameter of a human |
| chemical odors and dust; and biological pollutants such | | | | hair. The system is 100 times more effective than |
| as viruses and bacteria swirl in, often causing | | | | the standard 1-inch filter found in most home central |
| headaches, stuffy noses, tickly throats, nagging | | | | heating and cooling systems. |
| coughs, wheezing, shortness of breath, itchy eyes | | | | Minimize dust mites. One ounce of dust can carry up |
| and more. | | | | to 40,000 dust mites. Wash bedding weekly in hot |
| The average home has 72 trillion allergens floating in | | | | water (130° F) and use allergen-proof bed |
| the air. "No matter how often you clean, those tiny | | | | coverings. Minimize carpeting. Use washable throw |
| little particles can get into your loved ones' lungs, | | | | rugs and curtains. |
| triggering allergies, asthma and a variety of other | | | | Limit upholstered furniture. Upholstered furniture can |
| respiratory ailments. Fortunately, there are things you | | | | be a breeding ground for dust mites and collect pet |
| can do to make the air in your home better," says | | | | dander. Vacuum underneath cushions and behind |
| John Spengler, Ph.D., professor of environmental | | | | furniture at least once a month. |
| health and human habitation at the Harvard School of | | | | Control humidity. Having the proper moisture content |
| Public Health. | | | | in the air will not only discourage mold growth but will |
| Discourage mold growth. A musty smell or mold | | | | also minimize dust mites. A central system that |
| spots should sound an alarm. Replace missing grout, | | | | features a variable-speed blower motor and a |
| and repair or replace leaky faucets and pipes | | | | thermostat with a built-in humidity sensor kills dust |
| immediately. Use a mold-proof shower curtain, and | | | | mites by keeping the air below 50 percent relative |
| wipe shower walls and tub toys dry after use. | | | | humidity. |