Home Air Cleaning

Now that we’re entering cold and flu season, it might be time to think about ways to ease the symptoms. And the spread. Experts are predicting a bad 2022-2023 flu season. Find out why.

Flu season in the U.S. generally picks up in October, peaks between December and February, and can last until May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The season has almost always been predictable, until now. Last year’s flu season was almost non-existent due to COVID-19 precautions and lockdowns. Using Australia as a gauge, many health experts are predicting this season to be severe. Their flu season hits before ours and the country had its worst season in five years, with cases being three times higher than average. Flu cases also peaked several months earlier than usual.

In addition to a flu vaccine, there are ways to improve comfort and safety inside your home. As we push to make our homes more energy-efficient, we end up tightening up the air flow as well. These energy efficiency measures can also trap nasty viruses inside the home. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the inside of an average home is up to 5 times more polluted than the air outdoors. The quality of the air inside your home is crucial for both health and comfort.

Air purifiers can remove the smallest microbes in the air, reducing airborne germs that not only include cold and flu viruses, but also dust, pollen. mold spores, pet dander, and smoke particles. A good air purification system will help curb the spread by:

1. Reducing up to 99% of bacteria, mold, and viruses
2. Lowering sneeze germs by 99% in the time a sneeze can reach three feet
3. Providing whole home and building purification

Cold, dry weather and winter winds can zap moisture from your skin, lips, and sinuses. Whole-home humidifiers add moisture to the air in your home to prevent dryness and ease some of the symptoms caused by the flu, allergies, or the common cold, soothing sore throats, and dry noses. The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has long recommended that keeping indoor humidity at a moderate range of 40 to 60% for human health.

If you are on a budget, or not ready to add new equipment to your home, here are some affordable ways to improve your indoor air:

1. Ventilate – Airflow is crucial for good indoor air quality
2. Change furnace and AC filters – Your furnace can really help improve air quality in your home, filtering out impurities – if you replace your filters monthly
3. Sanitize high touch surfaces – flu viruses can live for two to eight hours on hard surfaces
4. Launder linens – wash bed linens, towels, and rugs frequently in hot water to keep bacteria at bay.
5. Sanitize your mop – Dust rags, mops, and other cleaning tools might just be spreading germs around instead of eliminating them.

Cold and flu season is just around the corner. Make your home a safe haven from the germs at your doorstep.

Learn more about how Bell can help with your air filtration needs.