Orlando’s air quality escaped the problems other cities saw in June of 2023.
If you follow the news, you may remember that Canadian wildfires in June sent massive clouds of smoke to the United States. Midwest and East Coast cities were blanketed with a heavy haze, putting 120 million people under a hazardous air quality alert.
Chicago, Detroit, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., were not spared, and people with allergies, asthma, and respiratory ailments were told to stay inside.
Central Florida was not affected by the smoke, but that doesn’t mean that we won’t face air quality issues in the future.
Here are 5 facts about Orlando’s air quality that you should know.
ONE: How air quality is determined
The Environmental Protection Agency has assessed what levels of certain pollutants are “safe.”
Air quality equipment with sensors is stationed throughout the globe. These measure the density of “particulate matter,” referred to as PM.
Think of particulate matter as minuscule bits of dust, dirt, and elements that float in the air.
The most measured particulate matter is either 2.5 microns or 10 microns.
To put that into perspective, a single human hair is 30 times bigger than a 2.5-micron particulate matter and 7 times bigger than a 10-micron PM.
The smaller the particulate matter, the easier it infiltrates into airways and lungs.
Air quality is also determined by the presence of certain gasses in the air, like Ozone and C02. In addition, satellite images also monitor how much energy the earth is giving off and include that in the calculations.
If the air quality is rated as 0-50, it is good. Higher than that is deemed as moderate or unhealthy.
TWO: How is Florida’s air quality? The good news and bad news
Here’s the good news:
Florida ranks 7th in the nation for states with the best air quality.
Within Florida, however, Tiger Point has the worst air quality index.
Here’s the bad news:
The number of unhealthy days throughout Florida has increased over the last several years. One of the problems we have is the enormous amount of car and plane emissions put into our air because of the number of travelers and tourists that visit.
Here’s a link to the real-time Florida air quality index so you can see where we are on any given day.
THREE: There’s a difference between outdoor air quality and indoor air quality
We are lucky here that we have ocean breezes that help clear particulate matter. But that only helps outdoor air quality, not indoor air quality, and there’s a big difference.
No matter how healthy the outdoor air quality may be, your indoor air quality is not nearly as good.
Why?
Because so many of our household goods emit chemicals and particulate matter. Carpets and padding emit tiny fibers. The glue that holds it to the floor sends chemical fumes into the air. Dust, pet dander, and mold spores thrive indoors. Cleaning products, cookstoves and heaters, and hairstyling sprays all put toxins into the air that you breathe.
Making matters worse, modern homes are designed to be tightly sealed, so what comes in doesn’t necessarily go out.
Indoor air quality is a problem in modern homes, no matter how good the outdoor air quality is! The EPA lists indoor air quality as one of the top five environmental risks to public health.
FOUR: Air quality can be improved!
Federal agencies enacted the Clean Air Act and now monitor outdoor air quality, passing legislation to improve the situation.
The air conditioning industry has certainly done its part to help outside air quality by frequently improving the kind of refrigerants used and in making equipment more energy efficient.
Inside air quality, too, can certainly be improved, but it’s up to you to protect your family since there are no regulations on indoor air quality at the current time.
Protecting the air your family breathes is important.
Installing an air purification system is guaranteed to improve your indoor air quality, making your family healthier.
ServiceOne Air Conditioning and Plumbing is a firm believer in the REME Halo Air Purification system, guaranteed to eliminate 99.9% of germs, including COVID. A simple installation of a cylinder unit into your air conditioner inserted into your HVAC unit by a professional tech makes every breath you take clean of particulate matter and harmful chemicals.
The REME Halo uses the power of both Hydrogen Peroxide and ultraviolet light to clean your air.
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