REPLACING AIR FILTERS HELPS KEEP YOUR HOME A/C IN SHAPE

location. Ozone is a compound made from three oxygen atoms. When it’s high in the sky, it protects the planet from the sun’s powerful rays. When it’s low to the ground — say, breathing height — it can cause health problems when inhaled. Ground-level ozone is formed when different particle pollution compounds in the air react. Unfortunately for Vegas, the creation of ozone is turbo powered by sunlight.

Indoor air important, too

While you have more control over the air in your own home, keeping it clean requires a bit of upkeep. “If you keep your doors closed and your window sealed, then indoor air doesn’t have the same cleaning power that mother nature provides,” says Donavan Rohde, vice president and general manager at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating Las Vegas. “Your central HVAC circulates all the air within your home. There are products you can add to make your whole home air cleaner.”

Tips for clean air at home

Replace your air filters regularly; neglecting to do so can eventually cause catastrophic failure in the HVAC system.

Disposable air filters can’t block all microscopic pollutants. For that, you need an electronic air cleaner or UV energy module.

Get your HVAC system checked by a professional in the spring before running the AC and in the fall before running the heater. “Air conditioning is out of sight, out of mind. You never think about it until it’s broken,” Rohde says. “But it’s mechanical equipment, like a car. It does need regular maintenance if you want longevity and peak efficiency.”

How to reduce your exposure

Follow daily air quality reports at airnow.gov or download the free phone app EPA Airnow for updated reports based on your location.

Plan your activities around the quality. When the air is bad, reduce your exertion level and time spent outdoors. (i.e., go for a short walk instead of a long jog).

When driving, reduce your particulate exposure by setting your air system to “recirculate” instead of “vent.” Staying away from busy roads will also help reduce exposure (this is especially true for pedestrians or bikers). If house hunting, choose a home as far away from busy roads as possible.