Hellooooooo out there, Surfside Beach! How you doing, Murrells Inlet? Cool Cat is back for a chat about your indoor air quality. Did you know that the air inside your home can be two to five times more polluted than the air outside? Yep, the EPA did a bunch of research and found that our indoor air is significantly dirtier than outdoor air. Improve your indoor air this summer with these tips:

1. Change your air filter every month – Air filters build up gunk easily during the summer months and become ineffective quickly. Also, choose an air filter with a MERV rating of at least 11 to capture a variety of nasty allergens and dust.

2. Use a dehumidifier – You can get a dehumidifier that works with your home’s HVAC system to remove excess moisture from the air. Allergens and pests thrive in humidity. For example, dust mites love humidity and thrive during the summer humid months. Controlling humidity helps control dust mites and also helps prevent mold growth. Both dust mites and mold can trigger asthma and allergies and can make your family seriously sick. That’s not cooooool!

3. Groom pets frequently – Pets shed more in the hot summer months. It’s important whether you have cats or dogs to keep up with grooming. For cats, frequent brushing to remove shedding fur and dander helps prevent it from impacting your indoor air. If you have your dog groomed and fur trimmed, keeping his fur trimmed as short as possible can also help prevent his hair and dander from making a dent in your indoor air quality.

4. Install UV lamps – Ductwork can collect condensation. Condensation can lead to mold growth or can help bacteria and viruses thrive. UV lamps kill mold, bacteria and viruses and prevent those nasties from getting into your indoor air. UV lamps are used by many hospitals and medical facilities to help sanitize the air.

5. Call Carolina Cool – So, check it out–the cats over at Carolina Cool have this indoor air thing down to a science! They have different options available to help you have the cleanest air possible. Give them a shout and they’ll come out to assess your indoor air and share with you about the choices you have available to help your whole family breathe easier.

This is Cool Cat, heading out and about. If you have a question, give Carolina Cool a shout. They have the best technicians with the right know-how to tackle any question or problem you have. Until next time, stay coooooooool out there!