Clean, breathable air is one of the most important factors when it comes to your health. The air you breathe can contain viruses, bacteria, and a host of other contaminants, which can cause asthma attacks, allergies, or other illnesses. How can you be sure your home’s air has good, safe, indoor air quality? Start with the Air Quality Index. Here’s how to use this air quality rating scale.
Levels of Air Quality
AQI is an air quality rating scale, which measures how safe an area’s air is to breathe. It can be used both indoors and outdoors and for homes, commercial buildings, or any other space where people are concerned about the air’s breathability.
The air quality rating scale measures a space’s pollution levels on a scale from 0 to 500. That air quality rating scale is then broken up into color-coded sections for easy identification.
- Green: 0-50. The healthiest level, with virtually nothing harmful in the air.
- Yellow: 51-100. The moderate level. The air quality is OK and generally not harmful, but it could be better.
- Orange: 101-150. Those with allergies, asthma, and other breathing issues or sensitivities should be careful.
- Red: 151-200. The air is unhealthy for allergy and asthma sufferers and may cause health problems even in those who aren’t sensitive.
- Purple: 201-300. The air is very unhealthy to everyone and will likely be harmful.
- Maroon: 301 and up. The air is hazardous to breathe. There’s a health emergency and everyone should protect themselves — or leave the area.
Using the Air Quality Index
How do you know what the AQI level is in your home? If you’re sensitive to air pollution, you can purchase an air-quality monitor for your home. It tracks a variety of contaminants, including C0, C02, dust, mold, mildew, and more, and it sends alerts if it becomes unsafe. To improve your IAQ, get an air purifier, which can filter out those contaminants and keep your air clean, healthy, and breathable.
To learn more about the Air Quality Index and to improve the IAQ in your home, contact us at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company. We provide quality home-comfort solutions to the Yuma area.
