TALENT, OREGON — It’s no secret, it’s been hot in southern Oregon and northern California.
AC units have been working overtime this July!
But when was the last time the air filter was changed at your home?
Jeff Lents of Jahnke Heating and Air Conditioning in Talent said the filter is the only thing that stops your air conditioner from getting dirty.
“This can cause a lot of problems with your cooling can make your system freeze over and cause bigger problems with your blowers,” Lents said. “During fire season, it’s important just because we’re going to have a lot more particles in the air. So those filters are going to fill up faster.”
And as the growing flat fire continues to burn near the coast, a medical expert at Providence said if the air quality index is above 100, it’s not safe for sensitive groups.
Even if you’re perfectly healthy. the smallest symptoms such as nasal congestion and teary eyes can lead to inflammation in your lungs.
“It’s important that all individuals in the community are having this degree of awareness and preparedness,” said Dr. Jothi Kanagalingam. “When we are hitting summer months and have concerns around forest fires, we recommend having an idea of what to do and who we need to protect within our homes that might be classified as sensitive.”
Dr. Kanagalingam said even small fires can have impact you longer than you might think.
“It’s hard to tell how long air pollutants can linger in the air for a fire that may go on for days, maybe weeks,” Dr. Kanagalingam said. “But the air pollution can remain an issue for weeks to months at end.”
According to the American Lung Association, wildfire smoke can be extremely harmful to the lungs.
Especially for children, older adults and those with asthma, COPD, bronchitis, a chronic heart disease or diabetes.
That’s why both Dr. Kana and Lents suggest changing your filters every three months in the summer.
As an added bonus, Lents said by changing your filters as recommended, you’ll get more bang for your buck.
“Changing your filter regularly every three months is the best thing a homeowner can do to keep their system working great,” Lents said. “If you don’t do that, and you don’t change your filters very often, you’re going to call us more often, and it’s going to cost you more money in the long run.”
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