Breathe easy

Four steps to cleaner indoor air.

Each year for the last decade, a group of friends has converged with my family at a lake house in Wisconsin. Most of us have a great time -- except for Tim and Jim, two buddies of mine who find themselves wheezing and sneezing their way through the weekend. They're allergic to everything in the home.

Last time, I decided to test out something. I got hold of a special device called an ionic air cleaner. It emits ions that attach themselves to particles in the air. The particles become heavier with all those ions stuck all over them and sink to the floor. No particles, no allergies, the theory goes.

Skeptical, I ran it for two days before Tim and Jim arrived, decongestants and antihistamines in hand. They found they didn't need them at all. I am no scientist, but the proof was plain to me: The ionic air cleaner solved their problem.

Indoor air quality should be of great concern to all homeowners, especially in the winter. The Environmental Protection Agency says the air in our homes easily can be twice as polluted as outdoor air, and in some cases as much as 100 times as polluted. Here are four steps you can take that will help:

Step One: Keep your home as clean as possible. Staying ahead of dust and dust mites can dramatically improve your air quality. Use a vacuum cleaner fitted with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter so that as you clean you're not just spitting dust back into the air.

Step Two: If you have a forced-air heating system, have the air ducts cleaned and sealed internally. You may have more construction debris and dust in there than you want to know about. Make sure you hire a cleaning contractor that is a member of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (nadca.com). To have your ducts sealed, go to aeroseal.com; it's a new technology, and Aeroseal has the patent.

Step Three: Upgrade the filters on your furnace. Many of us use spun-glass filters that cost less than a buck. Although this will protect the blower motor, it will do almost nothing to improve your indoor air quality. Upgrade to a pleated electrostatic or media filter that captures smaller particles. I recommend that you change them every two or three months.

Step Four: Consider an indoor air purifier such as an ionic air cleaner or a portable HEPA machine. Good ones can filter out particulates as small as 0.3 microns (a single human hair is about 100 microns).

These vary in performance, size and cost, and no single machine will give relief to everyone. The only way to know is to test one out. Most manufacturers offer a 30-day refund, which amounts to a month-long free trial.

If you're still suffering, the solution may be a large unit that filters air in the entire home, either through an existing forced-air system or through new ductwork. One such unit is the "Guardian Plus" by Broan-Nutone. It has to be professionally installed and costs $1,400 to $1,800. It's rated by the Food and Drug Administration as a medical device, so health insurance may cover some or all of the cost.

There! Follow my advice, and you should breathe better in 2004 and beyond.

Lou Manfredini is the author of "Mr. Fix-It Introduces You to Your Home."