In the past 11 months, we’ve explored simple ways to improve the air inside your home. We’ve looked at topics from better ventilation to reducing everyday pollutants. Thanks for joining us on this journey!
As we wrap up this program, we want to leave you with something lasting: a simple, practical guide you can use year round to keep your indoor air clean and your household healthy.
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February is a time when we usually spend more time indoors, making indoor air quality especially important for your health and comfort.
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters. Indoors, they are most found as microscopic synthetic fibers shed from materials like polyester, nylon, acrylic, and polypropylene. Research shows these particles occur widely in indoor air and are inhaled during everyday activities.
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January is recognized nationwide as Radon Awareness Month, a public health initiative led by federal and state agencies to encourage radon testing and mitigation in homes and buildings.
Winter conditions often increase indoor radon levels due to reduced ventilation, making this month especially important for awareness and action.
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Each winter, the Wasatch Front experiences a natural weather pattern called an inversion — when a layer of warm air traps colder air (and pollution) near the ground. With nowhere for pollutants to go, our valley becomes a smog-filled bowl.
This impacts outdoor air and can affect indoor air quality, especially during long-lasting inversion events. As we enter peak inversion season, here’s what you need to know to keep your home healthy, safe, and breathable.
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Winter brings one of Utah’s biggest air quality challenges — inversions. But what exactly is an inversion? This natural phenomenon occurs when a high-pressure system is setting up, trapping cold air on the valley floors with warmer air above it. This warm air also traps all our pollution with the cold air, keeping it contained in the valley until the inversion breaks.
To help keep our air healthy when it matters most, the Utah Division of Air Quality (UDAQ) created the Mandatory No Burn Program.
Continue readingIt’s hard to believe we’re already six months into the Indoor Air Quality program!
October is Healthy Lung Month — the perfect time to give your lungs and your home a fresh start. As cooler weather moves in and we spend more time indoors, a quick “Air Quality Reset” now can help you breathe easier all season long.
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September is Idle Free Awareness Month! As the temperatures start to cool, and inversion season approaches, we wanted to share some information about vehicle emissions from idling and its impacts on indoor air quality.
Every morning, cars idle in driveways, streets, and school zones. Exhaust drifts indoors—triggering asthma, worsening allergies, and affecting everyone in your home and community.
Vehicle exhaust makes up about 50% of the air pollution in Utah during a typical winter day, and unnecessary idling of cars and buses contribute a significant amount of emissions released into the air each day. That’s why we encourage drivers to “Turn Your Key, Be Idle Free”!
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Wildfire season is here — and even if the flames are far away, the smoke can travel hundreds of miles and leak indoors. Smoke contains fine particles that can harm your lungs, worsen asthma, and make the air inside unhealthy to breathe — even when you can’t see it.
With your portable air purifier and a few simple steps, you can keep your home’s air cleaner and safer all season long.
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Cooking brings flavor—but also hidden air pollution. Whether you use gas or electric, how you cook impacts the air your family breathes. Even brief cooking sessions can spread pollutants throughout your home (not just the kitchen). But simple changes can greatly enhance your indoor air quality!
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