Intellipure

When you were a kid and had never seen "Lyme disease" spelled out before, you might have assumed it had something to do with little green citrus fruits. (No? Just me?) 

Turns out, the disease is named for Lyme, Connecticut, where the first cluster of cases was documented back in 1977. Unfortunately, Lyme disease has spread far beyond Lyme's town limits: Today, it's been reported in almost every U.S. state, but the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Upper Midwest regions see the most cases. It also exists in Asia, Europe, and other parts of the world [1, 2][1, 2]. 

Fall has a way of putting maintenance back on everyone's radar. You're changing routines, getting the house ready for cooler weather, and maybe finally tackling that list of things you meant to check months ago. Changing your air purifier filters deserves a spot on that to-do list.

Clean air isn't just about clearing out particles and volatile organic compounds. Humidity is an important component of indoor air quality (IAQ), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists monitoring and adjusting humidity as a way to improve the air in your home [1]^[1]. 

Plus, research suggests that indoor humidity could play a bigger role in your health than you might think. Experimental studies show that too much or too little humidity can create conditions that make it easier for germs and allergens to stick around [2]^[2].

Sticky summer air isn't for everyone. Whether you love or hate climates that make you sweat on the way to your mailbox, the objective reality is that humidity creates a few extra challenges for people who care about air quality.

Before we get into those potential clean-air and respiratory health threats, let's take a minute to go over the basics of humidity.

Hurricane prep usually starts with the obvious: batteries, bottled water, flashlights, medications, and a plan for where to go if conditions turn dangerous. But hurricane season home preparation should also include the air inside your home.

I've lived in Florida my whole life, so hurricane prep feels almost like a seasonal ritual. Still, indoor air can be easy to overlook when there are shutters to hang and supplies to track down.