Allergy season is here, and that spells trouble for millions of Americans.
Allergy triggers, like oak, ash, alder, elm, poplar, sycamore, grasses, molds, mulberry, and ragweed, can cause anything from sneezing to watery eyes to fever.
Experts estimate that 20 percent of Americans suffer from allergies. And that number is even higher in certain regions of the country. For example, almost half of the population in the Southwest fights the allergy battle every year.
To help keep allergens out of the air in their homes, many people use special filters as part of their air conditioning system. But what about the millions of allergy sufferers using evaporative coolers instead of air conditioners?
Evaporative coolers, also referred to as “swamp coolers,” bring in outside air to cool the home, but most units have no built-in air filtration.
Coolers generally consist of a fan and damp pads. Units cool outside air by about 20 degrees by drawing the air through the wet pads and blowing it into the house. As opposed to air conditioners, which make circulating air drier, coolers slightly increase the humidity of the air.
Now, cooler...