Climate Ready: Solutions to monitor air quality and keep your home clean

FRESNO, Calif. -- Our air quality can change to unhealthy levels throughout the year, even when the skies don't necessarily look bad.

That's why Air Pollution Districts track the pollution and publish real-time data online.

They say you should track it as regularly as you track the temperatures.

"MyRAAN.com is our website, and we have an app that also puts that out," San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution District representative, Heather Heinks said. "You can save 10 locations, and you can get push notifications, so maybe Grandma's house jumped up or the afterschool practice location."

For the rest of the country, the EPA runs AirNow.gov.

Poor air quality can affect your health, regardless of age. But some people are more vulnerable than others.

"If you have lung disease or heart disease, or disease like asthma, COPD, you are at higher risk for poor air quality resulting in you having exacerbations more frequently," UCSF pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Hovig Artinian said.

The air quality can range from good to hazardous throughout the year.

The air district says summer raises ozone concerns while winter brings particulate matter issues.

"Particulate matter is essentially microscopic bits of stuff, and it's so microscopic that you don't usually see it, and you can breathe it in, it goes into your lungs and can enter your bloodstream and really be poor on your health," Heinks explained.

As we approach those winter months, it's essential to find ways to mitigate air pollution, like avoiding burning and getting an air purifier for each room in your home.

"It's filtering the air through its high-quality filter, getting rid of some of the particulates that can deposit into our lungs, resulting in us having symptoms and by removing those more dangerous toxins from the air, you're able to breathe cleaner air," Dr. Artinian explained.

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution District offers low-income families and those living in a designated disadvantaged community free air purifiers through their "Clean Air Rooms" program.

"You apply online, tell us your address, verify you haven't had one from our agency before, and we'll ship it to your house," Heinks said.

The purifier comes with two filters that can last you up to a year.

This story is part of our Climate Ready series - a collaboration between ABC News and the ABC Owned Television Stations focused on providing practical solutions to help you and your family adapt to extreme weather events and the current challenges of climate change.

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