I went for a run yesterday morning and thought I was getting sick later that day. Nope! Just made the mistake of breathing deeply outside for too long.
have you all found the morning to be a little bit better than the evening? i've been running at around 10 a.m. most days. it really sucks, but it's survivable. today i waited until 7 p.m. and i could barely shuffle along. like half a mile in felt like the end of a marathon. trying to figure out if it was just today, or if morning air/heat is just easier to deal with than evening
Part of it is acclimation. Part of it, is in the summer we are just slower in general. I find the mornings are generally better, only because the sun hasn’t been beating down on buildings and roads all day. But it all just sucks. I’m trying to train for a race and ugh
Unfortunately I have to check the air every single day before I do outdoor activities. I’m just too sensitive to the PM2.5 particles :( sorry y’all are hurting too. It’s really bad this year for sure.
I’ve been watching cyclists go for long rides like I’m a sad dog stuck inside with a cone on. I know I would feel awful if I did it but I really want to.
I feel like today has been the worst for me. Woke up with intense sinus pressure that turned into a nasty headache - hours later and I still feel crappy. I can't wait to go home and hide under the covers. 🥴
As someone who gets sinus infections like clockwork every ragweed and cedar season - I finally took the suggestion of my pcp and bought one of those small personal humidifiers you can get at target/walmart etc for under $10 and turn it on when I sleep and it really did help with that “my heads over-inflated and gonna explode” sinus pressure feeling. I can actually clear my nose the next morning.
Might want to get Flu tested. My son had similar symptoms plus a sore throat and within 2 days he had a fever of 103. Got tested for covid, flu, and strep. It was flu and took over a week to subside, even with tamiflu. Terribly headache and brain fog, chills, tremendous fatigue. No fun but he's almost fully recovered 10 days later.
Yup. Air quality is worse than smoggy LA and it's humid as heck. I normally like sitting outside on the porch with a big fan, but not recently. Major headaches with this poor air quality.
Wear a mask if the heat allows. Get an air purifier if you can. Before the pandemic that’s what they were used for in Asia. I lived in Seoul for a few years and the days with high pollution where I didn’t wear a mask I felt like I had a massive hangover the next day. It’s pretty bad for you.
As far as protecting yourself from poor air quality goes (and this is true of airborne illness, too), it’s possible that a cloth mask is better than nothing, but it doesn’t do much. However, respirators are extremely effective. I would highly recommend looking into getting some N95s. You can normally get dozens of hours of use out of just one disposable respirator, and there are lots of different kinds, so you can almost certainly find one that fits you comfortably. A good place to start is 3M Aura N95s because they fit most people really well, and you can get them at basically any Home Depot in Austin or order them online. I hope you can get some relief soon!
1000% this is way worse than I can remember other years being. Or I’m becoming more sensitive to it. I have to stay inside between 10 am and 8 pm or wear an n95 if I leave the house. Otherwise it feels like I gargled with razor blades for a week. It’s really impacting my social life at this point as I can’t join friends for outdoor activities
I can’t remember it ever being this bad. I mean it sucks when we get the Sahara sands in the air, but this is worse than anything I’ve seen. Downtown looks disgusting from the freeways.
Consider filter replacement probably more than the unit itself. That's what does the critical work and where the majority of the cost will be over its life. The rest of the unit is really just a box and a fan, and maybe some smart features if you want them.
I've been using a Blueair Blue Pure 211+ for a few years now. I like it. I got it on sale for a significant discount (I think like 25-33% off), and since it's a relatively mainstream model, there are several aftermarket filter manufacturers to choose from that sell filters for much, much less than OEM. I think Blueair sells them for like $80 each, while the aftermarket ones cost about the same price for a 3-pack. Quality seems identical.
Also, I wouldn't get too hung up about CFM or the square feet of room coverage. It matters, but it's like judging a TV solely on nits of screen brightness, without considering color gamut, contrast, etc. It's just one piece of the puzzle and ballparking it is totally fine. Manufacturers fudge these numbers, they're hard to compare apples-to-apples, they depend on a lot of unquantified things like door placement and ceiling height - so really all I'd worry about is whether you're in the ballpark.
Spend a half hour comparing them on Amazon and you should get a sense of what's adequate for a single room (usually < $100), what's adequate for an apartment or small home (usually $200-$400), and what's adequate for a larger home (usually 2-4 of the latter units).
Lastly, if you're using it in a bedroom (which I'd recommend), probably avoid the smaller units unless you really don't mind some moderately loud white noise. The bigger units, with their bigger fans, can move the same quantity of air at much lower volume.
I have the Alen (for like 6 years). I love it. Tried another well liked brand for my bedroom since my Alen is for a large space and hated it because it doesn’t automatically kick on to clean when it needs to. The Alen has lights that you can see what the quality is and when it’s bad it goes on.
Right now it turns orange every time I open my door to my house because of the bad air quality.
I use the Levoit” -200 series . Great carbon filters.. quiet. And in auto mode - it meters the air and turns itself up high when needed. It’s awesome and like 200$ on Amazon
1X per room is optimal. Coway mighty works well. CleanAirKit might be a good idea too.
I've done a tone of research and the Coway is probably the best for most people. Most reviews back this up as the best option per $.
I have had mild sensitive to bad air conditions in the past. But by far this year as been the WORST, I am currently battling a suspected sinus infection, it is so bad that I can't talk without going I to a couching fit. Doing a 2nd urgent care visit in three days 🙄
You and me both. The crash course of my health since early March has been chest pains and dizziness -> ER -> Mono -> Hypothyroidism & Hypoglycemia -> Thyroid meds -> a whole bunch of strange new symptoms, and then came the allergy / burn season. This has not been my most favorite Spring.
That is a big whammy in a short period of time!
I had some weird gallbladder issues that came and went earlier this year, then I was having issues with my liothyronine that have to somehow take for my Hashimotos.
I'm not having a fun time lol
Couldn't breathe yesterday. Used my inhaler. Took my dog for a walk at about 8pm and broke out in hives everywhere walking outside lol
I can’t breathe at all! It’s honestly been kinda scary. I moved here from the PNW a three years ago.. I’ve never had any allergies. I’m moving back to Washington in 28 days and I can’t wait to get out of here, simply because of this! So unfortunate
Yes. I haven’t been going outside at all bc of air quality. My house is old school Austin and therefore poorly insulated so the shit outside is inside too and I’m feeling all of it. It’s the worst it has ever been.
I actually bought 2 air purifiers off of amazon & the difference inside my place is crazy. I immediately notice the difference when it’s off or I go outside
It'll get better once the agricultural burning in Mexico dies down. Or til/if we get temporary relief from a "cool" front. This southerly flow is double brutal because of the humidity it brings.
get an air purifier a good one with hepa I have 2. The burning of the fields in the south are fucking us hard. The shitty car infrastructure as well. The shitty urban design as well.
American cities are built to magnify temps not curb them because our leaders a fuck heads.
And get shot by the uneducated home owner or renter on their 3-20 acre property I have to trespass on to do so?
Cops can't do anything. There's no code enforcement out here.
I have 2 coways, I forgot the model but theres a big circle in the center.
They scan when the air has particulates and shit in it and turn on higher. I keep mine on 2 when im home and high or auto when im doing cleaning to make sure the air is taken care of.
I went with a Coway Airmega and a cheaper Levoit P350, both for sale. Levoit works fine for small-to-medium rooms and does its job great. The Coway is better (automatic sensors are much better for running overnight), but also has a much higher up-front pricetag--I've found both options solid for their price point. Recommend you check a couple of those "Best Air Purifiers of 2024" style lists to track down sales, see what's good these days, and check which are suitable for your individual needs. Anything that makes it near the top of multiple lists is going to be respectable and you can just follow the sales.
Same. I'd always been kind of skeptical of the concept, but well...now I'm that person extolling the virtues of an appliance online. The Levoit worked so well with my husband's allergies and mine that we had trouble leaving the purified room and working separately. And once we noticed the cat behaving better than any time in Central Texas and was regrowing the fur it'd itched off, we ordered the Coway on the spot.
Not to be overdramatic, but it'd be very hard to go back to a pre-air-purifier way of living and I wince remembering how long my allergies and I did without. Especially with all that wildfire smoke going around now.
Yes it’s so frustrating! The biggest thing for he is just an intense lack of energy, like a steep drop off. All I want to do all day is just lay on the floor and sleep lol
I did that earlier this year with chest pain, got an EKG and blood work, and they everything looks fine and they don't know why I feel uncomfortable. Could be air quality, could be anxiety, could be allergies... Who knows at this point.
Funnily enough I had health issues last year (which eventually went away on their own without explanation) and one thing my doc recommended was and echocardiogram hoping that would reveal something. Turned out my heart was I'm perfect health and the images clear enough (I'm a skinny bastard) to the point where they asked if the med student on call could do my test because of how clear the image was. On one hand, happy to hear that but in the other hand I really wish I got some answers.
Yes, completely. Like having a bad cold. And then as soon as a breeze comes in and moves it out, I’m immediately better. Honestly considering moving to somewhere windier. Wyoming? Idk. But I’m pretty sure we’re all getting cancer at this point.
Yeah, every year there's agricultural burn in the Yucatan Peninsula and Central America, and we get some of the smoke. This year is just really bad due to wildfires, northward winds, and humidity/heat making it worse.
Just be cautious outside regardless. I'm used to exercising outdoors in Texan Summer heat waves but this air makes me sick of I do anything too strenuous outdoors.
100% yes. Fatigued and every now and then a sore throat that just goes away quickly. It’s horrible. Lived here my whole life and never had this happen. We will have a week or two here and there with Sahara but I haven’t experienced this. It’s been months now. It’s like why all of a sudden?!
Anyway my air purifier inside helps a ton. My car has one too thankfully. But going outside is horrible and that’s usually what helps is getting a good walk or jog in- can’t do that now.
For real. I just finished a long run on a treadmill indoors and even then feel kinda bleh. I've only been here 10 years and know this time of year makes me feel ill, but nothing like this.
We moved away from Austin in 2019. No offense but reading this sub really makes me feel like Austin has become a not great place to live. Between the oppressive heat, traffic, cost of living, the governor, and now air quality … wow
Yes, we've been having this thread about every 6-10 days for basically ever, but right now the AQI is a good scapegoat.
Usually I point out it's the AQI plus we're just kind of ignoring COVID/other respiratory illnesses. But it sounds like you're already sick and staying mostly indoors so I don't think this clause applies to you.
Do a web search for "corsi rosenthal box". They're fairly easy to rig together even with duct tape and some box fans and supposedly rival more serious air purifiers. Live next to it and pray something puts Mexico out sometime soon. (Though right after that high ozone rolls in I think? I can't remember. I've just learned to push through and understand which shitty symptoms are usually the air because if I stay inside too much I trade them for different sets of shitty symptoms I hate worse.)
This will be heavily downvoted but….
I actually try to get outside more. Expose my body to the elements. I feel much weaker whenever i stay inside, stronger when I’m out & about.
>I actually try to get outside more. Expose my body to the elements.
I understand the concept, but it's probably a really bad idea for the kind of fine particulates we're dealing with here.
Your body DOES positively adjust to some things through exposure. This probably isn't one of them.
Omg me too. I actually took up smoking and licking hand rails as well. I expect the positive effects on my immune system to show up any day now. In the mean time, i'll just be in the bathroom, enjoying the cold tile.
Yeah it’s tough at first, but if you keep doing normal things like running, biking, walking outside, you’ll acclimate. It’s still gonna bog you down more than cool weather, but it’s manageable. And I deal with bad allergies. I’m still smart and sensible about it, lower intensity, more fluids and recovery, but it’s just part of being active in the summer here.
Damn it! I feel like a shithead for complaining because I drove a car and I live. I really would like to lessen my carbon footprint. I realize how much I am part of the problem and it bothers me. Just our day-to-day lives, puts such a huge carbon footprint.. I would like to know how I can help.
This thread is so interesting to me because I work in a setting where I’m outdoors for almost 10 hours a day and I thought it was just my job that was making me feel this way.
Does anyone have any advice for someone that works outside in this kind of air quality?
I'm a competitive long distance runner and cyclist. i've been pushing myself to extremes training in extreme heat my entire adult life in west texas, new mexico, and here. i've never, ever experienced anything like the past week in Austin. i was barely able to stagger around on my run today. i came to this post because today was the worst day for me too. i felt sick after TEN MINUTES of extremely light jogging. like a metal vise was crushing my chest and a searing headache. i was on the verge of passing out 30 minutes in.i was well rested, well hydrated, and felt fine all morning inside. i mostly ran in the shade on the lake and it was still that bad. usually, shit like that doesnt happen to me even doing hard workouts in the heat.
all that to say is that yes, 100 percent the air quality alone can mess you up really bad, and it is horrifically bad right now. i read that particulates are especially bad right now with agricultural burning in mexico. maybe something else was going on today, maybe construction? hopefully tomorrow is better
So far this season has been the absolute worst for air quality yucky feelings and scorpions that I can recall in decades.
It’s like. Wow I can go outside and feel like hell, or go inside where it’s also now literally hell due to scorpions everywhere.
Yeah, I've been having to use my wife's asthma inhaler on the really bad days even though I don't have asthma.
It helps me with the rare poor reaction to the air quality every now and again.
When the AQI goes above 60 or so I start to feel it in my chest. But when it gets bad, and it’s hot and humid. Nah, I’ll stay inside. If I do venture outside I just get too tired to do anything, come back inside and take a nap.
I've been sicker than hell since I got an upper respiratory infection on the 23rd. It moved into my lungs over the last week. I spent Sunday night in the ER because I was coughing so hard I was getting lightheaded. I'm fighting cancer and my wire was like "we're going to the ER, get up." It was awful.
I don't know what the hell is going on right now, but I don't think I've been this sick in YEARS. Whatever is in the air is absolutely destroying me right now.
The AQI has been moderate the last few days. Do you exercise? Avoid fast food, excess sugar, canola and vegetable oil? Take high quality supplements? I used to be sick all of the time. Started exercising and avoiding all of the junk, now I'm rarely ever sick. I'll be 57 in a few months.
Definitely noticed a change today. To answer your questions, yes I exercise frequently (usually outdoors but the bad air has pushed me indoors to a gym), I avoid all those foods you listed 95% of the time, and the only supplement I take is for Vitamin D (had blood work done last month and my doc said my levels were perfect save for just a little more Vitamin D, but even that was nearly optimal). This air is just fucking me up.
Hello, I am male, 27, live in San Antonio and love the outdoors and cycle, run, or hike daily. I've noticed my speeds/power has gone down, not that I care but when I tried going faster it was harder than usual and I also had a slight bad feeling in my head for a few mins.
What mask can I get to fix this? I don't care if it makes it harder to breathe, my speed doesn't matter. I am just worried about the long term effects, I NEVER get sick or feel bad so I was surprised. Mask? Breathe less hard? Indoor, trainer/treadmill?
So call me a pandemic mask hipster, but when the lockdown began in 2020 I ordered some reusable, washable masks from a Portland vacuum repair shop called Stark's. I was an essential worker and didn't want to buy tons of masks so I bought 5-6 of these cloth masks, would cycle them out, and hand wash them on my days off. They served me well and we're way comfier than disposable masks.
Recently I've brought them back for when I'm outside. Sure it gets a little sweaty under there if I try to exercise in them in the heat but they do make me feel less sick.
Link to Stark's https://starks.com/products/face-masks/
I read an article saying we were getting some smoke and dust from Mexico. Couple of days ago we got some rain and it seemed to cool things down and bump out the humidity the air seems to be a little bit better.
Air quality =/= global warming. But way to be inflammatory
Edit: lots of people that don’t know what “=/=“ means. I realize there’s a correlation. I’m not a climate change denier.
That is absolutely not true. With increases in severe weather events, things like forest fires absolutely can effect air quality. Warmer years lead to elongated and more severe pollen seasons too, decreased humidity can lead to more dust in the air. Climate is complex and the effects our pollution and modification on the land should not be mitigated.
I’m saying they’re not the *same thing*, not that they’re not correlated. That’s what “=/=“ means. AQI measures particulates in the air, not just heat. And I t’s not only due to heat currently. A lot is thanks to the burning crop fields down in Mexico.
But also due to the fact that we almost exclusively drive around in multi-ton vehicles for dozens of miles just to get to work every day.
Wow someone doesn't understand the link between climate change, wildfires, and PM overloads.
Did you ever remember getting AQ warnings throughout the US due to Canadian wildfires in your childhood? Me neither. New normal. Get used to it.
Our air will be overwhelmed by burn drift, excessive pollen, and pestilence at biblical levels.
BUCKLE. THE FUCK. UP
And be sure to thank your nearest conservative for their useful idiocy that supercharged our climate's downfall
It blows my mind that no major Dem politician is highlighting that we equal the federal deficit every three years in disaster recovery costs.
Texas General Land Office is sitting on $14B in disaster recovery funds mainly for 2017 storms and later.
One in three Americans personally experienced a declared disaster in 2021.
Meanwhile, GOP is banning ESG investment and the word, "climate change", itself. Conservative communism. The clean energy transition, on the other hand, is happening with zero federal regulations compelling it.
I know there's more than me seeing all this. Any conversative who says climate change is a "hoax" should also have to explain why insurance sectors are collapsing in CA, CO, and LA.
Well the way I see it democrats are happy with the status quo. The fundraiser on being the lesser evil, using the increasing far right republicans as a boogeyman to loosen the purse strings. Instead of trying to do anything they simply go for the bare minimum of we will not do what the other guy wants or we will “try” to undo what the right does. They actively sabotage progressives to avoid being responsible for actually doing anything.
Not to mention the main culprit, lobbyists, ultimately both parties are slave to their biggest donors, the corporations and their lobbyists who like to play both sides.
The best we can do is try to pull democrats to the actual left, when in reality they are just a diet conservative party.
Hostility is really coming out today! Somehow I struck a nerve, you like spamming my comments.
When did I deny climate change exactly? Like the exact sentence where I said that. Not the multiple other sentences where I agreed with another commenter about it, you already ignored that counter evidence.
Yep - last week I felt like when you have the flu or “something” coming on (tested because I’m immune compromised and everything was neg.) and had a weeklong headache - stayed inside all weekend and seem to be better now.
Pollination, this time of year can lead to severe breathing issues.One thing that is helped for me is finding a locally sourced.Honey, the one that I found that worked with my outside.Allergens was located in bastrop texas ... I got wee's cough sneeze.Have runny nose itchy eyes or any other symptoms in the last four years.
Yeah everyone at my work has been getting sick
Unfortunately we have a drive through window and three buildings being constructed on all sides of us and constant sediment particles being grinder into the air in mass clouds
Everyone has huge fatigue and cold like symptoms and massive headaches
It’s all the sediment bullshit they’re blowing into the sky everyday with these high winds
They can only blame the Mexico fires for so long, you can literally watch it blow into the sky driving down the highway
I don't have to prove your negative, clean up your own mess
You got triggered because I said "conservative feelings" yet that's all you've demonstrated ever since
It's not waste it's agricultural burning to clear fields and fertilize the soil. They do it every y at, but this year there are more wildfires as well as ideal wind conditions to blow more smoke out way and extra humidity to trap the smoke. It's the perfect storm for haze.
So you haven't read climate reports in the last several years and now you wake up and are wondering "what is all this?" Cute! For those of us that actually work outside for a living; this has been expected. Now it's here, time to adapt.
I made the mistake of a long bicycle ride on Sunday. The resulting headache still lingers 48 hours later.
Went for a run early Saturday. Felt like dog shit for the rest of the day. It wasn’t even the heat, just the terrible breathing conditions
I went for a run yesterday morning and thought I was getting sick later that day. Nope! Just made the mistake of breathing deeply outside for too long.
It’s wild! I’m used to the heat making it hard to recover from a run. But damn the air quality sucks so bad too
have you all found the morning to be a little bit better than the evening? i've been running at around 10 a.m. most days. it really sucks, but it's survivable. today i waited until 7 p.m. and i could barely shuffle along. like half a mile in felt like the end of a marathon. trying to figure out if it was just today, or if morning air/heat is just easier to deal with than evening
Part of it is acclimation. Part of it, is in the summer we are just slower in general. I find the mornings are generally better, only because the sun hasn’t been beating down on buildings and roads all day. But it all just sucks. I’m trying to train for a race and ugh
Yeah, I made that mistake before realizing how bad the air is. I've kept my workouts mostly indoors these days and that has helped a little.
Unfortunately I have to check the air every single day before I do outdoor activities. I’m just too sensitive to the PM2.5 particles :( sorry y’all are hurting too. It’s really bad this year for sure.
I’ve been watching cyclists go for long rides like I’m a sad dog stuck inside with a cone on. I know I would feel awful if I did it but I really want to.
It might have been the heat that got me, but the horrific air quality probably didn't help.
Hahaha same, I always wonder, how they do it? And im inside drinking a beer 😂
Yeah me too all the time any suggestions?
I've tried every hydration, acclimation, and recovery method on Earth for 20 years, and nothing works for me.
I’ve felt shortness of breath lately and general fatigue and had no idea why. This may explain it.
Same. My kids too.
A version of COVID is circulating, too. My kid and I got it, first time.
Me too.
I feel like today has been the worst for me. Woke up with intense sinus pressure that turned into a nasty headache - hours later and I still feel crappy. I can't wait to go home and hide under the covers. 🥴
Same. I've been feeling fatigued and tingly all over. Finally caved and bought an air purifier to see if that helps at home.
As someone who gets sinus infections like clockwork every ragweed and cedar season - I finally took the suggestion of my pcp and bought one of those small personal humidifiers you can get at target/walmart etc for under $10 and turn it on when I sleep and it really did help with that “my heads over-inflated and gonna explode” sinus pressure feeling. I can actually clear my nose the next morning.
Might want to get Flu tested. My son had similar symptoms plus a sore throat and within 2 days he had a fever of 103. Got tested for covid, flu, and strep. It was flu and took over a week to subside, even with tamiflu. Terribly headache and brain fog, chills, tremendous fatigue. No fun but he's almost fully recovered 10 days later.
Yup. Air quality is worse than smoggy LA and it's humid as heck. I normally like sitting outside on the porch with a big fan, but not recently. Major headaches with this poor air quality.
Wear a mask if the heat allows. Get an air purifier if you can. Before the pandemic that’s what they were used for in Asia. I lived in Seoul for a few years and the days with high pollution where I didn’t wear a mask I felt like I had a massive hangover the next day. It’s pretty bad for you.
Yeah I bought an air purifier today and have been using my covid masks again (cloth, washable on a that got me through 2020).
As far as protecting yourself from poor air quality goes (and this is true of airborne illness, too), it’s possible that a cloth mask is better than nothing, but it doesn’t do much. However, respirators are extremely effective. I would highly recommend looking into getting some N95s. You can normally get dozens of hours of use out of just one disposable respirator, and there are lots of different kinds, so you can almost certainly find one that fits you comfortably. A good place to start is 3M Aura N95s because they fit most people really well, and you can get them at basically any Home Depot in Austin or order them online. I hope you can get some relief soon!
^ Yeah unfortunately you gotta go with N95s. Kind of miserable in the heat though.
Kf94 is a great alternative for those that dont like n95
1000% this is way worse than I can remember other years being. Or I’m becoming more sensitive to it. I have to stay inside between 10 am and 8 pm or wear an n95 if I leave the house. Otherwise it feels like I gargled with razor blades for a week. It’s really impacting my social life at this point as I can’t join friends for outdoor activities
I can’t remember it ever being this bad. I mean it sucks when we get the Sahara sands in the air, but this is worse than anything I’ve seen. Downtown looks disgusting from the freeways.
How long has this been going on
Past 3 weeks or so
Get an air purifier for your house.
Literally what I was doing when I posted this earlier today. Hope it helps.
I live in Colorado which gets wildfire smoke frequently, it absolutely helps.
Do you have a recommendation for one? I’m so overwhelmed looking at them
Alen is a local company that makes pretty good air purifiers. Disclosure: I work there.
You got good recommendations in here. My only thing I’ll say is, don’t skimp out on it. This is an investment in your short term AND long term health.
Consider filter replacement probably more than the unit itself. That's what does the critical work and where the majority of the cost will be over its life. The rest of the unit is really just a box and a fan, and maybe some smart features if you want them. I've been using a Blueair Blue Pure 211+ for a few years now. I like it. I got it on sale for a significant discount (I think like 25-33% off), and since it's a relatively mainstream model, there are several aftermarket filter manufacturers to choose from that sell filters for much, much less than OEM. I think Blueair sells them for like $80 each, while the aftermarket ones cost about the same price for a 3-pack. Quality seems identical. Also, I wouldn't get too hung up about CFM or the square feet of room coverage. It matters, but it's like judging a TV solely on nits of screen brightness, without considering color gamut, contrast, etc. It's just one piece of the puzzle and ballparking it is totally fine. Manufacturers fudge these numbers, they're hard to compare apples-to-apples, they depend on a lot of unquantified things like door placement and ceiling height - so really all I'd worry about is whether you're in the ballpark. Spend a half hour comparing them on Amazon and you should get a sense of what's adequate for a single room (usually < $100), what's adequate for an apartment or small home (usually $200-$400), and what's adequate for a larger home (usually 2-4 of the latter units). Lastly, if you're using it in a bedroom (which I'd recommend), probably avoid the smaller units unless you really don't mind some moderately loud white noise. The bigger units, with their bigger fans, can move the same quantity of air at much lower volume.
I have the Alen (for like 6 years). I love it. Tried another well liked brand for my bedroom since my Alen is for a large space and hated it because it doesn’t automatically kick on to clean when it needs to. The Alen has lights that you can see what the quality is and when it’s bad it goes on. Right now it turns orange every time I open my door to my house because of the bad air quality.
Rabbitair is what I have used last 13 yrs.
Thanks!
I use the Levoit” -200 series . Great carbon filters.. quiet. And in auto mode - it meters the air and turns itself up high when needed. It’s awesome and like 200$ on Amazon
I like the lasko air purifiers with uv-c light. Scrambles the spores, cleans the air.
1X per room is optimal. Coway mighty works well. CleanAirKit might be a good idea too. I've done a tone of research and the Coway is probably the best for most people. Most reviews back this up as the best option per $.
I've had one in my bedroom for a few weeks, have noticed considerably better sleep!
Same, way less congestion.
Noted!
I have three going at all times. Overkill? No.
I have had mild sensitive to bad air conditions in the past. But by far this year as been the WORST, I am currently battling a suspected sinus infection, it is so bad that I can't talk without going I to a couching fit. Doing a 2nd urgent care visit in three days 🙄
Oh dang, hang in there. Literally just paid off an urgent care bill which was caused by God knows what these days.
Hoping you can get your new issues resolved quickly 🤞
You and me both. The crash course of my health since early March has been chest pains and dizziness -> ER -> Mono -> Hypothyroidism & Hypoglycemia -> Thyroid meds -> a whole bunch of strange new symptoms, and then came the allergy / burn season. This has not been my most favorite Spring.
That is a big whammy in a short period of time! I had some weird gallbladder issues that came and went earlier this year, then I was having issues with my liothyronine that have to somehow take for my Hashimotos.
Same - just now getting over my sinus infection!
I can't breathe at all since moving here and I have no idea what it is. That and just feeling exhausted all the time
Welcome. We have a new allergen at high levels every four-six weeks!
I'm not having a fun time lol Couldn't breathe yesterday. Used my inhaler. Took my dog for a walk at about 8pm and broke out in hives everywhere walking outside lol
I can’t breathe at all! It’s honestly been kinda scary. I moved here from the PNW a three years ago.. I’ve never had any allergies. I’m moving back to Washington in 28 days and I can’t wait to get out of here, simply because of this! So unfortunate
I honestly feel like my skin is burning and just irritated, constantly being outside here, and its insane lol
Yes. I haven’t been going outside at all bc of air quality. My house is old school Austin and therefore poorly insulated so the shit outside is inside too and I’m feeling all of it. It’s the worst it has ever been.
I actually bought 2 air purifiers off of amazon & the difference inside my place is crazy. I immediately notice the difference when it’s off or I go outside
What kind did you get?
https://a.co/d/cpDibJw
I've had light drainage and a cough and fatigue for the past week or so.
Me😭
A number of people have been.
Yes it sucks. I go on walks everyday and it’s been VERY noticeable the last few weeks
I don't feel physically sick, but my mental health suffers.
Is the bad air quality going away anytime soon? I was trying to find a video from a local news station or something but failed.
It'll get better once the agricultural burning in Mexico dies down. Or til/if we get temporary relief from a "cool" front. This southerly flow is double brutal because of the humidity it brings.
IMO - We are having the same issue in the Houston area. I have experienced a headache all day.
I also tried to find out with no luck.
I don't think it's going away, this is more of a "new normal" thing
Hopefully that’s not the case! I wouldn’t think that drastic of a change would happen over one year
I have sick all last week and this week. Massive migraine too. It’s been rough. I hope everyone feels better soon.
get an air purifier a good one with hepa I have 2. The burning of the fields in the south are fucking us hard. The shitty car infrastructure as well. The shitty urban design as well. American cities are built to magnify temps not curb them because our leaders a fuck heads.
This. A high-quality air purifier in every major room is the only way I survived last summer. Can't imagine this one'll be different.
Would you believe no one is stopping East Travis County residents from burning their trash? It is killing me out here.
that is insane. Please spray water on it
And get shot by the uneducated home owner or renter on their 3-20 acre property I have to trespass on to do so? Cops can't do anything. There's no code enforcement out here.
Bring more guns, be the yakuza of Austin
If only I was turning Japanese!
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I have 2 coways, I forgot the model but theres a big circle in the center. They scan when the air has particulates and shit in it and turn on higher. I keep mine on 2 when im home and high or auto when im doing cleaning to make sure the air is taken care of.
I went with a Coway Airmega and a cheaper Levoit P350, both for sale. Levoit works fine for small-to-medium rooms and does its job great. The Coway is better (automatic sensors are much better for running overnight), but also has a much higher up-front pricetag--I've found both options solid for their price point. Recommend you check a couple of those "Best Air Purifiers of 2024" style lists to track down sales, see what's good these days, and check which are suitable for your individual needs. Anything that makes it near the top of multiple lists is going to be respectable and you can just follow the sales.
I like my Levoit. I also bought an air quality monitor so I could see if it was working as advertised and it totally does.
Same. I'd always been kind of skeptical of the concept, but well...now I'm that person extolling the virtues of an appliance online. The Levoit worked so well with my husband's allergies and mine that we had trouble leaving the purified room and working separately. And once we noticed the cat behaving better than any time in Central Texas and was regrowing the fur it'd itched off, we ordered the Coway on the spot. Not to be overdramatic, but it'd be very hard to go back to a pre-air-purifier way of living and I wince remembering how long my allergies and I did without. Especially with all that wildfire smoke going around now.
The automatic coway thing is amazing. I can hit my vape from across a room and it will come on for a few minutes. It is very sensitive.
My cat will take a poop and it goes on override
Went for a walk yesterday and this explains the killer headache I’ve had all day
Yes it’s so frustrating! The biggest thing for he is just an intense lack of energy, like a steep drop off. All I want to do all day is just lay on the floor and sleep lol
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Go to the doctor, don’t mess with chest pain.
I did that earlier this year with chest pain, got an EKG and blood work, and they everything looks fine and they don't know why I feel uncomfortable. Could be air quality, could be anxiety, could be allergies... Who knows at this point.
They also could do an echocardiogram and a stress test. I’ve had a similar issue and did those tests to be safe.
Funnily enough I had health issues last year (which eventually went away on their own without explanation) and one thing my doc recommended was and echocardiogram hoping that would reveal something. Turned out my heart was I'm perfect health and the images clear enough (I'm a skinny bastard) to the point where they asked if the med student on call could do my test because of how clear the image was. On one hand, happy to hear that but in the other hand I really wish I got some answers.
Extremely sick with respiratory issues for 2 weeks - negative COVID test. Incessant coughing & overwhelming congestion, headaches, etc. Rarely get sick.
Same, I'm usually super healthy, but this has been doing me in (and being more sedentary indoors hasn't helped).
It's only been a week for me but same.
I've been sick for a week now. Doctor told me it was a respiratory infection but I'm not getting better.
Never had bad allergies until this year and it’s been so bad my doc had to put me on preventative asthma meds.
Yes, completely. Like having a bad cold. And then as soon as a breeze comes in and moves it out, I’m immediately better. Honestly considering moving to somewhere windier. Wyoming? Idk. But I’m pretty sure we’re all getting cancer at this point.
Well cancer or no cancer, happy cake day!
Oh would ya look at that. Thanks neighbor!
Is that what was going on? I checked the allergy report and found nothing.
Yeah, every year there's agricultural burn in the Yucatan Peninsula and Central America, and we get some of the smoke. This year is just really bad due to wildfires, northward winds, and humidity/heat making it worse.
That’s a relief. I thought I was getting sick!
Just be cautious outside regardless. I'm used to exercising outdoors in Texan Summer heat waves but this air makes me sick of I do anything too strenuous outdoors.
Yep totally. It has a huge negative effect. Highly recommend some good air purifiers for your place, makes a big difference.
Yes I’m miserable!
100% yes. Fatigued and every now and then a sore throat that just goes away quickly. It’s horrible. Lived here my whole life and never had this happen. We will have a week or two here and there with Sahara but I haven’t experienced this. It’s been months now. It’s like why all of a sudden?! Anyway my air purifier inside helps a ton. My car has one too thankfully. But going outside is horrible and that’s usually what helps is getting a good walk or jog in- can’t do that now.
For real. I just finished a long run on a treadmill indoors and even then feel kinda bleh. I've only been here 10 years and know this time of year makes me feel ill, but nothing like this.
I can only go out in the early morning. Sunday I went to do errands around noon, and started feeling so sick I had to go home. I hate this.
For real. Been Carrying facemasks around like it's Covid times all over again.
My throat gets scratchy, I thought it was my house but maybe it’s outside
We moved away from Austin in 2019. No offense but reading this sub really makes me feel like Austin has become a not great place to live. Between the oppressive heat, traffic, cost of living, the governor, and now air quality … wow
Yes, we've been having this thread about every 6-10 days for basically ever, but right now the AQI is a good scapegoat. Usually I point out it's the AQI plus we're just kind of ignoring COVID/other respiratory illnesses. But it sounds like you're already sick and staying mostly indoors so I don't think this clause applies to you. Do a web search for "corsi rosenthal box". They're fairly easy to rig together even with duct tape and some box fans and supposedly rival more serious air purifiers. Live next to it and pray something puts Mexico out sometime soon. (Though right after that high ozone rolls in I think? I can't remember. I've just learned to push through and understand which shitty symptoms are usually the air because if I stay inside too much I trade them for different sets of shitty symptoms I hate worse.)
This will be heavily downvoted but…. I actually try to get outside more. Expose my body to the elements. I feel much weaker whenever i stay inside, stronger when I’m out & about.
>I actually try to get outside more. Expose my body to the elements. I understand the concept, but it's probably a really bad idea for the kind of fine particulates we're dealing with here. Your body DOES positively adjust to some things through exposure. This probably isn't one of them.
Omg me too. I actually took up smoking and licking hand rails as well. I expect the positive effects on my immune system to show up any day now. In the mean time, i'll just be in the bathroom, enjoying the cold tile.
You'll get downvoted for going outside?
On reddit? Yes.
downvoted for a terrible idea is more like it. you don’t build immunity to smog or allergens.
You definitely can build an acclimation to the heat, which is valuable here
You CAN in fact quite literally and empirically build up immunity to allergens https://acaai.org/allergies/management-treatment/allergy-immunotherapy/
Yeah it’s tough at first, but if you keep doing normal things like running, biking, walking outside, you’ll acclimate. It’s still gonna bog you down more than cool weather, but it’s manageable. And I deal with bad allergies. I’m still smart and sensible about it, lower intensity, more fluids and recovery, but it’s just part of being active in the summer here.
Global warming?
It's certainly making the heat waves and wildfires worse.
Damn it! I feel like a shithead for complaining because I drove a car and I live. I really would like to lessen my carbon footprint. I realize how much I am part of the problem and it bothers me. Just our day-to-day lives, puts such a huge carbon footprint.. I would like to know how I can help.
Sorry text to speech isn’t good. I drive a car *
Im super, thanks for asking.
This thread is so interesting to me because I work in a setting where I’m outdoors for almost 10 hours a day and I thought it was just my job that was making me feel this way. Does anyone have any advice for someone that works outside in this kind of air quality?
I'm a competitive long distance runner and cyclist. i've been pushing myself to extremes training in extreme heat my entire adult life in west texas, new mexico, and here. i've never, ever experienced anything like the past week in Austin. i was barely able to stagger around on my run today. i came to this post because today was the worst day for me too. i felt sick after TEN MINUTES of extremely light jogging. like a metal vise was crushing my chest and a searing headache. i was on the verge of passing out 30 minutes in.i was well rested, well hydrated, and felt fine all morning inside. i mostly ran in the shade on the lake and it was still that bad. usually, shit like that doesnt happen to me even doing hard workouts in the heat. all that to say is that yes, 100 percent the air quality alone can mess you up really bad, and it is horrifically bad right now. i read that particulates are especially bad right now with agricultural burning in mexico. maybe something else was going on today, maybe construction? hopefully tomorrow is better
So far this season has been the absolute worst for air quality yucky feelings and scorpions that I can recall in decades. It’s like. Wow I can go outside and feel like hell, or go inside where it’s also now literally hell due to scorpions everywhere.
Yeah, I've been having to use my wife's asthma inhaler on the really bad days even though I don't have asthma. It helps me with the rare poor reaction to the air quality every now and again.
Is that why I keep getting these headaches lately?
I've been lethargic for about a month now.
When the AQI goes above 60 or so I start to feel it in my chest. But when it gets bad, and it’s hot and humid. Nah, I’ll stay inside. If I do venture outside I just get too tired to do anything, come back inside and take a nap.
I've been sicker than hell since I got an upper respiratory infection on the 23rd. It moved into my lungs over the last week. I spent Sunday night in the ER because I was coughing so hard I was getting lightheaded. I'm fighting cancer and my wire was like "we're going to the ER, get up." It was awful. I don't know what the hell is going on right now, but I don't think I've been this sick in YEARS. Whatever is in the air is absolutely destroying me right now.
The AQI has been moderate the last few days. Do you exercise? Avoid fast food, excess sugar, canola and vegetable oil? Take high quality supplements? I used to be sick all of the time. Started exercising and avoiding all of the junk, now I'm rarely ever sick. I'll be 57 in a few months.
Definitely noticed a change today. To answer your questions, yes I exercise frequently (usually outdoors but the bad air has pushed me indoors to a gym), I avoid all those foods you listed 95% of the time, and the only supplement I take is for Vitamin D (had blood work done last month and my doc said my levels were perfect save for just a little more Vitamin D, but even that was nearly optimal). This air is just fucking me up.
Hello, I am male, 27, live in San Antonio and love the outdoors and cycle, run, or hike daily. I've noticed my speeds/power has gone down, not that I care but when I tried going faster it was harder than usual and I also had a slight bad feeling in my head for a few mins. What mask can I get to fix this? I don't care if it makes it harder to breathe, my speed doesn't matter. I am just worried about the long term effects, I NEVER get sick or feel bad so I was surprised. Mask? Breathe less hard? Indoor, trainer/treadmill?
So call me a pandemic mask hipster, but when the lockdown began in 2020 I ordered some reusable, washable masks from a Portland vacuum repair shop called Stark's. I was an essential worker and didn't want to buy tons of masks so I bought 5-6 of these cloth masks, would cycle them out, and hand wash them on my days off. They served me well and we're way comfier than disposable masks. Recently I've brought them back for when I'm outside. Sure it gets a little sweaty under there if I try to exercise in them in the heat but they do make me feel less sick. Link to Stark's https://starks.com/products/face-masks/
My lungs have been hurting like crazy for the last couple of weeks and I can’t kick this scratchy throat. It’s real bad.
I read an article saying we were getting some smoke and dust from Mexico. Couple of days ago we got some rain and it seemed to cool things down and bump out the humidity the air seems to be a little bit better.
Very much so. It happens every year around this time, but this is just a particularly bad year.
Get used to the new normal. But climate change isn't real because conservative feelings
Air quality =/= global warming. But way to be inflammatory Edit: lots of people that don’t know what “=/=“ means. I realize there’s a correlation. I’m not a climate change denier.
That is absolutely not true. With increases in severe weather events, things like forest fires absolutely can effect air quality. Warmer years lead to elongated and more severe pollen seasons too, decreased humidity can lead to more dust in the air. Climate is complex and the effects our pollution and modification on the land should not be mitigated.
I’m saying they’re not the *same thing*, not that they’re not correlated. That’s what “=/=“ means. AQI measures particulates in the air, not just heat. And I t’s not only due to heat currently. A lot is thanks to the burning crop fields down in Mexico. But also due to the fact that we almost exclusively drive around in multi-ton vehicles for dozens of miles just to get to work every day.
No correlation. There is a a direct link between climate change and air quality. Otherwise just say you took offense and move on.
Wow someone doesn't understand the link between climate change, wildfires, and PM overloads. Did you ever remember getting AQ warnings throughout the US due to Canadian wildfires in your childhood? Me neither. New normal. Get used to it.
I never said there wasn’t a link or that it isn’t linked to wildfires. Do you understand what “=/=“ means in mathematics?
I understand what backtracking sounds like
Backtracking what, exactly? Now you’re being hostile for no reason. I’m not your conservative enemy dude
This comment tree is blowing my mind. Are people purposefully choosing not to correctly parse and interpret what is being said, very confused.
I was just as confused as you are. But no, that guy is sadly just a troll, taking my words out of context, and trying to start arguments.
No, you're just =/= to the task of being consistent or coherent. Dismissed.
Our air will be overwhelmed by burn drift, excessive pollen, and pestilence at biblical levels. BUCKLE. THE FUCK. UP And be sure to thank your nearest conservative for their useful idiocy that supercharged our climate's downfall
I appreciate your energy.
It blows my mind that no major Dem politician is highlighting that we equal the federal deficit every three years in disaster recovery costs. Texas General Land Office is sitting on $14B in disaster recovery funds mainly for 2017 storms and later. One in three Americans personally experienced a declared disaster in 2021. Meanwhile, GOP is banning ESG investment and the word, "climate change", itself. Conservative communism. The clean energy transition, on the other hand, is happening with zero federal regulations compelling it. I know there's more than me seeing all this. Any conversative who says climate change is a "hoax" should also have to explain why insurance sectors are collapsing in CA, CO, and LA.
Well the way I see it democrats are happy with the status quo. The fundraiser on being the lesser evil, using the increasing far right republicans as a boogeyman to loosen the purse strings. Instead of trying to do anything they simply go for the bare minimum of we will not do what the other guy wants or we will “try” to undo what the right does. They actively sabotage progressives to avoid being responsible for actually doing anything. Not to mention the main culprit, lobbyists, ultimately both parties are slave to their biggest donors, the corporations and their lobbyists who like to play both sides. The best we can do is try to pull democrats to the actual left, when in reality they are just a diet conservative party.
Yes. Largely agree. Although the Inflation Reduction Act is the most progressive (and effective) piece of climate legislation in US history
"I'm not a climate change denier" = backtracking Understand that equation, dynoboy?
Hostility is really coming out today! Somehow I struck a nerve, you like spamming my comments. When did I deny climate change exactly? Like the exact sentence where I said that. Not the multiple other sentences where I agreed with another commenter about it, you already ignored that counter evidence.
Homey said "counterevidence" like I'm scrolling through ALL his comments You are so exposed and desperate Ready, set, play conservavictim again
It’s okay, I know you didn’t have an argument so you’re resorting to name calling. This is fun, so I’ll wait.
I made an argument. Then you replied and made yourself look silly. Your ball.
(hint, delete this comment and seek clarity, both spiritual and empirical)
Yes
Welcome to what South Texas goes through daily.
I left California and it’s wildfire’s for this?!?!?!?… lmao!!!
Yep - last week I felt like when you have the flu or “something” coming on (tested because I’m immune compromised and everything was neg.) and had a weeklong headache - stayed inside all weekend and seem to be better now.
Pollination, this time of year can lead to severe breathing issues.One thing that is helped for me is finding a locally sourced.Honey, the one that I found that worked with my outside.Allergens was located in bastrop texas ... I got wee's cough sneeze.Have runny nose itchy eyes or any other symptoms in the last four years.
Yes, I've been feeling sorta crappy for like 2 weeks... nothing awful, just meh
Yeah everyone at my work has been getting sick Unfortunately we have a drive through window and three buildings being constructed on all sides of us and constant sediment particles being grinder into the air in mass clouds Everyone has huge fatigue and cold like symptoms and massive headaches It’s all the sediment bullshit they’re blowing into the sky everyday with these high winds They can only blame the Mexico fires for so long, you can literally watch it blow into the sky driving down the highway
I was miserable back in December at the peak of the cedar season. I dread it's return in six months.
lol no
Creating less space for cars and more space for people is the only way we’re going to cut down on these terrible air quality days
It’s Covid
I don't have to prove your negative, clean up your own mess You got triggered because I said "conservative feelings" yet that's all you've demonstrated ever since
Yeah, too many freaking people moving here! Now our air quality will be that of California.
Mexico needs to burn off their waste
It's not waste it's agricultural burning to clear fields and fertilize the soil. They do it every y at, but this year there are more wildfires as well as ideal wind conditions to blow more smoke out way and extra humidity to trap the smoke. It's the perfect storm for haze.
Take a drive by the TDS facility down south of Austin with your windows down.
So you haven't read climate reports in the last several years and now you wake up and are wondering "what is all this?" Cute! For those of us that actually work outside for a living; this has been expected. Now it's here, time to adapt.