Though it may not seem like it in many parts of the country now, the change of the seasons from summer to autumn is rapidly approaching. With fall come some of the most beautiful days of the year as the air becomes crisp and cool and the leaves begin to burst into an array of vibrant colors. However, the leaves themselves can become a problem for those suffering from respiratory illnesses such as asthma when burning time comes. Even though burning isn’t legal everywhere (especially in larger cities), there are still many smaller cities and towns that allow residents to burn leaves and yard waste during at least some parts of the year.
 What Kind of Air Pollution Does Leaf Burning Produce?
Part of the reason that leaf burning is so problematic as a source of air pollution is the fact that it produces multiple types of pollution in large volumes. To begin with, there’s the obvious by-product of all burning, which is smoke. Smoke, especially in the amounts that a large burn pile of fall leaves can produce, can disperse across large areas and even work its way in smaller quantities into homes and buildings. Homes that are closer to where burning is taking place can also become exposed to larger particulate pollutants. Since leaf burning always produces incomplete combustion, there are typically particulates in a wide range of different sizes present in leaf smoke. Lastly, there is the problem of people who burn things other than leaves and yard waste with their fall burning. Though this is not legal in many areas, adding things like plastics, styrofoam and other non-leaf compounds to a large fire to get rid of them is far from uncommon. Often, this can even occur completely unintentionally (when a sheet of plastic wrapping blown into a yard by wind gets accidentally raked up with the leaves, for example).
Compounding all of these problems is how ubiquitous leaf burning is in the areas where it is permitted. Often, several houses in your neighborhood will be burning at the same time during peak leaf burning season. For obvious reasons, this makes the dangers associated with smoke and free particulates all the worse. So, in order to protect yourself, it’s imperative that you be able to keep these unwanted impurities out of your home. The best solution is, of course, a home air purifier.
 What Kind of Air Purifier Do I Need to Eliminate Leaf Burning Air Pollution?
To effectively deal with all of these different types of air pollution that can become more common during leaf burning season, a dual HEPA and VOC air purifier is needed. This is because particulate and non-particulate pollution require two very different processes to remove them from the air. Firstly, particulate impurities are removed by a HEPA filtration system, which will eliminate 99.7% of all particles greater than 0.3 microns in diameter. Next, an activated carbon filter is needed to remove gaseous compounds present in the smoke. This is done by passing the air being cleaned through a layer of activated carbon. Thanks to its porous nature, the carbon will absorb the impurities, allowing the air to come out cleaned of any organic gases.
 Conclusion
If you suffer from asthma, bronchitis or other respiratory diseases, leaf burning season can be very difficult. The best way to protect yourself from the air pollution created by leaf burning is to make use of a home air purifier that will keep the air you breathe most often clean and pure.
Have questions about using combination HEPA/VOC air purifiers to keep your home healthy? Don’t worry, we’re here to help. Feel free to contact us with your questions, and we’ll guide you through the process of selecting the best air purifier for your needs.