Raising awareness about allergies and asthma is important because:

1. Asthma is particularly hard on children. According to the Clean Air Council, about 5 million children in the U.S. have asthma. Because they’re so active – and because they spend so much time outside – they’re more at risk this time of year.

2. Allergies and asthma can be hard on adults too. People with compromised immune systems – be they elderly or suffering from a chronic illness – experience undue stress due to allergies, which are easy to mistake for a cold or the flu. Not to mention that everyone who suffers from allergies suffers. It’s no fun.

3. There are a lot of things you can do to reduce allergy and asthma triggers. Cleaning and/or replacing the filter in your air conditioner or swamp cooler is a great way to reduce risk…but did you know your car may have a similar filter?

Replacing your vehicle's cabin air filter (if equipped) can be a great way to reduce allergy suffering and prevent asthma attacks.

Many people have no idea that their vehicle is equipped with an in-car air filter, much less that this filter could ever be changed. But a cabin air filter is an essential part of your car’s ventilation system that removes pollutants from the air before they get inside the passenger compartment, and that means it should be replaced regularly.

Typically, cabin air filters are located under a vehicle’s dashboard or attached to the glove box, but they can also be located in the engine compartment. Cabin air filters can be changed as part of your normal vehicle maintenance program, and for the cleanest in-car air possible, that should be done every 12,000 to 15,000 miles (or once a year).

More than 100 million vehicles on the road in the U.S. are equipped with cabin air filters, so there’s a good chance your car has one. Feel free to call us to see if your vehicle has a filter, or feel free to ask your service writer the next time you vist.

Replacing your cabin air filter is an inexpensive way to improve your overall comfort inside your vehicle.