We spend a lot of time inside. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being indoors accounts for 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s because our residences are tightly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility costs, it’s not so good if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is restricted, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. As a result, these pollutants might aggravate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with fresh air and routine cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier might be able to help.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your furniture or flooring, it may help freshen the air traveling around your house.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It could also be appropriate if you or a loved one has lung issues, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the differences so you can figure out what’s correct for your house.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your heating and cooling equipment to purify your full home. Some models can work by themselves when your HVAC system isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and deliver the most comprehensive filtration you can get, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic combination can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the greatest in air purification, evaluate a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household odors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main component in smog. The EPA cautions ozone may aggravate respiratory issues, even when emitted at small concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a list of questions to consider when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better amount means air will be freshened more quickly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I complete that on my own?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other steps to decrease your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have other family members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can irritate symptoms. If you are required to do these chores on your own, you might want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also shower immediately and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outside your home.
- Run your air conditioner while indoors or while in the car. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your house’s heating and cooling system.
- Equalize your house’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Want to progress with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 800-296-5088 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you find the right unit for your home and budget.