We spend lots of time indoors. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building accounts for 90% of our time. Although, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outdoors.
That’s due to the fact our houses are firmly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling bills, it’s not so fantastic if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is limited, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get stuck. As a result, these pollutants can aggravate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with fresh air and routine housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms when you’re at your house, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or flooring, it could help freshen the air traveling around your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It can also be helpful if you or a family member has a lung condition, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the advantages so you can learn what’s right 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 with your HVAC unit to purify your full home. Some models can purify on their own when your HVAC unit isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and deliver the greatest filtration you can get, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic combination can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the greatest in air purification, consider equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household odors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the top element in smog. The EPA warns ozone might irritate respiratory issues, even when emitted at small settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a listing of questions to think over when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher amount means air will be freshened faster.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I finish that without help?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic recommends taking other steps to limit your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are high.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can irritate symptoms. If you are required to do this work yourself, consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside.
- Turn on air conditioning while indoors or while in the car. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your home’s home comfort unit.
- Equalize your residence’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring kinds for decreasing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Ready to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 940-202-1184 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right system for your home and budget.
