We spend a lot of time inside. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being within a building accounts for 90% of our time. However, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outdoors.
That’s due to the fact our houses are firmly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility bills, it’s not so fantastic if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is insufficient, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. As a result, these pollutants could aggravate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with fresh air and usual housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms during the time you’re at your residence, an air purifier could be able to provide relief.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have settled on your furniture or carpeting, it may help purify the air traveling around your home.
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 appropriate if you or a loved one has lung trouble, like 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 home.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your heating and cooling unit to purify your complete residence. Some types can work independently when your heating and cooling equipment isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and provide the most comprehensive filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic combination can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, think over a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the top element in smog. The EPA warns ozone can aggravate respiratory symptoms, even when discharged at small settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a checklist of questions to think over when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger number means air will be freshened more quickly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched? Can I finish that without help?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the most excellent outcome from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic suggests doing other procedures to limit your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can irritate symptoms. If you must do these jobs on your own, consider using a pollen mask. You should also shower right away and change your clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid drying laundry outside.
- Run air conditioning while at home or while driving. Consider installing a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s heating and cooling unit.
- Balance your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring kinds for lowering indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Ready to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 940-202-1184 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right system for your family and budget.