We spend lots of time inside. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being inside accounts for 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside.
That’s since our residences are securely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your utility expenses, it’s not so fantastic if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants could irritate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with crisp air and routine housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms while you’re at home, an air purifier might be able to provide relief.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furniture or flooring, it may help purify the air traveling throughout your residence.
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 helpful if you or someone in your household has lung trouble, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the differences so you can learn what’s correct for your house.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your HVAC system to treat your full residence. Some kinds can clean by themselves when your home comfort 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 best filtration you can get, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty mixture can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the best in air purification, think over a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household smells.
Avoid purchasing an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main element in smog. The EPA warns ozone can aggravate respiratory troubles, even when emitted at small amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a list of questions to consider when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger number means air will be purified more rapidly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced? Can I complete that by myself?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the best outcome from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic recommends taking other procedures to reduce your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are high.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can irritate symptoms. If you have to do this work on your own, you might want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also bathe right away and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside your home.
- Turn on the AC while at home or while in the car. Consider installing a high-efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort equipment.
- Equalize your house’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Want to take the next step with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 863-216-2923 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you choose the ideal system for your house and budget.