We spend a good majority of our time inside. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors comprises 90% of our schedule. However, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside.
That’s since our houses are securely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility costs, it’s not so fantastic if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is limited, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants might aggravate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with clean air and routine housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at home, an air purifier may be able to help.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have gotten trapped in your couch or carpeting, it could help purify the air circulating across your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It may also be useful if you or a family member has lung issues, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the distinctions so you can learn 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 works with your HVAC unit to purify your entire residence. Some kinds can clean on their own when your heating and cooling unit isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and offer the most comprehensive filtration you can buy, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic combination can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the greatest in air purification, evaluate a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household smells.
Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone may aggravate respiratory symptoms, even when emitted at small amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to think over when buying 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 faster.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed? Can I do that by myself?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the most excellent performance from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic recommends taking other procedures to decrease your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can aggravate symptoms. If you are required to do these chores on your own, consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and put on clean clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outside.
- Turn on the AC while at your house or while driving. Consider adding a high-efficiency air filter in your home’s HVAC system.
- Equalize your house’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring materials for decreasing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Ready to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 724-401-1843 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you find the ideal unit for your home and budget.