We spend lots of time inside. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being inside accounts for 90% of our days. Although, 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 fantastic for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not so great if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is insufficient, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants may worsen your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and usual dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms during the time you’re at your residence, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have settled on your couch or flooring, it can help clean the air moving around your home.
And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be appropriate if you or someone in your household has lung issues, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the differences so you can figure out what’s correct for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your HVAC unit to treat your entire house. Some types can work on their own when your heating and cooling equipment isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and deliver the greatest filtration you can find, 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 powerful combination can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, think over a system that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household smells.
Avoid buying an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone might aggravate respiratory problems, even when released at low amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to consider when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better figure means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I complete that by myself?
- 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 unit? The Mayo Clinic recommends completing other procedures to decrease your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have other family members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can worsen symptoms. If you have to do these chores alone, consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off right away and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside.
- Run the AC while at home or while driving. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s HVAC unit.
- Balance your residence’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring types for reducing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Ready to take the next step with installing 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 right unit for your house and budget.