We spend lots of time inside. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building comprises 90% of our schedule. However, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside your home.
That’s due to the fact our homes are firmly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy costs, it’s not so good if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is restricted, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. As a result, these pollutants may irritate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with fresh air and regular housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms during the time you’re at home, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have settled on your furnishings or carpeting, it can help freshen the air traveling around your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It could also be appropriate if you or a family member has a lung condition, including 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 determine what’s correct for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your home comfort system to purify your full residence. Some kinds can clean independent when your heating and cooling unit isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and offer the greatest filtration you can find, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic combination can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the best in air purification, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household odors.
Avoid using an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA advises ozone may aggravate respiratory issues, even when emitted at small concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to think over when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher figure means air will be cleaned more quickly.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I finish that by myself?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic recommends completing other procedures to reduce your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can irritate symptoms. If you must do these chores on your own, you might want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside.
- Turn on your air conditioner while at your house or while driving. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort unit.
- Equalize your house’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring types for reducing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Ready to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 740-331-4331 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal equipment for your home and budget.
