We spend a lot of time in our homes. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being inside accounts for 90% of our schedule. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside your home.
That’s since our homes are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your utility bills, it’s not so fantastic if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is restricted, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants can aggravate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with fresh air and usual cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at home, an air purifier may be able to provide relief.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have settled on your couch or carpeting, it could help clean the air circulating throughout your home.
And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It can also be appropriate if you or someone in your household 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 differences so you can determine what’s appropriate for your house.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier works with your home comfort system to purify your full residence. Some models can work independent when your home comfort unit isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and provide the best filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic combination can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the best in air purification, think over a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the top element in smog. The EPA cautions ozone could irritate respiratory problems, even when discharged at low concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a checklist of questions to ask when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher number means air will be cleaned faster.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I finish that by myself?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises completing other procedures to reduce your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can aggravate symptoms. If you have to do this work yourself, you might want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also shower without delay and change your clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outside your home.
- Run your air conditioner while indoors or while you’re on the road. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s heating and cooling equipment.
- Balance your home’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring materials for reducing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Prepared to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 740-331-4331 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you find the ideal equipment for your home and budget.
