We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being within a building makes up 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outdoors.
That’s due to the fact our homes are securely 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 limited, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get stuck. As a result, these pollutants may worsen your allergies.
You can boost 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 home, an air purifier could be able to help.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have settled on your couch or carpet, it may help purify the air traveling across your home.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed 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, like 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 accompanies your HVAC system to treat your complete residence. Some kinds can clean by themselves when your HVAC 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 greatest filtration you can find, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial 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 ultimate in air purification, consider a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household vapors.
Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone may irritate respiratory troubles, even when released at low amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to consider when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better number means air will be cleaned more rapidly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I do that by myself?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic recommends taking other measures to limit your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can trigger symptoms. If you are required to do this work on your own, you may want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also shower right away and put on new clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid drying laundry outside.
- Use air conditioning while at your house or while driving. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s heating and cooling equipment.
- Equalize your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring types for lowering indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Want to take the next step with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 276-302-0076 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the right unit for your residence and budget.