We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being inside comprises 90% of our days. However, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outdoors.
That’s since our residences are firmly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy costs, it’s not so fantastic if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get captured. Consequently, these pollutants could worsen your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with clean air and regular dusting 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 relief.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furniture or flooring, it might help purify the air circulating across 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 may also be appropriate if you or a loved one has lung trouble, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the distinctions so you can determine what’s appropriate for your home.
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 equipment to clean your complete house. Some models can work by themselves when your heating and cooling system isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and provide the greatest filtration you can buy, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty blend can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the greatest in air purification, consider equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household odors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the main element in smog. The EPA warns ozone may irritate respiratory issues, even when emitted at low settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a checklist of questions to think over when buying 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 better amount means air will be cleaned faster.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I complete that on my own?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other procedures to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can worsen symptoms. If you have to do this work yourself, you might want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off without delay and put on clean clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outside your home.
- Run the AC while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your home’s heating and cooling unit.
- Balance your home’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring kinds for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Prepared to move forward with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 614-879-9091 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you find the best unit for your family and budget.