We spend a lot of time indoors. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building makes up 90% of our schedule. However, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s due to the fact our homes are securely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility costs, it’s not so great if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is limited, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get captured. As a result, these pollutants could irritate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with crisp air and routine cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms when you’re at your house, an air purifier may be able to provide relief.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your furnishings or flooring, it could help purify the air moving 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 may also be helpful if you or someone in your household has lung issues, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the differences so you can determine what’s correct for your home.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your home comfort unit to purify your complete residence. Some models can work independently when your heating and cooling system isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and offer the greatest filtration you can buy, as they remove 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic mixture can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, evaluate equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to take care of household vapors.
Avoid using an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA warns ozone might worsen respiratory troubles, even when released at minor concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to consider when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract 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 changed? Can I do that without help?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the top outcome from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic recommends completing other steps to limit your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have other family members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can aggravate symptoms. If you are required to do these jobs on your own, consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and change your clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid drying laundry outside your home.
- Turn on air conditioning while at home or while driving. Consider using a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s HVAC equipment.
- Equalize your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring materials for decreasing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Want to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 937-558-9478 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right equipment for your family and budget.