We spend lots of time inside. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors comprises 90% of our time. Having said that, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.
That’s because our homes are tightly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy expenses, it’s not so good if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is limited, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get trapped. As a result, these pollutants could worsen your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with clean air and usual cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your furnishings or carpeting, it could help purify the air traveling throughout your residence.
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 helpful if you or someone in your household has lung trouble, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the differences so you can learn what’s right 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 with your home comfort unit to clean your complete house. Some kinds can purify by themselves when your heating and cooling equipment isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and deliver the greatest filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty mixture can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, evaluate equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household smells.
Avoid using an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone could irritate respiratory problems, even when released at small amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to consider when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger figure means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed? Can I do that without help?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the most excellent performance from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests doing other steps to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are high.
- Have other family members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can worsen symptoms. If you are required to do these jobs yourself, consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also shower right away and put on clean clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid drying laundry outdoors.
- Use air conditioning while indoors or while in the car. Consider installing a high-efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort unit.
- Equalize your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring materials for decreasing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Ready to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our pros a call at 561-270-6228 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you find the best unit for your house and budget.