We spend lots of time indoors. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being indoors comprises 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outdoors.
That’s since our homes are firmly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy bills, it’s not so good if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is insufficient, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get trapped. As a result, these pollutants might worsen your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with clean air and routine housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms during the time you’re at your house, an air purifier could be able to help.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your furniture or carpet, it may help freshen the air moving throughout your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help reduce 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 a lung condition, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the differences so you can learn 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 works alongside your HVAC system to purify your entire house. Some models can clean independent when your HVAC unit isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and offer the most comprehensive filtration you can buy, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty combination can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, consider a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household odors.
Avoid using an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the main component in smog. The EPA cautions ozone might aggravate respiratory issues, even when released at low amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a list of questions to think over when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better number means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I complete that by myself?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic recommends completing other measures to limit your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have other family members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can irritate symptoms. If you must do these chores on your own, you might want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also shower without delay and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outside.
- Run your air conditioner while at your house or while in the car. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your house’s heating and cooling equipment.
- Even out your home’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring types for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Ready to take the next step with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 561-287-7071 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you choose the right unit for your house and budget.