We spend a lot of time inside. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being within a building comprises 90% of our schedule. Although, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside your home.
That’s due to the fact our residences are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your energy 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 consequence, these pollutants may worsen your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with clean air and regular housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier might be able to help.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your furniture or carpeting, it may help purify the air traveling around 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 a loved one has lung trouble, such as 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 right for your home.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your HVAC system to purify your full home. Some types can purify on their own when your HVAC system isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and provide the best filtration you can get, 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 dynamic combination can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the best in air purification, think over a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household vapors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the primary ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone might irritate respiratory problems, even when emitted at small settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a checklist of questions to think over when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better amount means air will be purified faster.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I do that on my own?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises doing other steps to decrease your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are high.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can irritate symptoms. If you must do these jobs on your own, you may want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and put on new clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outdoors.
- Use the AC while indoors or while driving. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your home’s heating and cooling unit.
- Equalize your house’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring kinds for reducing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Ready to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 928-263-8570 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you find the best unit for your home and budget.