We spend a lot of time inside. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being indoors makes up 90% of our time. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outdoors.
That’s since our homes are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility bills, it’s not so fantastic if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is restricted, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants may irritate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with fresh air and regular dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms during the time you’re at your house, an air purifier may be able to help.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have landed on your furniture or flooring, it may help clean the air circulating throughout your home.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be useful if you or a family member has lung trouble, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the differences 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 single room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your home comfort system to treat your full residence. Some kinds can clean independently when your HVAC system isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and offer the best filtration you can get, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful 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 eliminate household odors.
Avoid purchasing an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the top element in smog. The EPA cautions ozone could irritate respiratory issues, even when discharged at minor amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to ask when getting 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 purified more rapidly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed? Can I do that without help?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the most excellent results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises taking other procedures to decrease your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
- Have other family members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can worsen symptoms. If you must do this work on your own, you may want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe right away and put on new clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outside.
- Run the AC while indoors or while driving. Consider using a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s HVAC system.
- Equalize your house’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring types for lowering indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Ready to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 314-325-7552 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the ideal unit for your home and budget.