We spend lots of time indoors. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building comprises 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside.
That’s due to the fact our homes are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility expenses, it’s not so fantastic if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is insufficient, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants can irritate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with crisp air and regular housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at home, an air purifier may be able to help.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have settled on your couch or carpeting, it could help clean the air circulating around your house.
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 could also be appropriate if you or someone in your household has a lung condition, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the advantages so you can determine what’s right for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier works with your heating and cooling equipment to purify your entire residence. Some kinds can work by themselves when your heating and cooling unit isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and offer the greatest filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when combined 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, think over equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household odors.
Avoid using an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the primary ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone may aggravate respiratory issues, even when discharged at low settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to consider when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher figure means air will be purified more rapidly.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed? Can I complete that on my own?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have 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 inside and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are high.
- Have other family members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can worsen symptoms. If you are required to do this work on your own, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid hanging laundry outdoors.
- Use the AC while indoors or while driving. Consider installing a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s HVAC unit.
- Equalize your house’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring types for decreasing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Ready to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our pros a call at 478-202-3170 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right unit for your house and budget.