We spend a lot of time in our homes. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors makes up 90% of our days. However, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s because our residences are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is great for your heating and cooling expenses, it’s not so great if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is restricted, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. As a consequence, these pollutants might aggravate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with fresh air and routine housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms during the time you’re at your house, an air purifier might be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furniture or flooring, it may help purify the air circulating throughout 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 may also be helpful if you or a loved one has lung issues, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the differences so you can learn what’s appropriate for your house.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your HVAC system to purify your entire residence. Some models can purify independent when your home comfort system isn’t on.
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 most comprehensive filtration you can get, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic blend can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the best in air purification, evaluate equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household odors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the top component in smog. The EPA advises ozone could aggravate respiratory troubles, even when released at small concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to think over when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger amount means air will be freshened faster.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I do that without help?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other procedures to decrease your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can worsen symptoms. If you have to do these jobs alone, consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and put on new clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outside your home.
- Run the AC while at home or while in the car. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort unit.
- Equalize your home’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring types for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Ready to move forward with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 478-202-3170 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you find the right system for your family and budget.