We spend a good majority of our time indoors. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being indoors comprises 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.
That’s due to the fact our houses are firmly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy expenses, it’s not so good if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is limited, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get trapped. As a result, these pollutants can worsen your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with clean air and usual dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at your house, an air purifier may be able to provide relief.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have gotten trapped in your couch or flooring, it might help freshen the air moving across your house.
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 useful if you or a loved one has lung trouble, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the advantages so you can figure out what’s correct for your house.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your home comfort system to treat your full house. Some kinds can purify independent when your HVAC system isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and provide the greatest filtration you can get, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful combination can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the greatest in air purification, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household odors.
Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA warns ozone may worsen respiratory troubles, even when emitted at minor amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a checklist of questions to consider when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher number means air will be freshened more quickly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I finish that on my own?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises doing other measures to decrease your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can trigger symptoms. If you are required to do this work on your own, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outside your home.
- Use air conditioning while at your house or while driving. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your home’s home comfort system.
- Balance your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring materials for decreasing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Want to progress with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 828-202-7025 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the best unit for your residence and budget.
