We spend a lot of time in our homes. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors makes up 90% of our schedule. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outdoors.
That’s since our houses are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy bills, it’s not so great if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is restricted, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get stuck. As a consequence, these pollutants could aggravate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with clean air and usual housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier could be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your furniture or carpet, it may help clean the air traveling across your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be helpful 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 go over the advantages so you can learn what’s correct 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 HVAC system to purify your complete home. Some models can work by themselves when your heating and cooling unit isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and provide the greatest filtration you can find, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful blend can eliminate 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 smells.
Avoid using an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA cautions ozone could worsen respiratory problems, even when released at minor amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a checklist of questions to consider when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better figure means air will be purified more quickly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I finish that by myself?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises taking other procedures to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can trigger symptoms. If you have to do these jobs on your own, you may want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also shower right away and put on new clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside.
- Turn on your air conditioner while at home or while driving. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s HVAC equipment.
- Balance your home’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring types for lowering indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Prepared to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 432-237-0168 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best unit for your family and budget.
