We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being inside accounts for 90% of our time. However, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.
That’s because our houses are securely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility bills, it’s not so great if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get stuck. As a result, these pollutants may aggravate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with crisp air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier may be able to help.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have settled on your furniture or carpet, it may help clean the air traveling throughout your house.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It could also be helpful if you or someone in your household has lung issues, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the advantages so you can learn what’s right for your house.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your heating and cooling equipment to purify your entire house. Some types can clean independent when your home comfort equipment isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and deliver the best filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful mixture can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the best in air purification, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household odors.
Avoid buying an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the top component in smog. The EPA advises ozone might aggravate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at minor settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a checklist of questions to consider when purchasing 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 bigger number means air will be cleaned more quickly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I complete that on my own?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other steps to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are high.
- Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can worsen symptoms. If you must do these chores on your own, consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and change your clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside.
- Run air conditioning while at your house or while driving. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s HVAC system.
- Balance your house’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring kinds for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Want to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 623-208-6444 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the best equipment for your residence and budget.