We spend a lot of time indoors. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being indoors makes up 90% of our time. Having said that, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.
That’s due to the fact our houses are tightly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy bills, it’s not so fantastic if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants can irritate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with clean air and usual housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms while you’re at home, an air purifier could be able to help.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have settled on your furnishings or flooring, it can help clean the air moving around your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be helpful if you or a loved one has lung issues, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the differences so you can determine what’s correct for your home.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier works with your home comfort system to treat your full residence. Some kinds can purify independently when your HVAC equipment isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and deliver the most comprehensive filtration you can buy, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more effective when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic mixture can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the greatest in air purification, evaluate a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household vapors.
Avoid buying an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top component in smog. The EPA advises ozone could worsen respiratory issues, even when emitted at minor amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to ask when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better amount means air will be cleaned more quickly.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched? Can I do that on my own?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the best performance from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic recommends doing other procedures to decrease your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
- Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can irritate symptoms. If you are required to do these jobs on your own, consider trying a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outside your home.
- Run the AC while indoors or while in the car. Consider using a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s HVAC equipment.
- Equalize your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring kinds for lowering indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Want to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 928-432-6018 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best equipment for your residence and budget.