We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building comprises 90% of our time. Having said that, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outdoors.
That’s since our homes are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not so good if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is limited, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get stuck. Consequently, these pollutants might aggravate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with crisp air and regular dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms while you’re at your residence, an air purifier could be able to help.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have gotten trapped in your couch or flooring, it could help clean the air traveling throughout your house.
And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It may also be useful if you or a family member has lung trouble, like 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 appropriate 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 heating and cooling equipment to clean your full house. Some types can work by themselves when your HVAC unit isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and offer the best filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful mixture can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the best in air purification, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household vapors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top element in smog. The EPA warns ozone could worsen respiratory troubles, even when emitted at small settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a list of questions to consider when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better figure means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I do that on my own?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic advises taking other steps to decrease your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have someone else cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can irritate symptoms. If you are required to do these chores on your own, you may want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe right away and put on clean clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outside.
- Turn on your air conditioner while indoors or while in the car. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s HVAC equipment.
- Equalize your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring types for decreasing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Want to take the next step with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 740-474-5940 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal unit for your family and budget.